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CatOne · Nov 17, 2004, 08:54 PM

Report back, and lemme know if it's safe

Maflynn · Nov 17, 2004, 09:20 PM

Originally posted by CatOne:
Report back, and lemme know if it's safe

I'm conservative by nature and basically go by if it aint broke don't fix it. So far I have not seen any compelling reasons to install it. The horror stories of those who installed the single processor firmware update is enough for me to hold off.

Mike

Webscreamer · Nov 17, 2004, 09:25 PM

I'm confused... is this for ALL G5s?! It doesn't show up in my Software Update and I didn't buy this in June 2004.

Please enlighten me.

macaddict0001 · Nov 17, 2004, 09:38 PM

if you bought one after june chances are it is already installed. I would install it anyway because way more people have not installed the 4.1.9f update for the imac and had the issue where osx doesn't display anything on the monitor.

UnixMac · Nov 17, 2004, 09:40 PM

Originally posted by Webscreamer:
I'm confused... is this for ALL G5s?! It doesn't show up in my Software Update and I didn't buy this in June 2004.

Please enlighten me.

It's not a "software update" it's a "hardware update"

Just installed it, and quite frankly it seems to have improved my mouse click response with the windows and OS X GUI... I don't know if I'm imagining it but it seems more responsive.

Still having my 23" Display dim/bright (f14/15) key issue that I got before the update..

So far so good... just read the directions carefully and do as they say and you should do well. Guys on the Apple website all seem to have had no probs either.

Mr. Blur · Nov 17, 2004, 10:07 PM

Originally posted by Webscreamer:
I'm confused... is this for ALL G5s?! It doesn't show up in my Software Update and I didn't buy this in June 2004.

Please enlighten me.

it is *only* for the june 2004 powermac series.

GetSome681 · Nov 17, 2004, 11:12 PM

Installed on my new dual 1.8. Everything's working fine so far.

hldan · Nov 18, 2004, 12:30 AM

Funny how the MacNN homepage says that the update is for PowerMac G5's released in June 2005. Hello??? It's not 2005 yet!!!!

+ spiral + · Nov 18, 2004, 01:49 AM

Originally posted by UnixMac:
It's not a "software update" it's a "hardware update"

But "it" still "shows up" in the "Software Update."

I bought my G5 after June and the firmare is 5.1.8f2 (this release is 5.1.8f5) so i don't think the firmware will be up to date depending on your purchase date.

WOPR · Nov 18, 2004, 04:34 AM

All went fine for me

Markovich · Nov 18, 2004, 09:40 AM

Ditto for me. Everything went splendidly.

Mark

tooki · Nov 18, 2004, 09:48 AM

If you follow the update instructions, you should have no trouble. Apple's never had a firmware update have any serious problems (in fact, I can't even think of any minor ones not caused by user error such as restarting during the update).

tooki

Busemann · Nov 18, 2004, 10:06 AM

Installed fine here as well.

The CD tray ejected a couple of times after it was done though..

Maflynn · Nov 18, 2004, 10:18 AM

Originally posted by tooki:
If you follow the update instructions, you should have no trouble. Apple's never had a firmware update have any serious problems (in fact, I can't even think of any minor ones not caused by user error such as restarting during the update).

tooki

Umm, you should check out the numerious threads on the apple discussion board about the G5 single cpu firmware. It hosed a lot of people's machines. So much so apple quickly issued a second firmware update to fix the first update on effected machines.

Mike

chrisford · Nov 18, 2004, 10:47 AM

Just another positive experience - and I think it may have cured an exceptionally annoying bug in Illustrator for me (repeated failure to save a file, blaming something to with PDF handling?).

So - am now one very happy webmonkey.

c
Oh - specs are a dual 2gig, purchased around four months ago.

almaink · Nov 18, 2004, 10:51 AM

OK here as well.

legacyb4 · 11:38 AM

I'm still at 5.1.4f0 and Software Update still only shows 5.1.5f2 (was this the corrected troubled one for single procs?); guess I can skip directly to this one?

[note] Guess since I'm a single proc, this won't apply to my machine either way.

AC Rempt · Nov 18, 2004, 02:28 PM

All good here, if a bit better. Anyone seeing a resolution of the DNS issue? I usually have to ask Safari twice to get to MacNN, and it did it this time without a hitch.

d.fine · Nov 18, 2004, 02:39 PM

All good on a Rev B Dual 2.0 gotten in August 2004, installed firmware update 5.1.8f7

Lizard7 · Nov 18, 2004, 03:19 PM

No problems here on a dual 2.5. The update installed smoothly and everything is fast. Also, the fan revs seem to occur less and they are more gradual. Constant fan noise level is the same.

jcadam · Nov 18, 2004, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by UnixMac:
It's not a "software update" it's a "hardware update"

The firmware is software. The fact that it resides on a Flash EEPROM matters not.

patman600 · Nov 18, 2004, 04:48 PM

installed on a rev. B 2x2.0GHz, purchased July 04, recieved Aug 04. Everything seems to be going fine now. But weirdly, the first time I rebooted holding down the power button, it botted into the open firmware, but did not update. It updated the second time though.

GoGoReggieXPowars · Nov 18, 2004, 05:34 PM

Originally posted by AC Rempt:
All good here, if a bit better. Anyone seeing a resolution of the DNS issue? I usually have to ask Safari twice to get to MacNN, and it did it this time without a hitch.

Nothing to do with a machine's firmware. I believe the latest 10.3.7 developer seeds have a lookupd fix as part of the package, I haven't had the time to check it yet.

Turias · Nov 18, 2004, 05:38 PM

I upgraded and it's been working fine for me on my dual 2.5 that I got at the very end of September.

Disgruntled Head of C-3PO · Nov 18, 2004, 06:49 PM

Originally posted by tooki:
If you follow the update instructions, you should have no trouble. Apple's never had a firmware update have any serious problems (in fact, I can't even think of any minor ones not caused by user error such as restarting during the update).

tooki

Ya right, remember when that old ROM update would let you install processor upgrades? Or suddenly killed tons of peoples RAM.

wtmcgee · Nov 18, 2004, 06:58 PM

I've been going for 24 hours straight, no problems so far.

AC Rempt · Nov 18, 2004, 07:34 PM

Originally posted by GoGoReggieXPowars:
Nothing to do with a machine's firmware. I believe the latest 10.3.7 developer seeds have a lookupd fix as part of the package, I haven't had the time to check it yet.

That's good news, at least. Thanks.

d.fine · Nov 19, 2004, 02:13 AM

Originally posted by patman600:
installed on a rev. B 2x2.0GHz, purchased July 04, recieved Aug 04. Everything seems to be going fine now. But weirdly, the first time I rebooted holding down the power button, it botted into the open firmware, but did not update. It updated the second time though.

Haha, same happened to me. Caught me off guard, I thought 'holy cr*p, this is going wrong' ...

Big Mac · Nov 19, 2004, 02:35 AM

My G5 is as solid as a rock, so I think I will forgo this update at this point.

dabigdawg · Nov 19, 2004, 01:45 PM

Updated last night - all good so far. G5 dual 2.0

SafariX · Nov 19, 2004, 02:28 PM

So far so good, 2x2 June G5.

UnixMac · Nov 20, 2004, 10:50 AM

So has anyone been able to find out what exactly we did to our machines?

Mine never had a "real" fan problem to begin with.. seems to be even a bit quieter now, but I wonder what else if anything they did? Anyone have a contact at Apple?

l008com · Nov 20, 2004, 01:23 PM

Mine installed no problem, I was hoping that it was going to solve my Kernel Panic during netboot problem but it didn't. But everything seems to be running exactly the same as before. Kinda strange that apple doesn't say what this thing actually does isn't it?

UnixMac · Nov 20, 2004, 01:33 PM

I might just call Apple care and act like I didn't do it yet and ask them to tell me "Why" I should do it... and what it "addresses" ... curious..

Kinda like taking medicine without know what your taking, and what side effects it can cause?

Maflynn · Nov 20, 2004, 02:26 PM

Originally posted by UnixMac:
I might just call Apple care and act like I didn't do it yet and ask them to tell me "Why" I

I agree, I have no stability issues, or rather the G5 doesn't, me that's a whole different ball of wax

As they say if it ain't broke why fix it.

MattiMattMatt · Nov 20, 2004, 02:55 PM

I did the firmware update on a dual 2.5 G5.

No noticeable difference here, and

Unfortunately, fan spiking when resizing windows or scrolling persists.

UnixMac · Nov 20, 2004, 06:44 PM

Originally posted by MattiMattMatt:
I did the firmware update on a dual 2.5 G5.

No noticeable difference here, and

Unfortunately, fan spiking when resizing windows or scrolling persists.

Odd.. very odd..

I actually noticed better fan spin up behavior, and frankly before it wasn' to bad. I wonder if your update took? Did you do a system profiler and verify it?

Geo669 · Nov 20, 2004, 09:05 PM

All good down this end.

New Dual 1.8

zmaniac · Nov 21, 2004, 07:48 PM

Like a silly fool I immediately ran the updater on both my 2x2.5 G5s, one running Tiger beta1 and the other beta2, even though I had been having no stability problems at all. But I have been annoyed by the brainless fan behavior (toggling between full blast and off instead of holding an intermediate speed) and hoped that would be fixed.

The beta2 machine got the OS hosed and I had to reinstall.

The beta1 machine runs BOINC SETI nonstop (I'm the top producing Mac, Yay!). But not anymore. Twice in a row now it has shut off (not sleep, but powered off) with no panic, crashlog or anything.

I'm trying to find out how to downgrade now, but there currently does not appear to be a way.

So unless you're having whatever "stability" problem the update is supposed to fix, I suggest waiting until the next update.

Jim

UnixMac · Nov 21, 2004, 07:52 PM

Originally posted by zmaniac:
Like a silly fool I immediately ran the updater on both my 2x2.5 G5s, one running Tiger beta1 and the other beta2, even though I had been having no stability problems at all. But I have been annoyed by the brainless fan behavior (toggling between full blast and off instead of holding an intermediate speed) and hoped that would be fixed.

The beta2 machine got the OS hosed and I had to reinstall.

The beta1 machine runs BOINC SETI nonstop (I'm the top producing Mac, Yay!). But not anymore. Twice in a row now it has shut off (not sleep, but powered off) with no panic, crashlog or anything.

I'm trying to find out how to downgrade now, but there currently does not appear to be a way.

So unless you're having whatever "stability" problem the update is supposed to fix, I suggest waiting until the next update.

Jim

That's gotta suck.... two 2X2.5

....and I thought I dropped some cash this year on computers!

dav · Nov 22, 2004, 12:48 PM

i updated my dual 2.0 powermac over the weekend. no problems, no noticeable differences (possibly a more subdued fan rev-up?).

ranga · Nov 22, 2004, 02:22 PM

I installed the firmware upgrade on my Dual 1.8 this weekend. All 1.5 GB of ram is still detected (512 MB from Apple, 1GB OCZ from Fry's) and I haven't noticed any problems so far. The only wierd thing was that my DVD drive ejected a few times during the update.

--ranga

UnixMac · Nov 22, 2004, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by ranga:
I installed the firmware upgrade on my Dual 1.8 this weekend. All 1.5 GB of ram is still detected (512 MB from Apple, 1GB OCZ from Fry's) and I haven't noticed any problems so far. The only wierd thing was that my DVD drive ejected a few times during the update.

--ranga

Pretty much everyone had the DVD eject issue... Apple prolly should have told us to expect it in the brief write up they did on this.

I still wonder what "Exactly" this update was supposed to fix, or maybe their being hush, hush cause they're embarrassed to admit they had a major firmware bug in the prior system, and this gets them off the hook.

zmaniac · Nov 26, 2004, 08:48 PM

Update on my bad experience:

Apple support suggested zapping the PRAM (doh!). They never got back on my request for info on how to downgrade, but looks like I won't need to since it has been fine since following their suggestion...

And while the fan does spin up just a bit more softly, it still doesn't average the temperature over a number of samples (it only sense the memory controller heatsink temp every 5 seconds) so it never gets a grip on the BOINC SETI load which jumps between nominal (145F) and max (200F) every 30 seconds or so.

Jim

Person Man · Nov 27, 2004, 03:55 PM

Originally posted by Disgruntled Head of C-3PO:
Ya right, remember when that old ROM update would let you install processor upgrades? Or suddenly killed tons of peoples RAM.

Both of those were intended by Apple. tooki was talking about bugs. (and you can't call these bugs because the firmware functioned exactly as Apple intended it to).

The ROM to prevent processor upgrades was a misguided attempt by Apple to deliberately prevent people from upgrading their processors. The processor upgrade manufacturers figured out how to get around that block anyway.

The other one that "killed tons of RAM" was the one that rejected RAM (refused to recognize it) that wasn't absolutely in spec. OS 9 and earlier were much more "lenient" on RAM that wasn't quite in spec. Mac OS X, on the other hand, because it tends to use RAM in a much more intense fashion, would have had all sorts of problems with weird freezes, crashing, etc. And nobody would suspect the RAM; they would blame Apple for making Mac OS X so buggy (Mac OS X has enough problems as it is and doesn't need problems generated by substandard RAM). So, Apple decided to "disable" any RAM that didn't meet spec.

SafariX · Nov 29, 2004, 06:17 PM

I lied. After the firmware update, my computer won't wake from sleep. It will "turn on" but no video signal to the monitors. Any advice?

TimmyDee51 · Nov 29, 2004, 06:57 PM

I just installed it on my Dual 2.0 (August 2004). Everything works fine.

choneysett · Dec 2, 2004, 12:27 PM

I ran the firmware upgrade for my dual 2.5. Everything appears to be fine except for the fact that it brings up the message that the upgrade was successful EVERYTIME I boot up my machine! I can't seem to make it go away! Anyone else experience this?

UnixMac · Dec 2, 2004, 01:46 PM

Originally posted by choneysett:
I ran the firmware upgrade for my dual 2.5. Everything appears to be fine except for the fact that it brings up the message that the upgrade was successful EVERYTIME I boot up my machine! I can't seem to make it go away! Anyone else experience this?

No.. Call Apple Care.

But first try to reset NVRAM and PRAM