Q: Firmware update and SATA II hard drive

New poster here but long time PC/Mac user. I just want to chime in here regarding this issue. I do a lot of Macbook resale, especially customized setups. I've swapped drives for atleast 30-40 Macbooks this year alone.

I didn't see this issue at all until recently. I was thinking it was a heat issue with some of the drives since the customers demands for 7200rpm drives and they do run hotter than 5400 rpm ones.

I've gotten Seagate, WD, Hitachi, and Fujitsu 320GB and 500MB drives.

So far the most problematic ones are the Seagate, I've had several oddities like beach ball here and there or system freezes by the customer.

Myself, my MBP 13 ran really poorly with 1.6 firmware but ran much better than the newest 1.7 firmware. I was getting 1-2 freezes every other day but since 1.7 have not gotten much. The over time it freezes when I move large chunks of data between drives thru firewire.

Overall, I think this is not looking good for Apple, a $1k+ notebook thats more problematic than Lenovos or Dells.

None of my PC notebooks have had these issues, I'm talking pretty business class models no Inspiron or cheap $500 notebooks.

My Dell e6400 runs like a champ, the Lenovo T400 also runs smooth without any hardware issues with Windows 7.

As for my MBP 13, everything is fine and dandy when the system is cool and not much I/O activity. Once I start doing heavy I/O work, thats when it is prone to freezes.

Aja B. wrote:
Can those of you who've replaced the motherboard tell me how you convinced them to do it, and how long you were without the computer? This new computer is already a replacement machine after a 3 week delay in getting the last MBP fixed, and it's starting to get really difficult to get any work done. Ugh.

Mine took about a week, of which all but 2 days was waiting for the new MB. I had no problem persuading the Hong Kong service provider as they stated that the MB failed diagnostic checks when using my 500GB drive.

Good luck!

John

I got my on 10Aug2009 from Singapore, a 15" MBP 2.53Ghz with stock Fujisu 250G 5400rpm HD. It worked fine. After I changed to a WD 500GB. 5400rpm. there is a problem. I found out when I copy a large file about 1G to 40G into the WD Hard Disk, the MBP freeze couple times for about 20sec each time.... Felt so so so disappointed....Come on Steve Job. you're losing some steam now...

After read 5 pages of this forum, I think the problem is Hard Disk compatibility...
Not Compatible: Seagate, Western Digital
Maybe Compatible: Fujisu, Hitachi, Samsung

tungbh wrote:
After read 5 pages of this forum, I think the problem is Hard Disk compatibility...
Not Compatible: Seagate, Western Digital
Maybe Compatible: Fujisu, Hitachi, Samsung

You are wrong.
Continue reading.

please update the list with working models

HAS SOMEONE TRIED RUNCORE SSD ?? they pretend that their SSD are Mac-compatible

thx

I bought a 13" MBP, the 2.26 version on Monday. I upgraded the ram to 4gb and the hard drive to a 500gb WD Scorpio blue. I just clicked yes to the list of 14 updates to install, it ran the 1.7 efi update, and now my machine takes a good 5 minutes to boot up. I'm very disappointed as this machine was supposed to be nice and quick.

Any ideas when a new version of efi will be available or if the roll back will be made available to the general user?

I guess it's time to make an appointment at the local apple shop.

Apple Care sent me to an Apple Service Provider

I decided to go to my local Apple Store, because it's Apple.

At the Apple Store I convinced an Genius to talk to his supervisor.

They tried to downgrade my EFI-Firmware, but they failed!

They will ask Apple to fix this Downgrade Problem.


BTW:
1) they shouldn't call them GENIUS. I'd prefer "1st Level Support Staff"
2) Genius are very ignorant, at least all I talked to here in Germany
3) They left a File in my Download-Folder, called: FirmwareRestorationCD1.6.dmg
this File has a timestamp from April 2008 ?!?!?!?
4) they have a DELL-PC in the room behind the genius bar - for data transfer from customers who migrate from PC to Apple. Why not a Bootcamp MAC???
5) I guess this is my last MAC - I was a MAC - User for 10 years now! From a business user point of view I'm totally disappointed. 4 Weeks ago I opened the call!!! (I thought) I bought a premium Laptop...
6) I'm sorry - but I highly recommend now devices from Lenovo (Thinkpad-Family) and HP laptops running Windows 7.

iApfel, that "file" sounds very interesting. Is there any way I can get you to send it to me so I can try it out on my MBP? I figure at this point nothing can hurt. Let me know if this is possible.

Canadiandude wrote:
iApfel, that "file" sounds very interesting. Is there any way I can get you to send it to me so I can try it out on my MBP? I figure at this point nothing can hurt. Let me know if this is possible.

Yes please up it to rapidshare if you don't mind

http://support.apple.com/downloads/FirmwareRestoration_CD_16

I´ll think they don`t know what they do. Because this is only for the old MBP`s.

Message was edited by: alex555550

Hy,

dodn`t wast you`re time with these guys. Tell them they should change you`re Logic Board => Motherboard. Tell them you`re stock drive is also beachballing.

People, please keep in mind that your Mac is still under 1 year Apple Care. It may be in your best interest to try and have Apple fix it. There is no way of knowing that the file in iApfels' downloads folder is exactly what you need, since it has not been released to the public for this problem. So by downloading this file from an unknown source (no offense iApfel) you're taking a change creating more potential problems that Apple may not support.

But then again it may fix your problem (temporarily).

I`ll updatet my Download post.