Q: Firmware update and SATA II hard drive

I think this what you are asking for, if not let me know...

Before Update:

Disk Test 168.60
Sequential 122.99
Uncached Write 168.92 103.71 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 137.66 77.89 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 66.71 19.52 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 229.98 115.59 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 267.99
Uncached Write 121.03 12.81 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 267.39 85.60 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 1504.39 10.66 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 442.71 82.15 MB/sec [256K blocks]

After Update:

Disk Test 178.50
Sequential 137.99
Uncached Write 297.75 182.82 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 99.48 56.29 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 78.32 22.92 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 356.03 178.94 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 252.71
Uncached Write 122.16 12.93 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 188.82 60.45 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 1335.85 9.47 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 625.89 116.14 MB/sec [256K blocks]

After a couple of weeks of usage and filled to about 60% capacity:

Disk Test 199.27
Sequential 159.21
Uncached Write 278.45 170.96 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 198.10 112.09 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 72.56 21.24 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 369.95 185.93 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 266.25
Uncached Write 120.43 12.75 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 234.99 75.23 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 1360.40 9.64 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 578.27 107.30 MB/sec [256K blocks]

It certainly looks like some of the large block read rates are above the SATA 1.5 specification. Did you buy the macbook very recently? What we really need is some more people with working high speed SSDs to report their results. I wonder if this could be an issue isolated to a certain batch of machines.

I bought the machine June 10 2009...

Let me know if you need more info, glad I could help...

Having followed the thread closely, I want to report that my new 13" umbp installed with OCZ summit 250GB SSD runs perfectly without any issues/beach balls so far after 2 days use. The machine comes with EFI 1.7 pre-installed. Here is my xbench result:

Disk Test 212.14
Sequential 167.77
Uncached Write 262.95 161.45 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 223.98 126.73 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 78.73 23.04 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 348.23 175.02 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 288.40
Uncached Write 120.42 12.75 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 313.74 100.44 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 1319.33 9.35 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 617.27 114.54 MB/sec [256K blocks]

What I am trying to think is that any chance that Apple may have some chipsets/cooling problem only on some of their deliverables, but may not be a general architectural problem? Or is it a manufacturer-specific problem which affects certain stocks of machine?


p.s. I ordered the mini display port to dual-link dvi cable together for my ACD 30" and it works flawlessly well despite many users' reports about the failure.

Since I just bought my first mac this thread has freaked me out pretty good. I just want to thank everyone for posting their success and failure stories. I will know by Friday (when by blue scorpio gets here) whether I will have to return this system to the store. Really disappointed to see this issue come up at all.

Wow, this thread is a bit overwhelming. I have a 17" MBP I purchased late June, with Hitachi 500GB drive that came with the computer. Is this the issue that is affecting me or is it something else? I get momentary system lags with a spinning beach ball. I started reading, but I'm not sure I fit into this category.

No... This problem stems from a EFI 1.7 firmware update that was pushed or downloaded for the (mid 2009) 13"/15" MBP only.

Just wanted to post my experience (I am using a ocz vertex SSD 120 GB *MAC EDITION* that worked perfectly with my previous uMB 13 2.4 Ghz sata II):
I sold it and bought the following:

-First 2 MBP's 13 2.53 GHZ had very few freezes before efi update (time machine not working/freezing, problems installing/reinstalling OSX when SSD on board)
-after efi 1.7 almost impossible to install OSX (tried 10 + times). When install was done I had freezing every 20-30 sec (MBP not usable)
-Third MBP 13 2.53 ghz had known problems with matshita superdrive not writing DL DVD's), so I excanged it and got a MBP 15' 2.66
-I am currently using MBP 2.66 15' WITHOUT EFI UPDATE with my vertex 120 GB, and everything works perefectly

Disk Test 181.03
Sequential 156.31
Uncached Write 186.72 114.65 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 168.92 95.58 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 99.19 29.03 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 236.22 118.72 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 215.04
Uncached Write 76.88 8.14 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 310.43 99.38 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 1580.81 11.20 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 574.50 106.60 MB/sec [256K blocks]

I think I'll wait for news from Apple and go on using this perfect machine and it's sata I connection

My question is why did Apple even think about upgrading from 1.5 to 3.0 gb/s in the first place? My 2007 2.2 GHz MBP is only 1.5......so why the big switch all of a sudden. Other than the fact that 3.0 is suppose to be twice as fast, and the new SSD's are coming to light.

Don't get me wrong Im all for speed and tech-no advancements, and want the latest greatest....just look at my profile and you'll see. But doing the upgrade for no reason and saying "we don't support 3rd party hard drives" is not Apple like in my opinion.

If it was a mistake APPLE.....just fess up and fix the problem, or recall it and make the repairs needed even if new hardware is required.

It all comes down to TRUST, because with TRUST you gain LOYALTY!

THAT'S WHY WE BOUGHT FROM YOU APPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE AND NOT FROM hp, dell, ibm, AND ON AND ON!

Although Im not having the problems that others are reporting, and yes I have the WD Blue 500GB HD installed and updated the firmware to version 1.7 doesn't mean that Im not concerned about the lack of an official statement of some sort.

Message was edited by: D/FW

I have just bought the 13" macbook pro and I'm considering adding a new WD 7200 RPM Black drive. I already have the 1.7 firmware installed. I guess it's still NOT all clear yet, is it best for me to wait until apple sort the issue or will the WD Black work without any issues?

Hello,
i think this is an overheating issue. Try to use smcFanControl:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/23049
and set both fans to the maximum speed (6200). See if this solves the problem.
Manu

Message was edited by: manubbb

manubbb wrote:
Hello,
i think this is an overheating issue. Try to use smcFanControl:

It's not a heating issue. Users have set fans on max and it made NO difference.

D/FW: That's the awkwardly stupid part: the previous MBP does support SATA 3.0. Apple broke support for SATA 3.0, which is just plain weird nowadays. SATA 3.0 is to be expected in any new notebook.

And I agree, the problem is not so much that they screwed up, but that they try blame their customers first. As if installing your own hard drive means a "get out of jail free"-card for Apple. They seem to be doing this very often, before they finally fix it.

BTW. I do have the problem and have an expensive SSD lying around now.

iain_nl wrote:
And I agree, the problem is not so much that they screwed up, but that they try blame their customers first. As if installing your own hard drive means a "get out of jail free"-card for Apple. They seem to be doing this very often, before they finally fix it.

BTW. I do have the problem and have an expensive SSD lying around now.

Hang on, hang on... before being so eager to string Apple up from a tall tree over this, has anyone had Apple customer service or someone at the Genius Bar explain that they are S.O.L. because it wasn't an original hard drive? Reading one line from their text accompanying the firmware (probably added by lawyers to cover their ***) doesn't mean that Apple is turning their back on people with this problem.

Everything I've heard has been how Apple has replaced their machine, swapped out the logic board, and been just peachy on helping people resolve this issue. An issue, if the accounts of others in here may be trusted, that Apple admits and has said their engineers are working on.

So please, people... stop it with the torches and pitch forks, already!
Yes, the problem is an annoying one. But just chill out, and either wait until a fix comes out, or actually contact Apple and get your machine replaced or your logic board swapped out as well.

I have tried to use my Intel X25 twice (two separate, new drives) and was told by apple on the phone and genius that there was nothing they could do. Like others, I now have to use the stock slower drive in order to use the machine at all.

Bottom line: Apple says they can do nothing, Intel has shipped me two drives and I now have the world fastest USB external drive it seems, as I can't use it for anything else with my new MBP.

Pitchforks anyone?