What should I do? Late 2012 Mini EFI Updater Confusion.

[Wie Gehts]

I been mushing around wondering if a possible EFI update is something I missed and may help some recent issues.

My Mini's stats in reference to this are:
Mac mini 6,2
Boot ROM Ver: MM61.010E.B00
SMC Ver: 2.8f0

Confusion#1: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201518#macmini

You'll see they have 2102 Mini Server listed as a 6,2. Whereas plain Mini is listed as a 6,1. Yet mine is a 6,2 but its not the server. Okay though, they both share the same EFI update.... MM61.0106.BOA.... which is different from my current one. Nevertheless, confusing.

Confusion#2: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1848?locale=en_US

Mac EFI Security Update 2015 - 002 / 86MB's / Posted Oct.21, 2015

which leads to ...
Confusion#3: https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1828?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Mac Mini EFI Firmware Update Ver 1.8 / 4.8MB's / Posted July 15, 2015


So.... Do I need to update the EFI? If so, why didn't it automatically come with Apple Update?
I'm also confronted with 2 EFI's updaters apparently. Confusion reigns supreme. I'm gonna guess the 'firmware' one is it while the other is a 'software' type update for the EFI. If I do update I take it I should do both?

Now if need to update, am I gonna brick my Mini? Granted I will make clones of my system. But am I in any real danger?

I'm on 'plain' Sierra. What's bugging me is that I apparently never got an update notification for this therefore I'm thinking I may be doing damage perhaps.
So what ya'll think? I need to update? Is it something that could possibly fix some odd issues?

Thanks


EDIT:
As always, once I pose questions, answers pop up and I found a slew of google items about EFI V1.8, which leads me to think that it should be OK for my system.

 

[treekram]

You're mistaken on several counts.

First, the difference between Macmini6,1 and Macmini6,2 is that 6,1 is the i5 dual-core, 6,2 is the i7 quad-core. The server is a quad-core and the difference was that it came standard with 2 1TB HDD's and the server version of OSX.

Second, the article you link in "Confusion #1" is no longer being updated by Apple and is out of date.

Third, the EFI update you link in "Confusion #2" dates from 2015, there have been multiple EFI updates since then.

Fourth, the EFI update you link in "Confusion #3" is even older than the one in "Confusion #2".

There is only a EFI firmware update. There's not a separate category for an EFI software update for Macs. To explain further would take some time and may lead to even more confusion.

A clone won't help if you brick your system due to a firmware update (either because something very unusual happens or Apple screws up). Your only recourse would be to take it to Apple (or an authorized service provider) to get it repaired. Luckily, Apple hasn't screwed this one up on the 2012 Mini (that I know of). And I don't know that the other type of occurrence has happened either. But there is always the possibility, however small. In terms of hardware failure, it's not something I worry about.

The EFI is updated as part of a OS upgrade, update or security update. It used to be, years ago, that it was a separate upgrade package. That's no longer the case and if an update does do an EFI update, it won't explicitly inform you (although if there are two reboots during the update process, it usually has done an EFI upgrade). If the OS is no longer supported (at this point Yosemite and older), I don't know that you can get a separate EFI update anymore.

You do have the latest EFI firmware version, based on what I see on my 2012 Mini which is on High Sierra (same Boot ROM version). Since High Sierra, I notice that firmware updates get distributed across all supported OS versions in whatever the latest update they have. So I kept up to date with El Capitan and when I recently (in the past month or so) updated to High Sierra, there was no EFI update because the appropriate update was already done with the latest El Capitan update I had done. There is a way for me to check the latest Sierra security update (2018-004) specifically for the EFI version to see if it's different, but it's something of a pain so I hope you believe me.

 

[Wie Gehts]

Thanks but oh lordy mama, still very confused.

You're saying that my Mini is current? Then whats this v1.8 EFI? And why if I google this EFI the articles say I should do it for my machine?

You apparently understand all this so my confusion doesn't make sense to you but confusion is still confusion.

Why am I seeing a different boot rom version on my machine that's different from what Apple has as current/latest for my machine?

I don't get with the EFI updates recently being tied in with an OS upgrade but previously they were separate and now their not but now they don't tell you your EFI is being updated....

I mean, why is it that Apple can't have some page that tells me something straight up and simple without all this ambiguity with numbers not jiving with other numbers for whatever updates might be yet available to me that may not been done automatically because I'm thinking, 'I got some issues that maybe this EFI thing... which I can't figure out if I need it or not because of unclear info on Apples site and elsewhere... might solve it'.

 

[treekram]

In this article you link:
https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201518

What does it say towards the top of the article, in red?
This article has been archived and is no longer updated by Apple.

In this article you link:
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1848?locale=en_US

What does the date towards the bottom of the article read?
Post Date: Oct 21, 2015

And so it goes.

I will agree with you 100% that Apple has become less forthcoming on the issue of EFI firmware versions - what's current, does an update contain one or not, etc. That causes confusion.

If it bothers you, I would suggest you call or chat with Apple support and ask them and find out if they will give you an answer as to whether or not you have the latest EFI version or not. If they give you an answer, you then have a way to help clear up that confusion whenever it arises in the future. If you place the call in the next few days and find out that you don't have the most current version, please report back because then I will be confused. If you want Apple to change their practices in regards to the EFI firmware, I suggest you contact Apple on that as well. In the scheme of things that Apple has done, I find it unfortunate how Apple has handled things but on a scale of how important it is, I'd probably give it an 8 out of 10 where 10 is least important.

(By the way, I just recently did a chat with the Apple support folks on a question I had about what they would look at at the Genius Bar and it was okay - the person was quite friendly.)

 

[RyanXM]

Thanks but oh lordy mama, still very confused.

You're saying that my Mini is current? Then whats this v1.8 EFI? And why if I google this EFI the articles say I should do it for my machine?

You apparently understand all this so my confusion doesn't make sense to you but confusion is still confusion.

Why am I seeing a different boot rom version on my machine that's different from what Apple has as current/latest for my machine?

I don't get with the EFI updates recently being tied in with an OS upgrade but previously they were separate and now their not but now they don't tell you your EFI is being updated....

I mean, why is it that Apple can't have some page that tells me something straight up and simple without all this ambiguity with numbers not jiving with other numbers for whatever updates might be yet available to me that may not been done automatically because I'm thinking, 'I got some issues that maybe this EFI thing... which I can't figure out if I need it or not because of unclear info on Apples site and elsewhere... might solve it'.

If you want the latest EFI for the 2012 Mac Mini, whether is is the Macmini6,1 or Macmini6,2, you will need to update to at least El Capitan, Sierra, or High Sierra and make sure you have the latest updates installed. You will then be at MM61.010E.B0 (even on a Macmini6,2) for your BootROM version.

See this article for the updates released on July 9th, 2018: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208937

 

[treekram]

If you want the latest EFI for the 2012 Mac Mini, whether is is the Macmini6,1 or Macmini6,2, you will need to update to at least El Capitan, Sierra, or High Sierra and make sure you have the latest updates installed. You will then be at MM61.010E.B0 or MM62..010E.B0 for your BootROM version.

See this article for the updates released on July 9th, 2018: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208937

This is going to confuse the OP even more. There is no MM62.010E.B00. On my Macmini6,2 (and the OP's), it's MM61.010E.B00. According to the Duo Labs EFI study which had a lot of publicity when it was released in Sept. 2017, on a listing of "Mapping of Mac Models Using EFI Firmware Files Named for Other Mac Models", MM61... is used for both Macmini6,1 and Macmini6,2. It's also not in the Payload for the 10.13.6 update. Maybe at some point in the past there was a MM62... EFI, but not recently.

 

[RyanXM]

This is going to confuse the OP even more. There is no MM62.010E.B00. On my Macmini6,2 (and the OP's), it's MM61.010E.B00. According to the Duo Labs EFI study which had a lot of publicity when it was released in Sept. 2017, on a listing of "Mapping of Mac Models Using EFI Firmware Files Named for Other Mac Models", MM61... is used for both Macmini6,1 and Macmini6,2. It's also not in the Payload for the 10.13.6 update. Maybe at some point in the past there was a MM62... EFI, but not recently.

Edited for correctness.

 

[Fishrrman]

Questions:
How does the Mac Mini run?
Does it boot ok?
Do you get to the finder without problems?
Can you run apps without problems?
Is the overall speed ok?
No kernel panics?
No other errors?

If your answers are yes -- stop worrying that the firmware isn't what you think it should be, and just use it...

 

[chrfr]

I been mushing around wondering if a possible EFI update is something I missed and may help some recent issues.

My Mini's stats in reference to this are:
Mac mini 6,2
Boot ROM Ver: MM61.010E.B00
SMC Ver: 2.8f0

You have the latest EFI update. Recent versions of macOS update firmware when they're installed, so the standalone downloads for EFI updates are obsolete and are not needed as long as you keep up with macOS updates.

 

[RyanXM]

Questions:
How does the Mac Mini run?
Does it boot ok?
Do you get to the finder without problems?
Can you run apps without problems?
Is the overall speed ok?
No kernel panics?
No other errors?

If your answers are yes -- stop worrying that the firmware isn't what you think it should be, and just use it...

The newest firmwares have the Spectre and Meltdowns fixes in them, so he should very much worry that he has the latest.

 

[Wie Gehts]

Thanks everyone for all your help.

So what I'm taking away from all this that when I updated to Sierra, it also updated any EFI update and that my current stats I listed in my first post, are all correct for this OS.
[doublepost=1533004077][/doublepost]

The newest firmwares have the Spectre and Meltdowns fixes in them, so he should very much worry that he has the latest.

.....and then along comes this to flipping' start a second round of confusion, lol

 

[chrfr]

Thanks everyone for all your help.

So what I'm taking away from all this that when I updated to Sierra, it also updated any EFI update and that my current stats I listed in my first post, are all correct for this OS.
[doublepost=1533004077][/doublepost]


.....and then along comes this to flipping' start a second round of confusion, lol

You have the latest. There should be no confusion. Keep updating the OS and you'll be sure that the firmware stays updated.

 

[Wie Gehts]

You have the latest. There should be no confusion. Keep updating the OS and you'll be sure that the firmware stays updated.

Thanks.

Anyone want to hazard a guess what RyanXM's talking about?

 

[RyanXM]

Thanks.

Anyone want to hazard a guess what RyanXM's talking about?

https://meltdownattack.com

Intel Processors had a code execution vulnerability that was present as far back as the original Core series of processors. It can be patched via firmware, but the physical processor still has the issue.