Macbrick - failed fw update (Any help?)

[mrmaroon]

When my macbook asked me to perform a firmware update, I happily obliged. However, I was somewhat alarmed to discover that, although following the proper instructions (hold down the power button yadda yadda), I was not greeted by a grey screen and a progress bar. In fact, it just keeps going on and on with the lights and tones.

In accordance with Apple's procedure, I created a recovery disk, with recovery software 1.6, I might add. I assumed my macbook (2.0 ghz S.R) is the late 2007 model (can anyone shed any light on that one?). So with the recovery disk in hand, I followed Apple's instructions (insert during lights/tones), and waited. The disk span up *yay*, the disk span down and ejected *aww*.

Either this, or aq constant cycle of the tones occurs. Now, as you may have guessed, I am somewhat concerned.

So:


HELPMEHELPMEHELPMEHELP PLZ!!!



I'm actually getting quite panicky now!

Hopefully yours,

MM

 

[NAG]

I realize this is probably distressing but can you give a step by step description of what you did and what happened? Please be as descriptive as possible.

 

[Sun Baked]

The tones are indicators of what is wrong.

Power On Self-Test Beep Definition - Part 2

Edit: newer ones Santa Rosa tones I think

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306396

 

[mrmaroon]

The tones are indicators of what is wrong.

Power On Self-Test Beep Definition - Part 2

It's an SOS signal.

beepbeepbeep beeeep beeeep beeeep beepbeepbeep

 

[Sun Baked]

It's an SOS signal.

beepbeepbeep beeeep beeeep beeeep beepbeepbeep

Found the newer tone definition through the link I gave you...

3 long tones, 3 short tones, 3 long tones Firmware restoration from CD in process. See this article for more details.

 

[mrmaroon]

I realize this is probably distressing but can you give a step by step description of what you did and what happened? Please be as descriptive as possible.

Right.

The 'EFI update' icon appeared in the dock. So, once I had finished with my browsing, I noted the instructions, and clicked 'shut down'. It shut down as usual. So, when it came to powering on, I held it down until I heard the beeps, and saw the flashes.

Then I waited. Nothing happened. So I waited some more. The S-O-S beeps rang out, repeating every minute or so.

Realising this was going no-where, I held the power button down for ten seconds or so. The S-O-S beeps were played again, and then the Macbook powered off. So reading the Apple instructions, I made a recovery disk from the 1.6 file, assuming my macbook (2.0 ghz S.R, bought in Feb. 08) was the late '07 version.

I held the power button down again, waited for the beeps, then inserted the disk and let go of the button.

The disk span up, but span back down and ejected soon after.

I tried this again and again and again, but to no avail.

Then I had some toast, with jam.

Then I posed the question to the compassionate people of mac rumors.




Hope this clears things up.

Cheers,

MM

 

[merl1n]

It's an SOS signal.

beepbeepbeep beeeep beeeep beeeep beepbeepbeep

This pattern is for firmware restoration. If the cd you created to restore the firmware keeps ejecting, it may be bad.

Although this article references the iMac, the s.o.s tones still indicate a firmware restoration.

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306396

 

[Sun Baked]

Finicky slot loading drives, maybe the MacBook doesn't like the CD you made.

 

[mrmaroon]

Could very well be the case. Although it seemed to be fine on my xp machine. Is there any way of checking the alright-ness of a disk?

 

[mrmaroon]

Right.


Could anyone instruct as to how I would go about formatting my HD, then re-installing Leopard?

I've tried booting from CD, but no luck.


lil help?

 

[merl1n]

Right.


Could anyone instruct as to how I would go about formatting my HD, then re-installing Leopard?

I've tried booting from CD, but no luck.


lil help?

1. Unless you get the firmware straightened out, you're not going anywhere. If you can't make another CD with the restoration firmware from another Mac, you will have to bring it to Apple and have them fix the firmware.

2. This is EFI firmware and has nothing to do with the Operating System. You will not be able to do anything until you have the firmware issue resolved. That means you will not be able to boot into any mode (DVD, target disk mode, etc.)

3. Once you have the firmware corrected, you will not need to load a new OS and your computer should be fine as it is.

 

[mrmaroon]

1. Unless you get the firmware straightened out, you're not going anywhere. If you can't make another CD with the restoration firmware from another Mac, you will have to bring it to Apple and have them fix the firmware.

2. This is EFI firmware and has nothing to do with the Operating System. You will not be able to do anything until you have the firmware issue resolved. That means you will not be able to boot into any mode (DVD, target disk mode, etc.)

3. Once you have the firmware corrected, you will not need to load a new OS and your computer should be fine as it is.

From another mac?!?!


fail-o-rama.

 

[merl1n]

From another mac?!?!


fail-o-rama.

What I mean is to burn another CD with the restoration firmware on another Mac (if you have access to one) since right now your current mac is toast.

Then try to use this new CD to restore the firmware on your current Mac. Otherwise you need to make a trip to an Apple Store and have a Genius do it for you.

 

[Sun Baked]

From another mac?!?!


fail-o-rama.

Got to turn a FirmwareRestorationCD.dmg into a CD.

Might be able to open the .dmg file in windows and burn it to a CD, but I don't know if it'll work for something so critical.

If it is just the FirmwareRestorationCD.dmg file on the drive, it needs the stuff "inside" that disc image file to complete the firmware upgrade.

You need to burn a Mac OS Extended CD with 3 files and a couple folders on a Windows machine.

 

[mrmaroon]

Got to turn a FirmwareRestorationCD.dmg into a CD.

Might be able to open the .dmg file in windows and burn it to a CD, but I don't know if it'll work for something so critical.

If it is just the FirmwareRestorationCD.dmg file on the drive, it needs the stuff "inside" that disc image file to complete the firmware upgrade.

That's a point.


awww! FML!

 

[Sun Baked]

That's a point.


awww! FML!

downloaded the file and looked, and it is a Mac OS Extended disk image.

And we all know how well Windows machines handle HFS+ disks.

---

Going to have to try a Mac -- or find the script on doing it on a PC.

 

[Consultant]

Is it under warranty? Contact Apple Care

 

[merl1n]

That's a point.


awww! FML!

I hope when you created the firmware restoration CD you didn't just copy the .dmg file to it. If you did, that's the problem with the CD.

The dmg file is a disk image and must first be mounted as a drive. Then you create the CD using that drive as the source to burn to the CD.

You mention you followed Apple's procedures for creating it. Can you provide the link (so we don't have to look it up), and are you sure you followed their procedures exactly?

 

[Sun Baked]

Grab a Windows utility that'll allow you to open the .dmg file and burn a HFS+ volume.

Check around some of them have 30-day free trials. http://www.asy.com

 

[mrmaroon]

OK



I'm a bit special (Read : Retarded)



*Buries head and hopes the nice people realise he was blinded by panic*

 

[Sun Baked]

OK

I'm a bit special (Read : Retarded)

*Buries head and hopes the nice people realise he was blinded by panic*

Easy mistake, not everyone knows that .dmg files are disk images.

And you are looking to burn this...

 

[mrmaroon]

I literally can't thank everyone here enough.







Tonight I have felt the curious emotion of utter humiliation, and immense relief.




Brill.