I'm trying to update the firmware on a mid2010 macbook pro whose hard drive failed. In order to use Internet Recovery I need to update the firmware. I don't have an OS to boot to YET so I'm no sure how to use the DMG file via a direct boot.
MacBook Pro
Why the urgency to update firmware? Why not install a hard drive, then and OS, then firmware?
Good follow up question. I (probably incorrectly) assumed my only option to reload an OS on a replacement hard drive was to use the internet recovery. In order to use that feature I was told I needed a firmware update first. Instead of doing the firmwar first, I'm now trying to use the recovery utilty (on a different machine) to create a boot USB stick that will hopefully get me to a point where I can reload the OS. PS, the user doesn't have the original reocvery media, so I don't have a CD to work with (assuming that was ever an option).
Fail. The working Mac created the USB recovery disk, but when I tried to boot to it on the other machine (with the blank drive) holding the option key, nothing happens (just a cursor). If I hold option R I get a blinking question mark. I hate being a newb.
You can only use that USB recovery stick on the computer it was created on or another computer just like, exactly the same as, the one it was created on.
You will need either the original system discs, or a Snow Leopard retail disc, or you can create a Lion install USB thumb drive on another Mac after you download it from the Apple Web servers.
The best course of action for you right now is to make an appointment at an Apple store & have the geniuses fix this. You're not going to be able to reinstall Lion the way you're going about it, & you need to do that before you can do the firmware upgrade.
I started down this path because as per http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/ it says "if your Mac problem is a little less common — your hard drive has failed or you’ve installed a hard drive without OS X, for example — Internet Recovery takes over automatically". After doing some research I see that in order to get Internet Recovery to work you need an upgraded firmware, hence my opening question. Also at that link it says "Not all Macs running OS X Lion are enabled for Internet Recovery. But Apple still has you covered with the Recovery Disk Assistant." so I tried going down the Recovery Disk path. To be honest, w/o the original restore media, I wasn't expecting any of this to work, but the language on the macos/recovery site makes it seem like it is possible.
paulpoteat wrote:
I started down this path because as per http://www.apple.com/macosx/recovery/ it says "if your Mac problem is a little less common — your hard drive has failed or you’ve installed a hard drive without OS X, for example — Internet Recovery takes over automatically". After doing some research I see that in order to get Internet Recovery to work you need an upgraded firmware, hence my opening question. Also at that link it says "Not all Macs running OS X Lion are enabled for Internet Recovery. But Apple still has you covered with the Recovery Disk Assistant." so I tried going down the Recovery Disk path. To be honest, w/o the original restore media, I wasn't expecting any of this to work, but the language on the macos/recovery site makes it seem like it is possible.
It is very possible but you need to create the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant, Recovery HD USB drive, on the computer it is going to be used on from the Recovery HD partition that is on that computer when Lion and the R-HD is on that system.
In all honesty Apple should have a method and instruction on how to create a REAL Lion Install Thumb drive or DVD if you like. In stead of this STUPID Download system.
I recognize that I've veered off the original topic of an OS-less firmware update but I figured I’d close this out with an update on my status. I was able to get 2 copies (10.6 and 10.6.7) of Mac OS X install DVD’s. 10.6 causes a panic while 10.6.7 gets to a point where it simply says “OS X cannot be installed on this system”. No other information given.
As a last ditch attempt I booted to a diagnostic disk to run some tests and verify that the replacement hard drive was, at the very least, properly installed. All the tests came back good, except that none of them mention a hard drive at all, not even in the hardware profile where it lists everything.
I’ve given up. I’ll be a lemming, waddle over to the 5th Ave store and want to shoot myself for being there. Thanks to wjosten and Shootist007 for the replies.
The reason 10.6.7 couldn't install on this system came up AND that no HDD ws reported in the system profile is because it is not installed properly and or the cable is bad.
10.6.7 couldn't install because there is no visible HDD. No HDD can't install.
Have fun at the Genius Bar.
Paul, the best way to go about this, is doing as wjosten suggests.
How can I install the firmware without an installed operating system?
