Mac mini dead after EFI update

Mine has died also after the EFI update - it turns on, makes the happy mac sound, I get a blue screen and then - and this is the exciting part - I get a black screen with a bunch of color lines across the monitor and the cursor has become a big white blotch....I thought it was just the one monitor - but no, it does it to my other old working monitor. I tried to hook up my other mac to read off of it, I've tried to start it in safe mode, I've tried to make it run from the system disk...nothing...makes me regret allowing the download...

If your macmini is an intel model you need a slighly different reset procedure see below.
The Power Management Unit (PMU) is an integrated circuit (computer chip) typically found on a computer's logic board. As its name implies, the PMU is responsible for managing all aspects of the computer's power. It controls hard disk spin down, sleep and wake, some charging aspects, and how any devices attached to the computer affect sleep.

If the settings in the PMU become corrupted, it can result in operational anomalies such as your computer not turning on, not displaying video, or not waking from sleep, among other things. In these situations, you may need to reset your computer's PMU.

Resetting the PMU will not resolve issues in which the computer stalls or is unresponsive. A PMU reset should only be used as a last resort in the case of a hardware failure or when the power management system is suspected. Resetting the PMU returns the computer hardware, including NVRAM, to default settings and forces the computer to shut down.

Before you reset the PMU, try restarting your computer instead, which may resolve your issue. If your computer has stopped responding, try these steps, in order, until the computer responds:

Force Quit (Option-Command-Escape)
Restart (Control-Command-Power)
Force Shut Down (press the power button for 10 seconds)
If none of the above steps resolved the situation, reset the PMU. To reset the PMU on a Mac mini:
Unplug all cables from the computer, including the power cord.
Wait 10 seconds.
Plug in the power cord while simultaneously pressing and holding the power button on the back of the computer.
Let go of the power button.
Press the power button once more to start up your Mac mini.
Important: This procedure also resets the computer's PRAM. Be sure to reset your computer's time, date, and other system parameter settings as necessary.

If you have reset the PMU on a Mac mini and it still isn't displaying video or turning on, contact Apple technical support (1-800-APL-CARE in the U.S.) or take your computer to your local Apple Retail Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) for diagnosis.

Note: The Mac mini (Early 2006) uses a System Management Controller (SMC), and has slightly differing procedure for resetting the SMC. See article 303446: "Mac mini (Early 2006): How to reset the System Management Controller" for complete instructions.

Not sure if you've got a Mac mini (Early 2006)? Simply count the number of USB 2.0 ports on the rear of the unit. If you have four USB 2.0 ports, you have a Mac mini (Early 2006). If you only have two USB 2.0 ports, you have an earlier model Mac mini.

Regards, kilrea

PPC Mac minis (all those with 2 USB ports) have a PMU, while Intel minis (all with 4 USB ports) have an SMC. The two reset procedures are slightly different as below:

To reset the PMU in a G4 (PPC) mini
- Unplug all cables from the computer, including the power cord.
- Wait 10 seconds.
- Plug in the power cord while simultaneously pressing and holding the power button on the back of the computer.
- Let go of the power button.
- Press the power button once more to start up your Mac mini.

To reset the SMC on an Intel mini:
-From the Apple menu, choose Shut Down (or if the computer is not responding, hold the power button until it turns off).
-Unplug all cables from the computer, including the power cord and any display cables.
-Wait at least 15 seconds.
-Plug the power cord back in, making sure the power button is not being pressed at the time.
-Then reconnect your keyboard and mouse to the computer.
-Press the power button on the back to start up your computer.

As can be seen, the difference is that on G4 (PPC) models, the power button is held in while the power is reconnected, while in the Intel models it is not.

I have an Intel MAC mini.
What you are saying is, that I have to remove all
cables.
Plug the power back on, making sure that I don't
press the power button at the same time.
Reconnect monitor and keyboard.
That didn't help.

That's the procedure, making sure that everything is disconnected for at least 15 seconds between unplugging everything and then plugging the power cable back in. It doesn't always help, because not all problems are caused by the Intel mini's SMC unit - it only helps resolve those faults where the SMC is to blame. Clearly that isn't the case in your situation.

Strange, as their are so many different solutions
suggestions.

Not so strange really, since there are lots of different potential causes of this type of problem, so different things work to fix what on the surface may seem to be very similar faults.

The guy at the Apple Support(Denmark) stated that I
had the reset the PMU holding down the power button
while pluging the power cord back in. If their isn't
any PMU in a Intel based MAC mini, who the h * hired
that guy?!?!?

You would wonder, but in reality it's an easy thing to confuse. Still, a PMU reset on an Intel mini would not do any good and he should have known that.

You might try unplugging all cables, then waiting much longer to reconnect and power on - there are times when that has been reported to help (even leaving it as long as overnight), but all in all I'd be tempted to tell Apple you need it serviced under the warranty and have them direct you to a local authorized service provider.

I have a similar problem on my brand new, 1 week old Mac mini... I reset the SMC as described (NOT holding down power button), and when it didnt work, I tried the other prodedure by holding down the power button, but that didnt help either. I left the machine alone for 2 days, then went back to it, hit the power button, and it started up. Now get this... I went to updates, and installed the new firmware update, as I had not done any additional updates beyoned my initial one a week ago. After installation, it asked me to shut down, and restart by pressing power and holding down power button until the lights flash. Did that, let go, then the bar started coming across the screen. Eventually, it froze at almost the 50% mark, and stayed like that for over 15 more min or so!!! I didnt know what to do, and the power button on the back of the unit was unresponsive, so I pulled the plugged. That brings me to where I am now. My computer will not turn on. If I hit power, it makes this noise internally like it wants to do something, but cant get it done, and keeps trying every 4 or 5 seconds until I take it out of its misery by holding down the power button for 10 seconds to shut it down. If I hold down the power button (as the firmware update instructions asked) and wait for the rapid blinks, they happen, I release, then they continue rapid blinks, then pause, then 3 quick blinks, 3 slow-spaced blinks, 3 quick blinks, then nothing. I am pulling my hair out, especially since this is literally a brand new unit!!! Please help me! If you dont mind, please CC me with any advice or responses to max@leeangel.com, as I dont check my .mac email too often, especially since my new computer wont turn on! Thanks!

Mac mini Mac OS X (10.4.8) Intel - Early 2006

bluemax,

i'd love to hear any updates..I'm pretty much in the same boat...although mine's still turning on...just can't get it to "start up" and have monitor turn on. I've tried all the apple support tricks...

any other tips, anyone?

Oh my gosh, thank you for writing that. I too am in the same boat as you with one exception:

When I got it out of the box, hooked everything up, pressed the power button, no go. I then unplugged the mini from the power strip, plugged it back in and it worked.

Now this evening, I had to move the Mini to a new spot, so (as per the manual) I shut down the Mini, moved it, TRIED to turn it back on (for 2 1/2 hours) and still no go. Read and tried every hint, tip, I could find. This (Intel) Mini is 3 days old.

If you (or anyone else) finds an answer, please send it my way!!!

-Dan Uff

Dan, when try to turn it back on, what exactly happens? Any noise (quiet noise)? Any light come on? Any change on the screen?

Be sure the power cable is fully inserted. This can be difficult sometimes.

What kind of monitor? Is it digital or analog connection to the mini? (Analog uses the supplied adapter.)

I have had the same problem. When I tried to reset the PMU, I held the power button, plugged her back in, let go of the power button and pressed it to start, I got nothing, just the faint sound of (what I think is) the hard drive trying to spin up. The LED is on normally.

Then I unplugged it, held the power button, plugged it back in and kept the power button held for a while (10 seconds or so) the fan then spins up to (what seems like) 200%. There is no boot and no LED. I can't here if the HDD (or whatever it is) is clicking along because the fan is too loud.

I had this problem 2 weeks ago after the mini going to sleep and never waking up. This time I has just opened iPhoto and I got that multi-lingual pop-up telling me the system needed to be restarted by holding the button on the back to force a shutdown. I did so and it never came back up.

Last time I left it over night and then followed the PMU reset procedures and it worked NOTE: I have a 4-USB port mini which means I shouldn't have a PMU. But it worked. This time I left it for 2 hours (While seeing Pursuit of Happyness- good movie) and tried again with no results.

As of now they system has been unplugged from everything for 18 hours or so. I don't be home for a few days to try another PMU or SMC reset.

It seems to me that there may be a real underlying problem that needs addressing. I hope not though, perhaps a new firmware or something.

I'll be watching this thread closely.

I didn't get anything. Then a friend of mine came over and she held the power button while I plugged in the cable - wal-la - it worked.

Is this a common problem or one that happens once in a while?

Dan Uff