Dreaded update? What was so dreadful about it? It fixed my screen wonkiness like a charm.
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Mac Pro EFI Firmware Update
- Thread starter deathshrub
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Dreaded update? What was so dreadful about it? It fixed my screen wonkiness like a charm.
Maybe it's to make sure nothing is in the drive that could possibly boot during the update????
I am happy to report my Mac Pro slept for 12 hours last night while I did the same and woke up this morning with no issues whatsoever. 
Any luck installing this with a RAID card?
Yep; version ...B02 before, supposed to go to B05.
I've tried 5 times now, and the firmware update has never taken. I see a progress bar "instantly" going from full white to full gray, and restart never shows a change to B05.
If this update is related to sleep issues, then that may explain the failure, as the MacPro with RAID does not ever actually sleep (aside from sleeping the display).
Can anyone who has the EFI update in the Software Update list
please let me know what their boot ROM version is before applying it?
I'm just curious to know why it isn't in the list for me. Maybe
not all previous boot ROM versions need replacing.
My boot ROM version: MP31.006C.B02.
Yep, that's 3 below MP31.006C.B05 which comes with the
EFI update
Yep; version ...B02 before, supposed to go to B05.
I've tried 5 times now, and the firmware update has never taken. I see a progress bar "instantly" going from full white to full gray, and restart never shows a change to B05.
If this update is related to sleep issues, then that may explain the failure, as the MacPro with RAID does not ever actually sleep (aside from sleeping the display).
FWIW. This firmware update fixed the reboot on wake problem for my system so I'm very happy.
Note, I had to download the update and install it manually. When I installed it via software update, nothing happened...
It shouldn't fail. I have the APPLE RAID card and it's true that the card prevents the MP from actually sleeping (only the monitor as you mentioned) but I had no problems getting the firmware upgraded - on the first try
I think the DVD drive opening helps to ensure that the Mac Pro doesn't boot off of any other device to ensure the update can run on reboot...
my .02
Raid card no sleep.
I'm getting my mac pro with raid card somewere next week, i did not know that i would not be able to let it sleep with the card, any idea on the power consumption of the mac pro when it is idelling ?
I'm getting my mac pro with raid card somewere next week, i did not know that i would not be able to let it sleep with the card, any idea on the power consumption of the mac pro when it is idelling ?
resolved, thanks!
6th time was the charm. -- I simply had not held the power button down long enough when starting after the shutdown. If anyone else is the impatient type, do be sure to wait for the power light to go into its quickly flashing "status" mode. I saw that in the instructions, but was too casual about it...
It shouldn't fail. I have the APPLE RAID card and it's true that the card prevents the MP from actually sleeping (only the monitor as you mentioned) but I had no problems getting the firmware upgraded - on the first try
6th time was the charm.
-- I simply had not held the power button down long enough when starting after the shutdown. If anyone else is the impatient type, do be sure to wait for the power light to go into its quickly flashing "status" mode. I saw that in the instructions, but was too casual about it...Ok did not know that either , thanks for the info, i won't be trying that then ;-).
Anything else i should know ??
Anything else i should know ??
Same her, I tried over and over again, but version number doesnt change and the update is still avaible.
I am happy to report my Mac Pro slept for 12 hours last night while I did the same and woke up this morning with no issues whatsoever.
I'm gonna try and put mine to sleep tonight after I update the firmware. I actually haven't tried sleeping it yet with this machine. The first MacPro failed. Haven't tried with the replacement yet.
6th time was the charm.
Ehm, what does that mean "into its quickly flashing "status" mode"? Also, how long did you hold in the button?
I held the button in for maybe 4 or 5 seconds and then the little
light on the front flashed on and off very quickly. I let it do that
for a couple of seconds and the released the button. It just took
one try of this to get the firmware to install.
I did the update last night, I think I had to hold about 8-10 seconds. You just push the power button and keep holding and eventually the power light will blink rapidly. Once it starts blinking rapidly, you can release the power button. The Mac Pro will then make a high-pitched beep from the speaker and start the update process. You will see a gray screen with a progress bar during the update.
Like I said on the first page of this thread. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. I bet most of the people with "issues" did not hold the power button in until it flashed/beeped. Firmware worked the first time and took all of 2 minutes to complete.
Ugh.. now the spotlight menu is flickering when I type in letters.
Grr... I just *knew* it was a mistake to install that update lol
Ok, the problem with the HD2600XT firmware update is that it
supposedly increases idle energy usage by 23W and increases
the fan speed so making it noisier.
"I obtained confirmation from my AppleCare contact that the
raised energy usage and increased fan noise is an expected
result once the Apple 2600XT firmware update is installed."
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1436811&tstart=30
It's so that if the update were to fail or was somehow corrupt, you could use the EFI Recovery CD. It wouldn't make sense that it was engineered to prevent booting off of a DVD since only one of my Super Drives popped out.