Updating EFI firmware without MacOS

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Updating EFI firmware without MacOS

Is there a way to update the EFI firmware WITHOUT having to install MacOS? I currently use Windows 7 (Beta/RC) on my MacBook Pro 15" (mid 2007). I would love to have a CD version for the update.

I would also like to remove the BIOS emulation from the EFI if possible. Windows 7 32-bit will install fine, but the 64-bit gives errors, which I assume are due to the BIOS emulation not supporting 64-bit. 64-bit Vista and Windows 7 can install on EFI.

Any help?

MacBook Pro 15" 2.2 Ghz, Windows Vista, Windows 7 Beta 32-bit

Posted on May 19, 2009 12:13 PM

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Answer 1

brwyatt Author

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May 19, 2009 12:25 PM in response to brwyatt

To add additional info that may be useful. In the boot menu provided (from holding the Option key), there are 2 options with the 32-bit disk (the Windows OS, and the Windows Install), and 3 with the 64-bit disk (the Windows OS, Windows Install, and EFI Boot (which seems to be from the install disk)). On the 64-bit disk, EFI Boot leaves a black screen with a blinking cursor for a few seconds, then proceeds to boot the OS, and the Install option brings up a prompt that says:

1.
2.
Select CD-ROM Boot Type:

and pressing 1 or 2 does nothing, as if the keyboard is not recognized.
The same problem occurred in the Win7 beta. I am assuming that it is the EFI firmware that is not working with Windows 7, thus why I am looking to update. If there is an update that will also remove the BIOS emulation, that would be welcome as well. Third-party updates are ok if Apple does not provide support for their hardware when the user is not running MacOS.

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Answer 2

Fortuny

Level 7

21,461 points

May 20, 2009 6:09 AM in response to brwyatt

Hi brwyatt,

see here for solution: http://mactyler.com/?p=59
And here: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=467704

A quick googling showed, that it is not a Mac-only problem.

The EFI-Update is only possible from OSX. Even when booted from an external harddisk with OSX, the update usually don't work.

Regards

Stefan

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Answer 3

brwyatt Author

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May 21, 2009 11:41 AM in response to Fortuny

I did already know that it is not a Mac-specific problem. Most of the PC-based problems seemed to have to do with the disk drive (something about moving it to another IDE channel, no clue how that works...). I had tried some "tricks" before with the beta, but not that particular one. I will give it a try, perhaps it will work. Thank you.

Suggestion for Apple: support you hardware regardless of the OS. A hardware firmware update should be possible regardless...

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Answer 4

Fortuny

Level 7

21,461 points

May 21, 2009 8:26 PM in response to brwyatt

Hi,

Suggestion for Apple: support you hardware regardless of the OS. A hardware firmware update should be possible regardless...

Suggestions like that would be better send through the official feedback channels here: http://www.apple.com/feedback/

However, from my understanding such OS-independent upgrades would need at least some sort of bootable CD/DVD to run from.

Regards

Stefan

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Answer 5

JoeyR

Level 6

8,305 points

May 22, 2009 6:15 AM in response to Fortuny

I know close to nothing about EFI firmware. I really much prefer having a BIOS I can get into. Regardless, I know with most modern motherboards that use a BIOS, you can actually flash the BIOS from just about any media... including a USB flash drive (non bootable). The utility to flash the BIOS is actually built into the BIOS... so you just plug in the device with your upgraded BIOS file... enter your BIOS... and it just reads the data from where ever you have it. There is no need to boot as you never go past the BIOS to do it. Like I said though... since you can't directly access the EFI firmware, I'm not sure if this is even possible.

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Answer 6

Fortuny

Level 7

21,461 points

May 22, 2009 6:23 AM in response to JoeyR

Hi JoeyR,

the last time I flashed a motherboard-BIOS was when I still had my Windows-PCs some years back.
At that time a DOS-based floppy-disk was needed to do this. 😉

Given the fact that Apple provides Firmware Upgrades as .dmg files and the only other tool avaiable are the Firmware Restoration CDs (as image files) I assume that Apple needs some kind of OS-environment in order for the upgrades to work.

If an OS-independent Firmware upgrade is even possible on Macs is up to Apple, but might be doable if they want.

Stefan

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Answer 7

JoeyR

Level 6

8,305 points

May 22, 2009 6:34 AM in response to Fortuny

I think some BIOS files have grown past the 1.4MB capacity of a floppy. I think most PCs still required the floppy technique long after Apple stopped even including floppies in their machines. It always seemed odd to me with reasonably powerful machines... the most current technologies... they couldn't come up with a better way. I guess they finally came 'round.

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Answer 8

brwyatt Author

Level 1

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May 24, 2009 2:06 PM in response to JoeyR

I recently flashed the BIOS on one of my PCs. Just put the file on any storage device (floppy, CD, DVD, Hard Drive, USB drive... believe it has to be vfat (fat32) format) and boot into the BIOS options and the updater can access it and update from that.

Apple provides EFI recovery disks in case of a failed update... but those aren't what I'm looking for... Its obvious they CAN do it, but the just DON'T (or WON'T).

However, as my original problem (unable to install Win7 64-bit) has been solved (thank you Fortuny), I will leave this open for other Windows OS/Mac users who want to be able to update the EFI. I would still like to update if possible, but it is no longer an issue as I can do what I wanted to do.

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