Manual
MacBook Pro 17-inch (original, Core 2 Duo, 2.4/2.6GHz, 2008) Troubleshooting — General Information 161
MacBook Pro Firmware Updates
Firmware is the name given to software that is written into memory circuits such as ash
memory, that will hold the software code indenitely, even when power is removed from the
hardware. Firmware on Intel Mac computers is designed to be updated if necessary through a
software update.
EFI and SMC rmware is stored on the MacBook Pro’s logic board. EFI rmware updates update
the Boot ROM, and SMC Updates update the System Management Controller rmware. The SMC
manages fans and other environmental parameters that are independent of the Boot ROM.
Firmware symptoms can be easily mistaken for hardware issues (e.g. overheating issues, fan noise
issues, etc.). Always check both EFI and SMC rmware versions and update if necessary before
replacing any hardware components in the MacBook Pro.
The following lists describe the type of symptoms that may be resolved by updating the EFI and
SMC rmware in the MacBook Pro.
Symptoms that may be resolved by updating EFI rmware:
L1 Cache reporting as bad•
Boot Camp not booting into Windows•
Built-in FireWire has GUID zero if ExpressCard FireWire is present at boot•
Auto-reboot after wake from sleep•
Stuck in Target Disk Mode upon restart•
Cannot eject media (various conditions)•
Bad media taking too long to eject (including holding mouse button down at startup taking •
minutes to eject)
Auto-reboot after wake from sleep•
Symptoms that may be resolved by updating SMC rmware:
Status LEDS on battery do not light until the pack has charged for approximately 10 minutes•
Unusual fan behavior and thermal management issues•
Please follow the steps outlined in Knowledge Base article 303364 About rmware updates for
Intel-based Macs to perform an EFI and/or SMC rmware update.
Information about rmware versions for Intel Macs can be found in Knowledge Base article
303880 Mac OS X: Firmware Updates for Intel-based Macs.