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mofli

Q: iMac Firmware

Has anyone installed the new iMac Core Duo firmware? What effect has it had on your system? I like to keep up to date, but I also like to know how others are fairing.

If I update the firmware I am doing it for the sake of updating, not to run Boot Camp. I hope that is not the only reason to update. I am not interested in running Boot Camp, as I am perfectly happy waiting until Leopard before I decide if I want to dual boot. I like my iMac the way it is (the way it was meant to be), running OS X.

Thanks.

15-inch PowerBook G4, 20-inch iMac Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.4.6), Old system that I miss most - My 12-inch iBook G3

Posted on Apr 5, 2006 9:26 AM

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Q: iMac Firmware

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  • by mofli,

    mofli mofli Apr 5, 2006 1:16 PM in response to mofli
    Level 2 (345 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 1:16 PM in response to mofli
    Let me help steer this discussion in the direction I think it is going. If anyone can find out, for a fact, that the firmware upgrade is exclusive to Boot Camp I will consider my original question answered.

    I think with everyone's collective searching powers we can come up with a concrete answer.
  • by Antonio PureMacOnly,

    Antonio PureMacOnly Antonio PureMacOnly Apr 5, 2006 1:25 PM in response to mofli
    Level 3 (525 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 1:25 PM in response to mofli
    It isn't written anywhere on Apple's website that the firmware update was designed for the Boot Camp app. However, Apple hasn't written that the update was meant to increase performances or anything else.

    But, since Apple has released it along with that of Boot Camp we have to consider that the firmware update was mainly studied for it.

    Antonio
  • by mofli,

    mofli mofli Apr 5, 2006 2:07 PM in response to Antonio PureMacOnly
    Level 2 (345 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 2:07 PM in response to Antonio PureMacOnly
    Joseph,

    I agree with everyone who is posting that the firmware is required to use Boot Camp. That fact is not in contention.

    What I am not yet convinced of is that the firmware is solely for Boot Camp. Once that info is presented I will be satisfied that it isn't required for any other features or processes.

    Thanks.
  • by eyghon,

    eyghon eyghon Apr 5, 2006 2:20 PM in response to mofli
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 2:20 PM in response to mofli
    Sorry I didn't saw the link ... Now I understand

    Hye,
    I've just try to install the new firmware update.
    So I clicked on the shtdown button in the firmware update program...
    I pushed the power button until the light flash...
    I heard a great biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip
    And.....
    Nothing

    Mac os X start up and he says me that the firmware wasn't upgraded....

    I've try 3 times... I don't understand...
    Please anybody help?

    Thanks

    edit: Sorry I didn't saw the link ... Now I understand...
  • by Ben Hur,

    Ben Hur Ben Hur Apr 5, 2006 2:57 PM in response to eyghon
    Level 2 (275 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 2:57 PM in response to eyghon
    Same thing happening here!

    20" iMac with upgraded graphics card.

    The only other thing is I had the onmac.net hack running before this. I wonder if that effects the Boot Camp solution.
  • by Duvel,

    Duvel Duvel Apr 5, 2006 4:49 PM in response to mofli
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 4:49 PM in response to mofli
    ........maybe it's me, but i just don't see the benefits of running Windows on a Mac. The OSX is way more than adequate!
  • by mofli,

    mofli mofli Apr 5, 2006 4:52 PM in response to mofli
    Level 2 (345 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 4:52 PM in response to mofli
    Well here is what http://www.macrumors.com has to say about the firmware upgrade.

    http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/04/20060405144257.shtml

    It looks as if I may have to accept that the firmware upgrade really is exclusive to Boot Camp. If anyone else finds more documentation confirming this I'll have no choice but to come to terms with the fact that the upgrade will not gives us any other added benefits, and that I am better off not upgrading right now.

    Thanks everyone for your input so far.

    Cheers,

    mofli
  • by Ben Hur,

    Ben Hur Ben Hur Apr 5, 2006 7:34 PM in response to Ben Hur
    Level 2 (275 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 7:34 PM in response to Ben Hur
    Thanks Joseph,

    That's what I was afraid of At least I can move forward. I'll start my backup and reinstall . . .
  • by Mac Convert,

    Mac Convert Mac Convert Apr 5, 2006 8:13 PM in response to mofli
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 8:13 PM in response to mofli
    Ben, don't waste your time formatting your startup disk. I don't think the firmware is compatible with 20" iMacs because I tried installing the firmware too and the same thing happened.

    See this article (note that it's unanswered as of now): http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=2071996&#2071996
  • by mofli,

    mofli mofli Apr 5, 2006 8:26 PM in response to Mac Convert
    Level 2 (345 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 8:26 PM in response to Mac Convert
    That is a pretty bold statement. I somehow doubt Apple would release a firmware update for Intel iMacs and neglect to mention that it doesn't support the 20-inch iMac. So your saying that the update is only for 17-inch iMacs? Doubtful.

    It is true that if you have used any other methods to dual boot OS X and Windows Boot Camp will not work. Ben, I would continue to follow the advice of Joseph in order to restore your computer to a state where it will be able to accept the firmware update.

    Don't give up too easily!
  • by dentate,

    dentate dentate Apr 5, 2006 9:13 PM in response to mofli
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Apr 5, 2006 9:13 PM in response to mofli
    OK guys here is what you are doing wrong. It does not make this clear, but you have to hold the power button in the whole time it is upgrading. The light flashes--keep holding--then it gets steady--keep holding--then "beeeep"--then you will see the Apple screen and the status progress bar--keep holding--then it goes black--then "beeeeep" and now you can stop holding. If it doesn't start up by itself, press and release the power button again and it should work OK.
  • by darkrunner,

    darkrunner darkrunner Apr 6, 2006 7:01 AM in response to dentate
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 6, 2006 7:01 AM in response to dentate
    I hold the power button in and I get the --beep-- then the system boots. I have tried the firmware upgrade on several of the other 6 imac 20" machines I recieved this week and all the same issue. I truly believe that there is a problem with the firmware.
  • by TAV,

    TAV TAV Apr 6, 2006 8:26 AM in response to Mac Convert
    Level 3 (880 points)
    Apr 6, 2006 8:26 AM in response to Mac Convert
    It could be helpful if everyone would take a second to update their respective profiles so that we knew what machine and what OS version each responder was running.

    Just for the record on the 20" DC (which I am typing from), I followed all of the recent OS updates and was running OS 10.4.6 (build 8I1119), then downloaded the correct firmware update (iMac) and went from there. And an hour later I was dual-booting XP from a new partition.

    I would suggest if you are running 10.4.6 and encounter issues with the latest firmware update, you first restore your machine's firmware to original condition and then attempt the latest firmware update. It is certainly what Apple has always suggested following a failed or incomplete update attempts.
  • by keikojaa,

    keikojaa keikojaa Apr 6, 2006 8:27 AM in response to TAV
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Apr 6, 2006 8:27 AM in response to TAV
    iMac 20" and last build 10.4.6 8I119 and no problem with new firmware.
  • by mofli,

    mofli mofli Apr 6, 2006 8:35 AM in response to TAV
    Level 2 (345 points)
    Apr 6, 2006 8:35 AM in response to TAV
    I agree with Tav. His advice is much more reasonable/favorable than believing that the firmware doesn't work on 20-inch iMacs.

    If anyone following Tav's or Joseph's advice is successful at installing the update please post. It would be very helpful for other people interested in updating to know that someone who used the onmac.com solution was successful in installing the firmware update after first restoring the system.

    Good luck to all those striking out with the update. I am sure that with time and patience you will get there!
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