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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Strange behavior after firmware update.

Strange behavior after firmware update.
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TATungseth
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Join Date: Dec 1999
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Jun 5, 2000, 08:43 PM
 
I updated to the new firmware prior to this weekend, and, since then, I have had a couple of problems that haven't appeared before.

First, and most annoying, I'm getting a hang on shut down or restart. Upon selecting either of those from the menu, the computer quits everything (including the finder) and just sits there. The mouse works and everything, but when I go to select either shut down or restart, I get an error message that the selection has already been made and to wait until everything is shut down.

This never happens, and my computer requires a restart via the little button.

It does this perhaps 25% of the time. Of course, upon powering up again, it requires Disk First Aid and all of that. I hate doing that and always worry that it's going to corrupt data one of these times.

Second, I seem to have more internet problems than I used to, with dropped connections, slower performance, etc. I'm on DSL via Ethernet, using MacPOeT. Of course, since internet usage is so finicky already, this may be just a coincidence.

Any similar problems? Any thoughts? I'm on a G4/450 w/ OS 9.04 and 256 MB RAM.

Thanks!
     
Cipher13
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Join Date: Apr 2000
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Jun 5, 2000, 10:58 PM
 
I have a G4 400/128/9.04 with the latest firmware update applied, and I haven't had any problems at all - I'm not sure what you do when you have a prob after firmware updating. What I'd to is format HD then re-apply firmware before you install anything else and hope it works - I'm not recommending you do that though because I'm sure theres a proper procedure to follow.

Cipher13
     
Elderloc
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Kalamazoo, MI, USA
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Jun 5, 2000, 11:49 PM
 
I have the exact same problem. I have a G4 500mhz with 512meg. After installing the new firmware on my 9.04 system I have noticed that the thing hangs up a lot. And the Internet proformance is now very slow.

I think firmware patches the PROM or some thing like that so I don't bilve it can be removed. Is this not like flashing your BIOS on a PC??

Maybe Apple will release a statement on it soon.

Elderloc

We were just a bunch of sawgie old men eating egg salad sandwitches in a card board box, playing tease the wild wolverine in a confind space.
     
TATungseth  (op)
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Jun 7, 2000, 01:10 AM
 
Ok, I'm now starting to have some serious problems. . .and the only culprit I can think of is the firmware update. Now I'm having a problem with a corrupted disk -- that is, the main directory is corrupted (according to Disk First Aid). I'm sure it has something to do with the problem I was having before of "hanging" shut downs that required pressing the reset button to get my G4 to restart.

So, for the last hour or so, I have been getting an error -- that when Disk First Aid attempts to examine the hard drive upon startup, it tells me that the disk is corrupted, and that Disk First Aid doesn't know how to fix it. It then advises me to back up IMMEDIATELY. However, my system has been hanging upon attempting to start up, and I haven't been able to get to the desktop to try to back up.

After an hour of trying everything I could think of -- zapping the PRAM, starting up with extensions off, starting from the OS 9 CD, starting from the Norton CD, nothing would work. Finally, it came back up on it's own after numerous attempts at restarting (still via the reset key).

One thing I have learned -- apparently the OS 9 CD is incompatible with the firmware update, so I can no longer start up from the CD that came with my G4. Further, the version of Norton utilities on the CD is incompatible with 9.04 and the firmware update, so I can't start up from that CD.

Anyone else starting to have serious problems after the firmware update? I'm not positive that's my problem, but nothing else has changed. . . .

Any suggestions would be appreciated. . .that is, if I'm still up and running for much longer. . . .
     
Jeep2000
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Jun 7, 2000, 03:27 PM
 
Have you seen this yet? It might help you a bit... http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/Foru...ML/000329.html
     
TATungseth  (op)
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Jun 13, 2000, 06:34 PM
 
Thanks for the link to the other discussion! That was most enlightening to see that some powerbook users are having the same symptoms.

Well, as I feared, the problems of being forced to shutdown via the reset problem has left me with a corrupted directory. Problem is, the OS 9 boot CD won't boot with the new firmware installed, Norton CD won't boot with the new firmware installed, and Disk First Aid simply tells me that it doesn't know how to fix the problem. Trying to fix the problem with Norton causes a crash.

I seem to be up and running fine now with the knowledge that my directory is messed up, so who knows when it will bring the system down. But since I cannot fix it nor boot from any other CD at this time, I appear to be stuck.

Does anyone know how to effectively fix a HD directory under these circumstances? If so, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Apple really should have mentioned that upgrading the firmware will leave users without the benefit of being able to boot from their system CD anymore.

Thanks.
     
   
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