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EnVoy · May 17, 2006, 06:48 PM

We have a Dual Core iMac, and during the last Software Update it was interupted during the iMac SMC Firmware update. Now it wont start up, just freezes at the blue screen. It will boot in Safe Mode, and the Firmware Upadter will install the .pkg, but errors out right after that (error 28).

Tried the following:
fsck in Single User mode
installing in target mode from another machine

What to do?

Info:

iMac Intel Dual Core 2ghz
10.4.6

Eriamjh · May 17, 2006, 08:51 PM

Can you get a copy of the "original firmware" apple released after they released the boot camp firmware? It can be put on CD. I don't know if you can boot to it and flash, but it's worth a shot.

iREZ · May 17, 2006, 11:05 PM

boot up in safe mode...go to HD>Startup Items>and trash everything in that folder. then open up system preferences>accounts>login items and trash whatever is in there as well. restart your computer and it should work. once it loads normally, update your computer with the recent apple update fix. hope this works out for ya, it worked for my cousin and myself.

The_Man · May 18, 2006, 07:33 AM

This worked for me on my MBP. After installing the latest updates the machine would freeze at the login window (mouse would move but could not use keyboard at all). Emptying the startup items and login items allowed me to login properly. this was disconcerting to have my first Mac freeze up and prohibit a login given Apple's claims of "It always works...". Hopefully this will not be a frequent problem. I have been a very happy Windows notebook to Mac convert otherwise.

concierge · May 19, 2006, 02:27 PM

New macbook pro and expereinceing the same problems of the seize during the SMC update.

I have been unable to find a startup items folder off of the HD. I'm a windows tech and not a mac person so perhaps I'm missing something that would be really obvious to a mac user.

However, I did yank the login items but still no luck. On the reboot, the blue bars gets about 3/4 of the way across and then seizes up.

Can boot into safe mode but that's about it.

Socially Awkward Solo · May 19, 2006, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

Can you get a copy of the "original firmware" apple released after they released the boot camp firmware? It can be put on CD. I don't know if you can boot to it and flash, but it's worth a shot.

The SMC firmware and the computer firmware are totally different. There is no older release of the SMC software (that is why it is called 1.0).

Eriamjh · May 21, 2006, 08:02 AM

I was wondering why it was called "SMC" firmware.

What does the SMC mean?

jwoods · May 21, 2006, 10:11 AM

System Managment Control.

Peter753 · May 21, 2006, 06:29 PM

Anyone know exactly what that does? Is that like fans and heat and... I don't even know. I'm just curious.

concierge · May 22, 2006, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by iREZ

boot up in safe mode...go to HD>Startup Items>and trash everything in that folder. then open up system preferences>accounts>login items and trash whatever is in there as well. restart your computer and it should work. once it loads normally, update your computer with the recent apple update fix. hope this works out for ya, it worked for my cousin and myself.

I was unable to get the mac issue to resolve itself so my boss took it in to a mac shop. It was something in the standard mac software update that had siezed and they were abble to get it back and running.

Anyway, my next noob question, how do I get the login items back?

Somehow I'd deluded myself into thinking they would be immediately available on the list that pops up at (system preferences>accounts>appropriate user>login items>+). Items are similar but not the specific items written down there were previously in the login items (e.g. Microsoft AU Daemon, Stuffit AVR Daemon, Dave Network Login, etc).

Any help appreciated...

Thanks,

Tim