Firmware Update for Intel Macs Available

post from "My Mac Blog" RSS Feed on 07 April 2006 03:21:00 PM. © "My Mac Blog" RSS Feed

Apple released firmware updates for its Intel-based Mac product line on Wednesday. These updates are necessary to properly install and use Boot Camp, Apple's application that lets you install and boot Windows XP on your Mac. Apple has separate updates available for the iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro.

Here's how to install the firmware update:

• Quit all open applications.
• Launch the Firmware Updater.
• Click the Shut Down button in the Firmware Updater window and wait for your computer to shut down.
• Press and hold the power button on your Mac until the power indicator light starts flashing.
• You should see a progress bar indicating that the firmware update is installing. Be sure you don't shut down or restart your Mac while the update is installing. Your Mac will restart automatically once the update finishes.
• The Firmware Updater will launch itself and tell you if it successfully updated your firmware. Click the OK button.

Apple also released a firmware restoration tool that resets your Intel-based Mac's firmware to its original firmware. You can download Firmware Restoration CD 1.0 at the Apple Web site.

My Take
Please note that these firmware updates are not part of the regular Software Updates you receive. You need to go out and manually download the correct firmware for your Intel Mac. As an aside, I updated the firmware on my MacBook Pro, and it worked flawlessly. I didn't do it to take "advantage" of the fact that I can now run Windows on my Mac (which as you've probably gathered by now from my previous posts, is really a huge DISADVANTAGE), but did it merely to have the most current firmware on the machine. I've not noticed anything different since upgrading the firmware, which is a good thing I suppose, as it's infinitely better than having the machine not boot up again, or some other major catastrophe like that...