Apple releases firmware updates for all three Intel Macs

Apple on Wednesday released individual firmware updates for its three existing Intel-based Macs and also issued a single Firmware Restoration CD software package covering all three models: iMac, MacBook Pro and Mac mini.

The firmware updates, which deliver EFI with BIOS support for the Intel Macs, do not appear automatically in the Mac OS X Software Update mechanism, so users must download them manually.

iMac (Intel) Firmware Update 1.0

iMac (Intel) Firmware Update 1.0 (2.8MB) updates iMac computers with Intel processors only.

MacBook Pro (Intel) Firmware Update 1.0

MacBook Pro (Intel) Firmware Update 1.0 (2.8MB) updates MacBook Pro computers with Intel processors only.

Mac mini (Intel) Firmware Update 1.0

Mac mini (Intel) Firmware Update 1.0 (2.8MB) updates Mac mini computers with Intel processors only.

Firmware Restoration CD v1.0

The Firmware Restoration CD v1.0 (8.7MB) can restore the firmware of an Intel-based iMac (early 2006), Mac mini (early 2006), or MacBook Pro (early 2006) to original factory condition. It can only be used to restore the Firmware after an interrupted or failed update.

Additional information on Apple's firmware updates for Intel Macs has been posted to a knowledge base article on the company's support site.

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41 Comments

ireland

said about 18 years ago

Any chance you can clarify on what this is about?

gosoon

said about 18 years ago

Has anyone else noticed that the new Mac mini is being referred to as the "early 2006" model? Does that imply that there's another one on its way later this year?

ireland

said about 18 years ago

I just did the Firmware update! But i'm still confused as it's my first time doing such a thing! What exactly is it? Why wasn't it in software update? Why is it nessasary? We just update to 10.4.6 I'm clueless here, someone clarify please! Thanks!

mr. me

said about 18 years ago

Quote:

Originally posted by Ireland
I just did the Firmware update! But i'm still confused as it's my first time doing such a thing! What exactly is it? Why wasn't it in software update? Why is it nessasary? We just update to 10.4.6 I'm clueless here, someone clarify please! Thanks!

The Intel-based Macs use Intel's EFI firmware instead of the Open Firmware used by PPC-based Macs. EFI and Open Firmware are literally millenia ahead of the BIOS used in Wintel computers. The reason for the firmware update are explained above.

ireland

said about 18 years ago

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. Me
The Intel-based Macs use Intel's EFI firmware instead of the Open Firmware used by PPC-based Macs. EFI and Open Firmware are literally millenia ahead of the BIOS used in Wintel computers. The reason for the firmware update are explained above.

What exaclty is a frimware update? What does it do?