Q: Firmware update and SATA II hard drive

So Ella, any more word on the firmware rollback? Still working ok?

Apple replaced my 5400 160GB drive but I have yet to try the new replacement they put in. I'm still rolling with the 1.7 EFI and a 256GB Samsung SSD I put in after I got the machine back. I have had zero beachballs since Saturday and I'm pushing the system pretty hard with VMs.

Hopefully Apple releases a fix before it's users tear each other apart
things still good with the 1.6 downgrade fishbert?

It is John. Cannot change the stupid Alias without making new account. Ugh.


It is much much better but I did get an occasional 5-10 sec beachball using Camino and then another using, of all things, Calculator. I quickly switched back over to browser to see if it was just the Calc and I could not do anything for a few more seconds. Not nearly as bad as it was. I am going to open it back up and remove the 1.5 jumper on the drive. I am also going to run it later tonight without VMWare loaded just so I am not tasking the machine to much and see if any beachballs crop up. This drive is from my previous MacBook 13" Unibody and I did an archive and install on it with the new MacBook Pro install disk. If I keep getting the beachballs I am going to wipe it and do a clean install. No telling what has happened to the system with all the issues I had before the downgrade.

I have been on my desktop all day so have not been using it. Will use it more this evening.



Cheers, John.

I have been having the same problems as all of you on my 13" MBP. After running the EFI 1.7 update, I noticed a HUGE problem with beachballs. My machine had been essentially rendered useless when doing any multitasking, something my 2.0 CD2 MB did not have a problem with. I contacted some friends from Apple who suggested doing SMC/PRAM reset. That only temporarily fixed things.

After much frustration, and curiosity, I decided to install the latest Snow Leopard seed (10421). After installation and thorough testing, I can 100% assure you that the problems are GONE. 100%. Its like a dream come true.

I suggest you all get your hands on a copy, and if not, wait until the retail version is out next month.

Yup.

Man, I put the Patriot Torqx in my MacPro for kicks... and have never experienced a machine that performed so fast. It was sweet.

Just hope eventually I can use it in my Macbook Pro. It will do wonders for my remote-production-intense day job.

+*After much frustration, and curiosity, I decided to install the latest Snow Leopard seed (10421). After installation and thorough testing, I can 100% assure you that the problems are GONE. 100%. Its like a dream come true.*+

+*I suggest you all get your hands on a copy, and if not, wait until the retail version is out next month.*+

Well... this may not be an ideal option. Snow Leopard is pre-release and there isn't any indication that the pre-release version will be upgradable to the final version. Unless you acquired your copy of Snow Leopard via an official distribution channel, there is a chance that it may have malicious code within it. If you have acquired it properly, the NDA would suggest that you should not be commenting on it... especially here.

Installing a pre-release OS is probably not a great idea for many people who rely on their machines for work or school. While current seeds of Snow Leopard may or may not be stable, they are not yet final.

Weird... after playing around in OSX on the SSD in my MacPro for awhile, I put the SSD back in the Macbook Pro to mess around some more and it booted right up. It's the first time OSX loaded on the SSD over SATA. It has just choked on the boot loader since day one.

Not too sure what I did - other than installing/running OSX on a MacPro for a little while - and a full Software Update.

B Sakaki wrote:
I have been having the same problems as all of you on my 13" MBP. After running the EFI 1.7 update, I noticed a HUGE problem with beachballs. My machine had been essentially rendered useless when doing any multitasking, something my 2.0 CD2 MB did not have a problem with. I contacted some friends from Apple who suggested doing SMC/PRAM reset. That only temporarily fixed things.

After much frustration, and curiosity, I decided to install the latest Snow Leopard seed (10421). After installation and thorough testing, I can 100% assure you that the problems are GONE. 100%. Its like a dream come true.

I suggest you all get your hands on a copy, and if not, wait until the retail version is out next month.

The OS on your computer is completely independent from the firmware loaded into the logic board.

If changing OS solved your problems, then your problems were not related to the EFI firmware 1.7 update.

fishbert wrote:

B Sakaki wrote:
I have been having the same problems as all of you on my 13" MBP. After running the EFI 1.7 update, I noticed a HUGE problem with beachballs. My machine had been essentially rendered useless when doing any multitasking, something my 2.0 CD2 MB did not have a problem with. I contacted some friends from Apple who suggested doing SMC/PRAM reset. That only temporarily fixed things.

After much frustration, and curiosity, I decided to install the latest Snow Leopard seed (10421). After installation and thorough testing, I can 100% assure you that the problems are GONE. 100%. Its like a dream come true.

I suggest you all get your hands on a copy, and if not, wait until the retail version is out next month.

The OS on your computer is completely independent from the firmware loaded into the logic board.

If changing OS solved your problems, then your problems were not related to the EFI firmware 1.7 update.

What!

I'm still pushing along - the SSD that did nothing but lock up at boot was smooth sailing through various installs and tests. Going to to put it through a day of production and see if it holds up...

Hmmmm... some further thoughts...

Dixons, PIXmania, Amazon, and other etailers now out of stock all of a sudden on these new Macbook Pros. Is Apple recalling the stock to swapout motherboards in this initial faulty batch?

Good observation... if you're right, I would think Apple will offer to replace the boards for all impacted machines.

Let's take a time out and have some milk and cookies before we jump to too many conclusions. The MBPs are in stock at Amazon.

Chocolate chip for me please.

I used the MBP all last night and was still getting light beachball pauses. I rebooted off external drive and repaired with drive genius and optimized the drive. I then ran disk warrior on it an repaired perms. Then did smc reset and 3 pram zaps and used it most of the day today with no beachballs. I think my poor drive was just in need of a little TLC after all the issues before I had the firmware downgraded.

So with a little more testing I think I can safely say it is working fine now.

We shall see.


Cheers, John.

Hi

I just ordered a 17" Macbook Pro with a 7200rpm HDD. Do i have to look forward to this issue? Should i cancel the order?

I have been wanting a Mac since 2000!

Thanks
NBK