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Mac Mini 6,1 (2012) stuck on firmware 286.0.0.0.0

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weckart

macrumors 603
Original poster
Nov 7, 2004
6,081
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Silent Knight tells me I need to update this to revision 486.0.0.0. I currently have Ventura and Mojave on separate SSDs internally. I tried installing Catalina, as I believe this has the firmware update, onto an external Thunderbolt drive but no firmware update happened nor was I prompted. I tried 10.15.7 (the current release) and 10.15.3 (the earliest I could find). Am I missing something?

I went straight from Mojave to Big Sur (now Ventura) on the second disk drive. This Mac Mini has not run Catalina before.
 
Hi, do you tried to install Catalina onto the internal HD/SSD?, It has an apple provided HD/SSD?, Some models don't update the firmware if it has a third party HD or if it's on external drive.

I recently updated a MM 2012 i5 that was on el Capitan and it's firmware was outdated too, but from my experience with a MacBook pro I went straight for trigger the update from the original internal HD.
Hope it helps.
 
weckart said:
Silent Knight tells me I need to update this to revision 486.0.0.0. I currently have Ventura and Mojave on separate SSDs internally. I tried installing Catalina, as I believe this has the firmware update, onto an external Thunderbolt drive but no firmware update happened nor was I prompted. I tried 10.15.7 (the current release) and 10.15.3 (the earliest I could find). Am I missing something?

I went straight from Mojave to Big Sur (now Ventura) on the second disk drive. This Mac Mini has not run Catalina before.
Click to expand...
I assume you’re using some unsupported method to get Big Sur and/or Ventura on this computer. These will not update the firmware on the computer.
You should install Catalina AND its latest security updates to get the most recent firmware that Apple made available for the 2012 mini. You will likely need to install these to an internal disk to get the updates to run, and the update happens automatically in the process of installing the security updates.
 
NewbiePPC said:
Hi, do you tried to install Catalina onto the internal HD/SSD?, It has an apple provided HD/SSD?, Some models don't update the firmware if it has a third party HD or if it's on external drive.

I recently updated a MM 2012 i5 that was on el Capitan and it's firmware was outdated too, but from my experience with a MacBook pro I went straight for trigger the update from the original internal HD.
Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
I'll see if I can dig out an Apple SATA drive from my box of spares but I don't remember this being a problem on my Mac Pro. I think it was mostly an issue on MacBook Pros/Airs with blade drives. I know I had to find the original drives for my MBA 2010 and my MBP 2015 to get firmwares updated but desktop machines were designed for drives to be easily replaced, so I don't think Apple placed that restriction on them.
chrfr said:
I assume you’re using some unsupported method to get Big Sur and/or Ventura on this computer. These will not update the firmware on the computer.
You should install Catalina AND its latest security updates to get the most recent firmware that Apple made available for the 2012 mini. You will likely need to install these to an internal disk to get the updates to run, and the update happens automatically in the process of installing the security updates.
Click to expand...
I have installed Catalina and at least one security update to a Thunderbolt drive and tried again onto the same drive wiped again via USB 3.0 as I spotted a post saying firmwares won't update onto a Thunderbolt drive for some reason. Still did nothing.
 
weckart said:
I'll see if I can dig out an Apple SATA drive from my box of spares but I don't remember this being a problem on my Mac Pro. I think it was mostly an issue on MacBook Pros/Airs with blade drives. I know I had to find the original drives for my MBA 2010 and my MBP 2015 to get firmwares updated but desktop machines were designed for drives to be easily replaced, so I don't think Apple placed that restriction on them.

I have installed Catalina and at least one security update to a Thunderbolt drive and tried again onto the same drive wiped again via USB 3.0 as I spotted a post saying firmwares won't update onto a Thunderbolt drive for some reason. Still did nothing.
Click to expand...
The 2012 mini definitely doesn't require an OEM Apple disk for firmware updates but I've never tested them with an install onto a Thunderbolt disk- my 2012 minis have never run with their original drives in them and the firmware did update just fine. It would not surprise me that it's necessary to install to an internal drive to get firmware updated.
 
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chrfr said:
The 2012 mini definitely doesn't require an OEM Apple disk for firmware updates but I've never tested them with an install onto a Thunderbolt disk- my 2012 minis have never run with their original drives in them and the firmware did update just fine. It would not surprise me that it's necessary to install to an internal drive to get firmware updated.
Click to expand...
I'll give that a shot next. I have 2 internal drives with Ventura and Mojave. It shouldn't be difficult to add a volume just for Catalina. It might be something just as simple as that.
 
Well, I installed 10.15.3 to an internal volume and installed all updates to the current release 19H2026. Still no prompt to update firmware.
 
weckart said:
Well, I installed 10.15.3 to an internal volume and installed all updates to the current release 19H2026. Still no prompt to update firmware.
Click to expand...
Did you use the exact spec/capacity of original HDD? macOS seems very particular about updating the base firmware, you must use original GPU (N/A in your case) and original manufacturer HDD. For example, if the HDD type is Toshiba, don't expect the OS to update if you put a Sandisk HDD in there (unless that was one of the original vendors for that model).

Also, you'll never get a prompt to update the base level firmware. It happens automatically as part of the macOS update. You'll know it's happening when you see the 'fat bar' loading, instead of the normally-skinny progress bar.

image.jpeg
 
In my experience, some of the firmware updates happen almost without any notice. I have two of the 2012 minis, and both are on the current version ROM: 429.0.0.0.0
That's the current version listed on this page - https://eclecticlight.co/2019/10/08/which-efi-firmware-should-your-mac-be-using-version-4/
That's a little inaccurate about the need to have exact HDD specs as the internal boot drive. I have had a variety of SSDs, nothing close to original drives, and firmware seems to have updated during a full system reinstall.
My Catalina boot system is on a shared volume on one of the SSDs, and that's where the last update for Catalina happened.
You COULD also try getting a full installer for Catalina - which is available through the usual link to the App Store.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
Scroll to the download link for Catalina 10.15
That link will get you 10.15.7. Use that to make an updated USB installer. Maybe that will "bump" the firmware update, too.
 
weckart said:
Well, I installed 10.15.3 to an internal volume and installed all updates to the current release 19H2026. Still no prompt to update firmware.
Click to expand...
The firmware update is automatic. You won't see a prompt and you definitely do not need to match the original disk size and type.
 
I have a 2012 Mini, that has not had the original factory drive in it for many years. It is fully up to date for Catalina, with all updates over the years going smoothly, and is currently showing version 429.0.0.0.0 for the firmware.
 
DeltaMac said:
You COULD also try getting a full installer for Catalina - which is available through the usual link to the App Store.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
Scroll to the download link for Catalina 10.15
That link will get you 10.15.7. Use that to make an updated USB installer. Maybe that will "bump" the firmware update, too.
Click to expand...
I have done about five full installs of Catalina now. With 10.15.3 and 10.15.7. I cannot download anything earlier from Apple's servers.
chrfr said:
The firmware update is automatic. You won't see a prompt and you definitely do not need to match the original disk size and type.
Click to expand...
No holding down the power button to flash the ROM chip?
 
Questions for the OP:
For the moment, let's disregard that the firmware is not "up to date".
Having said that...
Does the Mini boot and run OK?
Does it do everything you need it to do?

If so...
... I'd just FORGET about what version of firmware is on it and... just use it.
What works... works.

My suspicion is the only way you're going to get the firmware to update now is to REMOVE the 3rd party drives and re-install the factory drive (same as on some MacBook Pros)...
 
Fishrrman said:
My suspicion is the only way you're going to get the firmware to update now is to REMOVE the 3rd party drives and re-install the factory drive (same as on some MacBook Pros)...
Click to expand...
Again, this is not necessary on the 2012 mini. I have run my 2012 minis with 3rd party SSDs from day 1 and they all updated firmware without a problem.
 
Final firmware update should be 429.0.0.0.0 (ignore booboo in OP). I suppose if it works, it works. I have no idea whether the updates from 286.0.0.0.0 fixed bugs or added support for god knows what. Apple is a bit opaque on these things. I was just perplexed as to why the Mini was stubbornly sticking to the BootRom level it currently has.
 
Idk, maybe your mini has to be on certain firmware for Catalina firmware update take effect, at this point you can try
 
NewbiePPC said:
Idk, maybe your mini has to be on certain firmware for Catalina firmware update take effect, at this point you can try
Click to expand...
Given that it is already on Mojave, I'm not sure what the steps are to between that and Catalina 10.15.3 to take it up to 429.0.0.0.0.
 
weckart said:
Given that it is already on Mojave, I'm not sure what the steps are to between that and Catalina 10.15.3 to take it up to 429.0.0.0.0.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify: you mentioned that the computer had Ventura on it. Obviously this is unsupported and you’d have had to use OpenCore or something similar to install those. When you’re installing Catalina, are you still using OpenCore or an installer that is modified in any way? Are you leaving any disks connected to the computer aside from the one which has Catalina on it?
About all I can suggest is to disconnect all other disks, use internet recovery to get the latest 10.15.7 installer, and format the destination disk as MacOS Extended (Journaled) using GUID partition mapping and then install Catalina from internet recovery. Then, after that’s complete, use software update to install all relevant updates.
 
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No. I am booting into the Catalina installer directly and bypassing OCLP. I had an idea that that would not be a good idea for Apple's cooperation, especially as it may be spoofing another Apple computer under the surface.

Your last suggestion was going to be my last resort. Looks like it's going to be my only resort.
 
See this:
eclecticlight.co

Which EFI firmware should your Mac be using? (version 4)

macOS 10.15 Catalina brings EFI firmware updates for all supported models, and subsequent updates have changed those for most models too. This article lists the firmware versions of Macs which have…
eclecticlight.co eclecticlight.co

You need to apply Catalina Security Update 2022-005 to update your firmware to 429.0.0.0
Starting with a clean install of Catalina is probably the best way to do it.
Note. Firmware updates only work when booted from internal drive installed in its original location.

I've done something similar on one of my MBP2011 and went all the way thru subsequent firmware updates (via various security updates) starting from Yosemite and ending with Sierra.
 
Last edited:
ojfd said:
See this:
eclecticlight.co

Which EFI firmware should your Mac be using? (version 4)

macOS 10.15 Catalina brings EFI firmware updates for all supported models, and subsequent updates have changed those for most models too. This article lists the firmware versions of Macs which have…
eclecticlight.co eclecticlight.co

You need to apply Catalina Security Update 2022-005 to update your firmware to 429.0.0.0
Starting with a clean install of Catalina is probably the best way to do it.
Note. Firmware updates only work when booted from internal drive installed in its original location.

I've done something similar on one of my MBP2011 and went all the way thru subsequent firmware updates (via various security updates) starting from Yosemite and ending with Sierra.
Click to expand...
Did that and nothing.

I'm on Ventura now with Mojave on another drive for compatibility with older 32 bit apps. The only thing that doesn't seem to work in Ventura is auto-sleep. Having said that, that particular System Setting seems to have gone when Apple split up the Energy settings across a few others making it harder to find. I can only see the option for turning off displays and allowing drives to sleep whenever possible. I have to force sleep it.
 
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The latest OCLP (0.5.2) may fix this on Ivy Bridge and Haswell. If you look at the release notes, 'mediaanalysisd' was the cause of a kernel panic during hibernation.
weckart said:
Did that and nothing.

I'm on Ventura now with Mojave on another drive for compatibility with older 32 bit apps. The only thing that doesn't seem to work in Ventura is auto-sleep. Having said that, that particular System Setting seems to have gone when Apple split up the Energy settings across a few others making it harder to find. I can only see the option for turning off displays and allowing drives to sleep whenever possible. I have to force sleep it.
Click to expand...
The latest OCLP (0.5.2) may fix this on Ivy Bridge and Haswell. If you look at the release notes, 'mediaanalysisd' was the cause of a kernel panic during hibernation. I have a late 2012 Mac mini running Ventura and this update seems to have fixed that very issue.
 
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