[posthumanus]

hi all:

i have an iMac slot loader running 10.3.2 and have no idea whether my firmware has been updated to 4.1.9

have been running Jaguar since it was released without any probs and system profiler shows my Boot ROM Version to be: 3.25f1

now i’m having probs with a newly bought Ext FW400 HD.

have tried everything else known to man, except maybe firmware

i’ve copied this firmware update from my Jaguar install CD but the ReadMe’s say i can only update when booted from an OS9 partition (which i don’t have anymore)

does anyone have an answer/solution?

or am i already updated?

posthumanus

[Krusty]

My boot rom version says 4.1.9f1 ... you're not updated

edit: scratch that, I just read at apple.com that it must be a writeable partition

[Eriamjh]

You're gonna need an OS9 partition to boot from, perhaps it will work on a FW ext drive, but for sure on an internal drive.

Run SW update from OS9 until you get to "No updates found". Also check the FW in OS9 Apple System Profiler. It should have the correct FW shown. The last FW update from Apple for OS9 only worked in OS9.

[posthumanus]

don't have OS9 anymore

only panther 10.3.2 on 1 partition

surely apple has come up with a way to do this, post-OS9

anyone?

posthumanus

[Detrius]

Originally posted by posthumanus:
don't have OS9 anymore

only panther 10.3.2 on 1 partition

surely apple has come up with a way to do this, post-OS9

anyone?

posthumanus

Apple has NOT come up with a way to do this post OS9 as it is a NECESSITY to install this firmware update BEFORE installing 10.2 or later.

i.e. You are lucky your machine is still running. That is the part that Apple doesn't tell people. Trust me on this one. I use to see iMacs on a daily basis that had no video because someone didn't install the firmware update.

If you installed the OS 9 drivers when you formatted your drive (can you see the drive when booted into 9?), you can install OS 9 over top of Panther without any problems.



Hank
Apple Certified Desktop Technician

[posthumanus]

okay: first up there is no trace of OS9 left on my ‘puter

ditched OS9 with Jaguar, ditched Jaguar with Panther, no recollection of the ‘OS9 drivers’ box being checked at any stage: i’m betting ‘no’

if so, i can’t reinstall OS9/Classic to solve this prob

is my Boot ROM Version of 3.25f1 creating (ext.HD) probs i don’t need?

i’m willing (and almost ready again) to do a clean install, but perhaps will need to do 2 installs: the first with OS9 to Update Firmware, then wipe and start afresh with Panther?

boring: this will take at least a whole day

and i can’t completely trust my new ext.HD for such an emergency situation

but i’m going for it within a month anyway: am prepared to completely strip the lot

please get back to me with more advice on updating firmware before i try this

posthumanus

[posthumanus]

anyone else got any ideas?

[discotronic]

Originally posted by posthumanus:
anyone else got any ideas?

I think that you would be better off doing a refomat. Install OS9 and then do the firmware update. Then go from there. I have heard of some iMac's becoming useless because of the lack of firmware updates.

Unless there is a way that you could install OS9 without getting rid of OSX this is probably your best bet. Are you sure you didn't install the drivers for OS9?

Good luck.