SMC Update killed my computer!!

in defence of Apple, our office currently still running (and using most days) an original iMac, iMac G5, iBook G4, MacMini, PowerMac G4, PowerMac G5 and MacBook Pro and have gone through every OS from 9 to 10.5.7 (where possibe!)

I've never suffered any glitch on any software or firmware update although obviously I've no idea whether my recent MBP problems are SMC related or just a coincidence - I guess we'll never know

I think it's a little more than a coincidence that there are so many issues temporally associated with this firmware update. Whether or not it's related to the NVIDIA problem, a completely dead computer like yours and mine is very obviously not simply a stroke of "bad luck," as the genius and repair tech both suggested in White City.

You would be very surprised.......they do watch these forums.

Just bringing my stone to the edifice:

Applied SMC update (1.16f11) to my theretofore flawlessly working MBP (2.4GHz, 16mth old). Did not have problems immediately (then again, rarely if ever, restart my computer).

Yesterday: would not come out of sleep mode after opening it. Force-shutdown (power button down for 5 s.), reboot and looks fine.

Today: does not come out of sleep mode and, when I force-restart: screen is dead.
Exact same problem as I've seen described at least once above:
- No matter how many times I restart, the screen remains pitch dark.
- Power light is on and slightly dimmed (but constant).
- Despite no display on, computer seems to be starting "fine": keyboard lights up, reacts to keystrokes, beeps...
- Tried PRAM reset, single-user mode, option key, spraying keyboard with blood of freshly slaughtered black hen on a moonless night: no dice.

What finally did the trick for me was resetting the SMC. twice (or more likely the first time wasn't properly done):
- turn off computer
- unplug power cord
- remove battery
- press power button for a long time (counted at least 15s on second attempt)
- put cord back (I didn't put the battery back initially: not sure if it matters)
- restart...

... and it worked!

I really do not feel safe putting it into sleep mode anymore, though...

Really wished Apple owned up to their latest screw-up and did something about it (no-question-asked warranty extension, for one).

When you did the SMC 1.3 update and it finished, do you remember if when you closed the lid if it went to sleep.

In my case it did not, when I got home the machine was running in my briefcase and very hot.

Thereafter same problems as you describe.
10 to 1 if you know reboot and insert you original install DVD and hold down D, the diagnostics will run and tell you you have a faulty video controller.

The SMC reset I am afraid has not fixed the problem and if you close the lid it may come back.

What I did find seemed to stop the lid from hanging (which was the most likely initial issue) was I deleted the /var/vm/sleepimage. This file was 2.3gigs and when created is 0 bytes. I can now close the lid and open it without problem.

Unfortunately the damage is done and I am sure if I move the machine when it's hot the problem will be back.

Apple will not acknowledge liability for this though.

There is a good chance this message will be deleted like my other posts so read it quick.

Clinton what do you mean by "Unfortunately the damage is done and I am sure if I move the machine when it's hot the problem will be back."

I thought you "fixed" the problem.

Unfortunately, I don't quite remember if there were any problems just after the update. I did notice a few sleep issues, although by and large, it seemed to work (until, of course, the past two days). I must admit that I might not have suspected that update, if not for the many identical cases I've read about here (and the fact this machine ran without the slightest hitch until last week).

Today, sure enough, the machine would not wake up from sleep. This time SMC reset did nothing, but turning it off and waiting a few hours, did work... until the following restart... and so on. It appears my laptop is well screwed. Unfortunately I don't even have the original DVD handy (I am currently not home), so can't run a diagnostic check. But I might try to borrow a Leopard DVD and try the next time.

Thanks for the /var/vm/sleepimage: I'll give it a try and see what happens...

Do you have any clue if that issue might be connected to the NVIDIA card debacle?

There has to be something we can do to force Apple to acknowledge this issue. It is obvious there are more than a couple isolated cases...

Clinton:

Just borrowed a Leopard DVD from a colleague to run a Diagnostic test and you were right on the money:

Hardware error: "4VCD/1/4000003: VideoController"

Now, what... I just cannot believe that Apple could get away with this.

Geoff unfortunately what I did only got the machine running again.

If you run the diagnostic tests it fails the video controller.
So even if the video is working, why is it failing and how long will it work.

I have a theory that there are batches of Nvidia chips that Apple have acknowledged as an issue. These are covered by extended warranty.
However along came SMC 1.3 update which caused some of these already fragile machines to hang when the lid was closed. This over heated the machine especially if you did not notice and put it in a briefcase.

I have spoken to a local guy that repairs these things and he recons it does not matter what the make of machine is, the Geforce 8600M GT chips all fail the same and are repaired the same.The solder is re-flowed around the chipset. This is not actually a fix but a patch.

I am told the heating and cooling cause the chip to lose contract with the board.
Depending on what is not making contact, the machine may not boot or it might without video etc.etc.

This is why I had the idea that if the machine will not boot, the heat generated from it being on may have the reverse affect of what caused the problem.

And indeed it seems true that a heat cycle will cause the symptoms to change and even get it to work again.
I am sure if you close down the machine when it's warm and put it in a brief case as per normal, it will break again.

Hi Davedv

All I can hope is that someone who has Apple Care in there country can raise this issue with Apple customer relations.

Unfortunately, in my country we only have authorized repair centers and a distributor that could not care.

I can only hope that whoever gets this through to customer relations also includes my case. But I think I am screwed.

Clinton:

I don't have Apple Care (computer is over one year old and I didn't purchase the additional 2-year racketeering-protection option), but I will be making the trip to the Osaka Apple Store in the next couple days and will definitely raise a serious stink if they try to charge me for the repair...

It sounds like it would be really useful if all the people who encountered that issue and posted in this thread, posted their case number or any other reference # that could be passed on to Apple to force them and admit there is a widespread correlation between their update and this failure.


BTW, I was wondering: have you attempted to downgrade the SMC firmware? Although I have no idea where to find the older firmware anymore, it sounds like it might be a temporary way to fix this screwup...

My case number was 126020430. Let them know this whole thing is a major screwup for users like ourselves. And, good luck.

Davedv, any attempt to get a collective list of machines with this problem has been deleted from this forum as it is deemed to be a poll.

Can I rather suggest people update their profile to include chipset, device ID and revision ID and also case number.

If this post disappears don't be surprised.

When I said Apple Care, I did not mean the warranty I meant the contact.
Phone them and demand to speak to customer relations.

bhive01 have you demanded to speak to customer relations?

Indeed I did. My story is explained above. I realized this thread is hard to follow so I'll summarize.

Put computer to sleep after the SMC update.
It went dead.
Took it to Apple store.
Genius couldn't get it to do anything, would not run the NVIDIA test.
Given to repair tech to examine further.
Repair tech couldn't get the NVIDIA test to run.
Tech declared that because the test couldn't run that it was not related and would not be repaired for free.
I needed my machine for work, told them to fix it.
Picked up machine that afternoon. Asked who I could call.
Called Customer relations in USA (where I bought my machine).
Told to speak to Europe Cust. Relations because that's where the repair occurred.
Did so. She said she'd look into it.
Cust. Relations lady called Tech in store. Told same thing to Cust. Relations.
Cust. Relations called me back said it wasn't the NVIDIA issue so no refund.

That's it. I've sent a few more emails to the Cust. Relations lady, but she's not responded. Her email says that she is primarily phone based and she doesn't check unsolicited email. I have a feeling that my emails were simply ignored.

Please let the rest of us know how far you get.