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MacBook Pro Firmware Update Addresses SATA 3.0 Drive Performance Issues

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Apr 12, 2001
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Earlier this year, we noted that users of Apple's current MacBook Pro attempting to install third-party 6.0 Gb/s SATA 3.0 solid-state drives had been experiencing performance issues apparently related to interference issues between cables inside the chassis. The issue was said to primarily affect 17-inch models of the MacBook Pro.

mbp_lineup_early_2011.jpg



While Other World Computing (OWC) had developed a cable shielding kit to attempt to address the issue, it now appears that the MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.2 released yesterday officially addresses the problem. OWC has tested several systems with the update and found a marked improvement in performance.
Our testing has included multiple models of the 2011 MacBook Pro models and using the highest performing OWC Mercury EXTREME Pro 6G and Mercury Electra 6G SSDs. From this testing, we are confident today that Apple has now, by and large, resolved the issues with 6Gb/s drives where issues were being experienced with said drives in the Main Bay/standard drive location.
Click to expand...
OWC cautions that the update does not improve performance of 6.0 Gb/s SATA drives used in the MacBook Pro's optical bay.

Article Link: MacBook Pro Firmware Update Addresses SATA 3.0 Drive Performance Issues
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/15/macbook-pro-firmware-update-addresses-sata-3-0-drive-performance-issues/
Finally! Mine has been working since the beginning though. I really hope this resolves any issues with the SATA 6G performance in the 17" MBP.
 
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Finally! Now we need a fix for the mid-'09 MacBook Pros! SATA II doesn't work there!!??
 
andreiru said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; ru-ru) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Finally! Now we need a fix for the mid-'09 MacBook Pros! SATA II doesn't work there!!??
Click to expand...

YES PLEASE!!! If Apple fixes this that'll make my day, I hate only having 1.5Gbps speed instead of 3.0Gbps! I'm going to give Apple this as feedback and cross my fingers.:D
 
This didn't do ANYTHING for my SSD problems... still beach balls... :( aw well. Guess I'll be waiting for some unheard SSD firmware update.
 
Where the hell is TRIM support for 3rd party/non-crappy apple branded SSD drives?

They'll patch this, something that affects some users, but they wont fix TRIM, something that affects ALL users?! Where are Apple's priorities???
 
Mid-'09 MacBook Pro 15"

andreiru said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; ru-ru) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Finally! Now we need a fix for the mid-'09 MacBook Pros! SATA II doesn't work there!!??
Click to expand...

Just a word to the wise: I fitted a OCZ Vertex 3 into my mid-'09 MBP and have been getting sustained read/write speeds of 200 megabytes per second. So far I have had exactly one read error that I know of, and my machine has not become any flakier than it was before this. (Actually a lot less, since this replaced a failing hard drive.)

What did I do? I wrapped both the Vertex 3 and the cable connecting it to the motherboard carefully in aluminum foil, and made sure the foil was grounded to the aluminum case of the computer (but of course not shorting anything out.)

Your mileage may vary, of course. But this appears to work at least sometimes.
 
First: WOOHOO! Not that 250MB/s was exactly slow, but it's sure nice to see the full 480MB/s+ speeds on my 17".

fredfnord said:
What did I do? I wrapped both the Vertex 3 and the cable connecting it to the motherboard carefully in aluminum foil, and made sure the foil was grounded to the aluminum case of the computer (but of course not shorting anything out.)
Click to expand...
OWC tested the living crap out of foil shielding, and actually sells a kit of sticky foil cut to size for the cable. And, based on their extensive testing and a lot of user feedback, the foil helps in some cases, and does little or nothing in others. And, of course, some people don't have any problems at all.

Although, at only 200MB/s are you sure your drive is even running in SATAIII 6G mode? That's less than you'd expect for SATAII 3G, either because you've got it on a 3G optical bay port (most are) or because the drive is only running in 3G mode.

I'm in the relatively large camp of people for whom the foil didn't do anything useful, and this firmware update has completely fixed the problem. Took long enough, but better late than never.

bb426 said:
This didn't do ANYTHING for my SSD problems... still beach balls... :( aw well. Guess I'll be waiting for some unheard SSD firmware update.
Click to expand...
Are you running your SSD on a 6G optical bay port? Those, apparently, are still flakey unless limited to 3G speeds. If not, and unless it turns out there are a few cases where the firmware update doesn't fix things, I'd be inclined to think there's actually something wrong with your SSD. Wouldn't hurt to have it sent in for service, just in case.
 
Makosuke said:
Although, at only 200MB/s are you sure your drive is even running in SATAIII 6G mode? That's less than you'd expect for SATAII 3G, either because you've got it on a 3G optical bay port (most are) or because the drive is only running in 3G mode.
Click to expand...

He has an 09 MBP
 
bb426 said:
This didn't do ANYTHING for my SSD problems... still beach balls... :( aw well. Guess I'll be waiting for some unheard SSD firmware update.
Click to expand...

It is a strange problem.... i don't have it. Check if the SSD is in the right port and update SSD firmware. All my nerd friends (me too) have SSD on their macs without these issues.
And forget TRIM, modern SSD doesn't need it.
 
This appears to fix my issues with using an OWC 6G 240g SSD in my 2011 17" MBP.

No beach balls or hanging so far.
 
Second Gen i7, ATI/AMD GPU and SATA 3.0 make me so envious of the latest pros.

However Ivy Bridge, next year will provide (hopefully) USB 3.0 standard, i know i know, thunderbolt is great, but USB is not going anywhere any time soon.

With a much better integrated GPU this means less reliance on the main GPU which will save lots of power when not in work mode.

Not to mention more efficient processors that allow for faster work at lower energy rates.

Oh and pros can already handle 16GB RAM, so you know your set for a long time! :cool:
 
andreiru said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_5 like Mac OS X; ru-ru) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8L1 Safari/6533.18.5)

Finally! Now we need a fix for the mid-'09 MacBook Pros! SATA II doesn't work there!!??
Click to expand...

I assume SATA II = 3gbps connection. If so, SATA II works on the optibay for mid-09 MBP. I am having one.

To share my experience with the optibay:

1. Transfer the STOCK HDD (Toshiba unit) to optibay. System info says Link Speed = 3.0gbps, negotiated speed = 1.5gbps. :confused:

2. Ditched the Toshiba unit, bought a Hitachi 500GB, install in optibay. Link Speed and negotiated speed = 3.0gbps.

Seems like the drive that came with our mid 2009 MBPs are not capable for SATA 2.

You might want to have a swap and check.

----------
ghostlines said:
YES PLEASE!!! If Apple fixes this that'll make my day, I hate only having 1.5Gbps speed instead of 3.0Gbps! I'm going to give Apple this as feedback and cross my fingers.:D
Click to expand...

Check my previous feedback above.
 
Works for me.

At last I put my Vertex3 back in my 17''2011 MBP. After having constant beach balls previously, I ended up going back to the 5400rpm 750Gb drive it shipped with. So clean zero format and install today with new firmware, its flying with 490mb/sec read writes with AJA. Thanks for the 6month wait Apple:eek:
 
aristokrat said:
What? Have the laws of electromagnetics changed recently? Because if not, TRIM is very much still needed.
Click to expand...

If the SSD can blank out sectors which contain "deleted" data by itself, why would you want to waste CPU cycles getting the OS to do it?
 
Not an issue on 15" early 2011 MBP models.

Won't be able to install the firmware on 15" early 2011 MBP models.

I have Intel SSD working fine at 6Gbps.
 
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