Thunderbolt update 1.2 keeps on popping up

[Cubytus]

Hi there,

I hit this pesky issue of the Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.2 that keeps showing up in the App Store in Mavericks. I read a bit about possible causes, and Apple's KB advises to disconnect Thunderbolt peripherals before attempting the update.

But I have none.

Discussions say to attempt this only with AC adapter connected:

I did, every time, but it shows up repeatedly nevertheless.

Then as a last-resort, many relied on reinstalling their OS.

I did, too, erasing the HDD and downloading a fresh copy overnight using the recovery boot. And the update keeps popping up!

In case this is relevant, the chip marked Parade PS8301, apparently an HDMI shifter, stays hot even when the computer is sleeping. If that's helpful to the matter, projection a HDMI TV doesn't work at all: TV displays "no signal". PRAM reset didn't change anything.

Servicing at the Genius Bar is not an option as this machine just fell out of warranty.

Any idea what's going on in this machine?

 

[DeltaMac]

Apple can help you. "Out of warranty" does not mean that service by Apple is not an option now. It just means that it won't be a warranty repair - you likely will pay for the repair until Apple designates your Mac as obsolete, when Apple would usually stop all support - no more repair parts, for example. That will be at least 5 years from when your Mac was sold as new.

 

[wlossw]

You will also find that the Genius Bar will perform software diagnosis for no charge... So they can still be very useful to you..

 

[Cubytus]

Of course it could still be serviced, but these sort of issues are normally dealt with logic board replacement (even audio jack malfunctions!), which is extremely expensive and not money-effective on a 4-yr old machine.

But before setting an appointment, I thought about tapping users' experience with the issue.

 

[Cubytus]

Just went there. The Genius ran the ordinary test, no errors besides the battery (non-Apple), only warnings for RAM / HDD (non-Apple).

Especially, no error regarding the video sub-system or the motherboard.

He tried to boot the Triage version of Mac OS X, but that, too, failed to make the Thunderbolt port work. Hard drive and display went undetected.

Should I assume the failed component is too low-level to have raised a flag about its malfunction?
If so, is there hope a specialized shop could replace it and restore functionality?

 

[wlossw]

Have you tries upgrading your os, perhaps on an external drive and seeing if that fixes the issue?

 

[Cubytus]

Well since the port was completely undetected and a chip stayed warm during sleep, the Genius concluded the issue must be hardware first, software second, and that there was no point in additional testing since an update most probably won't install on faulty hardware.

Instead, he said I could still use Apple TV, even an older generation, to restore TV projection capability, and basically just "live with the faulty TB port". According to him, not worth the cost to change a 750$ motherboard when a $100 Apple TV would do the current job just fine.