Firmware update and SATA II hard drive (continued)

I think this is really bad customer care by Apple. This is my second and probably last Apple computer. I won´t buy a computer that I cannot trust to work after a simple hardware upgrade. I was planning on replacing the hard drive with a SSD but that is now not an option since the computer doesn´t work with SATA II speeds.

Apple is apparently more concerned about its stockholders than customers. Good for them...

+*Apple is apparently more concerned about its stockholders than customers.*+

Well... in all fairness... a companies primary responsibility is to its shareholders... that's the reason the company exists. However, great customer service usually builds a loyal following... which is good for a company's reputation and long term stock value. This isn't really anything more than a slight "ripple" in Apples rep and it will likely just fade away. The vast majority of people never upgrade the hardware in the machines they buy. They use them until they no longer meet their needs then go out and get a new one. You'll also have people who won't choose to upgrade a drive until they need to. This can be way after their warranty expires. They won't likely ever know there was a problem until it's too late. The unfortunate issue here is that Apple has chosen to really leave the customer with no relief. They'll either tell you that they don't support third party drives (by the way... there's a great thing to put on your marketing material... "Apple cannot guarantee that perfectly functioning standard SATA II drives will operate in the MacBook Pro") or you can get locked into firmware 1.6 (and SATA 1.5 GB speeds). What they mean by "We don't support 3rd party drives" is "We don't support SATA 3.0GB". The later being the correct issue as there has been nothing to indicate there are problems with the drives whatsoever.

I wish they would fix it too, but the fact is if they haven't by now, they aren't going to. If anyone is unhappy with it at this point, i'd say either use my fix, get a SATA-I drive, or return the laptop (if possible) and wait for the next model which most likely won't have this issue.

It makes me pretty mad, but my hands are tied so i'm trying to make the best of a crappy situation.

WOW! What a topic...

So I've just bought a Seagate 500GB 7200.4 (without the G sensor) ST9500420AS.

I have a 15" MBP early '09 (5,1 model) with SMC Version (system): 1.33f8

I used SuperDuper to create a copy of the original 250GB disk, installed the new drive, formatted using the GUID partition table, with a single partition and formatted in HFS+ Journalling.

I decided to run xbench and I got the following results:

Results 54.21
System Info
Xbench Version 1.3
System Version 10.6.2 (10C540)
Physical RAM 4096 MB
Model MacBookPro5,1
Drive Type ST9500420AS
Disk Test 54.21
Sequential 119.51
Uncached Write 141.64 86.97 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 142.42 80.58 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 73.23 21.43 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 174.46 87.68 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 35.06
Uncached Write 11.15 1.18 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 170.80 54.68 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 84.37 0.60 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 149.01 27.65 MB/sec [256K blocks]

I'm confused by the 1.18MB/s and 0.6MB/s rates which seem very low to me. The 80+MB/s speeds are about what I'm expecting.

Am I doing something wrong? I made sure not to buy the 'G' version. Was there some-kind of firmware update from Apple? I can't find a link.

FYI I haven't noticed any apparent slowing or freezing of the system, having had the system on for a couple hours now. ALSO the drive is very quiet, I can't hear it unless I put my ear to the MacBook Pro's chassis.

Thanks,

Glyn

Message was edited by: GlynC

Message was edited by: GlynC

+*I have a 15" MBP early '09 (5,1 model) with SMC Version (system): 1.33f8*+

The ongoing problem that this thread is about applies to the mid-2009 MB Pro. If you have a previous version, the pauses related to the 1.7 firmware do not apply to you.

JoeyR wrote:
+*I have a 15" MBP early '09 (5,1 model) with SMC Version (system): 1.33f8*+

The ongoing problem that this thread is about applies to the mid-2009 MB Pro. If you have a previous version, the pauses related to the 1.7 firmware do not apply to you.

Yup, and there's nothing wrong with the results. Random write/read with 4K is slow. Nothing you can do about it.

Ok, that's a relief.

The system feels more nippy, so I'm happy. Was able to have 3 HD videos open plus two file copies at the same time without any video degradation, so regardless of the benchmarks, the real world response seems to be good.

FYI, my MacBook Pro firmware is at version 1.8

Thanks,

Glyn

Message was edited by: GlynC

I have the Macbook pro 13 mid 2009
I used to get the spinning wheel that last for 3 to 5 sec
suddenly I got this update on my “software update”
but after the update, the freeze last for 30 to 40 sec!
the whole system freeze with only mouse pointer moves and the spinning wheel!
OK, the update delayed the freeze so its every 4 to 5h not like before every hour or less.. but now its creazy! almost a minute!
why don’t apple call the owners of those machines and replace the defect! even if the ask me to pay up to a 100$ I wont mind!

I'm trying to follow up on a variety of threads regarding issues with 500GB, 7200rpm drives with or without parking capability. There seems to be some consistency to comments that the EFI 1.7 firmware on Mid 2009 model MBPs has issues with some or all of the above. Some cases are fixed with replaced cables, others with firmware downgrades to 1.6 and still others with jumper changes to force sata I (1.5 gbs) mode on the drives.

While some people report "no problems" with such drives, they are often on older model MBPs with different firmware, or on 17" mbps with newer firmware.

See here Firmware update and SATA II hard drive:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2054387 and http://discussions.info.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2267098

Meanwhile Apple specifically states that 3gbs sata II drives "may not work" even with efi 1.7:
http://support.apple.com/downloads/MacBookPro_EFI_Firmware_Update_1_7

For my part i've had two rounds of issues with Hitatchi 500GB/7200 rpm drives factory installed from apple. In both cases the machines started pausing with spinning beachballs regularly and console reported disk0s2: I/O error. The first time i was unable to get the drive to format even attempting to map around bad blocks. That drive was replaced by apple. Now the same machine is starting to to show the same behavior after several months of use.

I've worked with macs for 20+ years. I've purchased over 1000 over my career for clients. The CEO of my company asked me yesterday why we have "so many hardware problems with macs" and if we "shouldn't buy macs anymore". What should I tell him Apple folks?

honestly, this is the first time i've ever had anything like this happen. i suspect its just a lemon in this very specific instance. also, fwiw its my understanding this only affects the 13" and 15" mid-2009 model. I had a early-2009 that didn't have this issue at all, see my previous post about cable shielding. I suspect the follow up model won't either.

That's no excuse for Apple, but still. If it were a string of bad models, I think your boss' question would be valid.

I have just downgraded to firmware 1.6, and so far so good with my 320gb Western Digital Scorpio Black (WD3200BEKT). I wonder if I will ever be able to use this MacBook with an SSD at full SATA II speed though. I guess it's up to Apple but I think from the lack of response to this issue they are ignoring the problems, and hope to correct the issue with the next revision of hardware. I would like to be proved wrong though.

Sorry guys, i think i didn't really catch sth.:

i have an macbook late 2006 and the same problems.
Am i also able to downgrade and if yes - how i have to do this?

This thread only applies to mid 2009 MacBook Pro laptops.

Could somebody tell me please why i also have the same problems?

yayaasd wrote:
Could somebody tell me please why i also have the same problems?

You don't have the same problem.

The general symptoms of this issue can (and has many times before) been confused with a wide variety of issues. I suggest you start a different thread to ask about your issue.