AC power supply during update

Question

Level 1

4 points

AC power supply during update

I noticed yet again Snow Leopard's insistence on connecting my MacBook to a power supply before installing updates and restarting my computer [with the EFI firmware update: "Your computer's power cord must be connected and plugged into a working power source."] Is there any reason for this other than redundancy to make sure my mac stays on through completion of the update?

13" MacBook Pro, iPhone 4

Posted on Nov 22, 2010 12:51 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 22, 2010 1:11 AM in response to 10NDmac

If you are in the process of doing an update on battery and it fails the update will fail and leave you with a mess. If it's a firmware update the computer will probably become completely unusable. Hence the requirement for mains connection.

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Answer 2

10NDmac Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 23, 2010 9:49 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I do believe this answers my question, though not directly. To confirm, connecting to AC power is not necessary above and beyond its utility as a precautionary measure, should the battery inexplicably fail. Granted, given the severity of the problem should this risk materialize, it seems quite a prudent measure to take; however, there is nothing concerning the update that intrinsically requires a connection to the power cord.

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Answer 3

Nov 23, 2010 10:11 AM in response to 10NDmac

Not unless (as may be the case, I don't know) the updater is configured not to proceed if it's only battery power.

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Answer 4

Whitecity

Level 2

344 points

Nov 23, 2010 10:24 AM in response to 10NDmac

Right. It seems that appl is covering its *** by making sure that the power cord is connected, presumably to avoid having to deal with the inevitable bricked computers that would result when some people try to install with insufficient battery.

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