MBA mid 2011 2.9 Firmware update just killed by Air

I had the same issue. The machine simply shuts off and doesn't restart so the firmware update is never applied. The power button stopped working and the machine would not turn on at all. So I took it the the Apple Store and they cracked it open to do a physical SMC reset. It booted up fine after that. We tried the install again and no dice. Same thing happened. This time the guy at the Genius Bar did some kind of "soft" SMC reset. He pressed SHIFT+FN+CONTROL+POWER at the same time (the first 3 keys are in the lower left corner) ... held it for a few seconds and let them go. When he pressed the Power button after that the machine booted up fine. Still didn't apply the firmware update though. The guy at the Genius Bar said he would report this issue to Engineering to alert them to the problem with the update.

In any event, your laptop is probably not completely dead. Give that keystroke combination above a try to see if you can revive it. It doesn't appear to be the standard SMC Reset keystroke combination which is SHIFT+CONTROL+OPTION+POWER if I recall correctly. Certainly wasn't anything I'd ever seen before.

It's alive! It's ALIVE!!!

All day nothing would power on my son's Macbook Air, but he did the following 3 times in succession, patiently allowing time for signs of life, and now he has a working MacBook Air again. Thanks to all, especially to Loner T for your help on this. He was really in a spot.

Specifically, doing this 3 times is what brought back his MacBook Air:

1. Shut down the computer.

2. Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected

3. On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time

4. Release all the keys and the power button at the same time

5. Press the power button to turn on the computer.

Note: The LED on the MagSafe power adapter may change states or temporarily turn off when you reset the SMC.

Also had an issue on my 2011 13" MBA.

It shutdown after installing the update and didn't came back on. I did 3 SMC reset (keyboard trick) and it booted after 1-2 minute.

merrymerrychristmas wrote:

Update downloaded, restarted, and it never came back on.

So I took my MBA to apple store last Saturday, and was told

this is not an update issue (they didn't aware of it or was denying it),

but a hardware issue, and only way to fix it is to pay $289 for replacing

a logic board. I was so mad. i will have to wait for Apple to come up

with a better solution.

I would recommend attempting the process described in this new Apple KB Article:

MacBook Air (Mid 2011) shows a black screen after trying to install EFI Update 2.9

It corrected multiple issues similar to yours on a spare MBA we had here. Couldn't hurt to try 🙂

Hello Loner T,

I've just gotten off the phone with Apple L2 Support, and they have confirmed they've identified the issue, and as of right now, the update has been pulled from both the App Store Software Updates and the Apple Support downloads section.

Apparently they believe the wrong EFI may have been packaged and tagged for the 2011 models, but they couldn't confirm that 100%. Engineering is working on a replacement EFI and will post it when it's ready soon.

Very surprising (and I assume you do not have AppleCare). If you read this thread, a couple of pages earlier...

EdisonW wrote:

I've just gotten off the phone with Apple L2 Support, and they have confirmed they've identified the issue, and as of right now, the update has been pulled from both the App Store Software Updates and the Apple Support downloads section. Apparently they believe the wrong EFI may have been packaged and tagged for the 2011 models, but they couldn't confirm that 100%. Engineering is working on a replacement EFI and will post it when it's ready soon.

@EdisonW... would you be willing to share your case number?

I am certain that the Genii will suggest that each individual machine is different. 😉

It was Shift+Control+Fn+Power. But trust me, it didn't work before. Even Genius Bar guy couldn't do it. I pressed all four many, many times. I tried long pressing, and tried to tap all four really quick. And all of sudden, ding! I heard the booting sound, and came back on like magic!

Tell him to try and unplug his MBA, close the lid and open it again, and then hold the power button. It worked out for me.

Apple has a KB article about this: MacBook Air (Mid 2011) shows a black screen after trying to install EFI Update 2.9

After I installed the update on my MacBook Air the MB shut down and was gone black for a couple of minutes. First I plugged in the power cord and pressed the power button a couple of times. While I was starting to look for the reset stuff it came back to life without any further actions. It took around 5 minutes I guess.

Promaetheus wrote:

Same problem here in austria. The extended problem: the local authorized apple support told me because of the update the mainboard is destroyed. I told them to repair it, costs Euro 600,-.

After taking home the Macbook Air and automatically installing the updates the same problem with EFI update occurred and the mainboard was destroyed again!!! This was in august. Since then there is no solution or reaction from Apple until now. I have multiple Apple products and am VERY disappointed. This is not the way Apple does normally.

The Firmware can be rolled back by Apple Geniuses/AASP technicians. You should ask for your money back.

Upon applying the EFI firmware 2.9 update, my MBA was bricked!

Fortunately, my original Apple Care covers me till end of this month (~whew)

Called in and Tech support shows me 2 tricks and I give it a swing

1. Hold down Shift + Power
2. Hold down command + R + power

I try those combo first time without power plugged in, but support said should plug in power and battery fully charge, so I give them a second try.

At first it didn't work I hold down those combo keys for about 5-10 secs

Screen still blank and not powering on

After I hung up the line, my MBA magically turn on (without even touching it)

Takes a while in the loading screen & am able to login.

Upon login, firmware is updated, try to shut down + restart couple of time and it seems alright.

Only catch is that now I need to hold down power button for ~ 5 sec in order to boot up the machine.

Anyways am happy my computer is back in action, really a magical Apple

Loner T wrote:

Very surprising (and I assume you do not have AppleCare). If you read this thread, a couple of pages earlier...

EdisonW wrote:

I've just gotten off the phone with Apple L2 Support, and they have confirmed they've identified the issue, and as of right now, the update has been pulled from both the App Store Software Updates and the Apple Support downloads section. Apparently they believe the wrong EFI may have been packaged and tagged for the 2011 models, but they couldn't confirm that 100%. Engineering is working on a replacement EFI and will post it when it's ready soon.

@EdisonW... would you be willing to share your case number?

I am certain that the Genii will suggest that each individual machine is different. 😉

Hi Loner,

As I am uncertain of Apple TOS regarding case number confidentiality, I've reached out to the engineer that was assisting me with this matter for privacy clarification. If he gives the green light, I will post the case number for this issue.

Also, I've tested the process described in the new Apple KB article on a spare MBA here, and it seems to eliminate the WiFi and fan issues, at least in the case of this one unit.

Cheers

MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.9

Do your MBAs meet the system requirements?

System Requirements

• OS X 10.9.2 and later
• Update over these EFI versions only:
  • 0077.00
  • 0077.08
  • 0077.0E
  • 0077.0F

Try SHIFT+FN+CONTROL+OPTION+POWER. That seems to be the standard SMC reset with the addition of the FN key. Maybe that's what the guy did on my laptop.