Apple updates firmware of new MacBook Pros to allow 3.0GB SATA speed

Cleve Nettles
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June 22, 2009
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Remember last week's brouhaha about the new MacBook Pros only being able to connect to SSDs at SATA 1.5Gbs (as opposed to SATA II) speeds?  Apple has addressed this issue in a firmware update (direct link) released today. 

 

Notably, Apple says the following:

MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 1.7 addresses an issue reported by a small number of customers using drives based on the SATA 3Gbps specification with the June 2009 MacBook Pro.  While this update allows drives to use transfer rates greater than 1.5Gbps, Apple has not qualified or offered these drives for Mac notebooks and their use is unsupported.

If by small number, they mean every single new MacBook Pro customer, perhaps. Also, they seem to be leaving the door open to these high speed SSDs not working properly by saying they aren't "qualified".

Get out your wallet, you can now buy a MacBook Pro.

Comments (20)

Gazoobee (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 2:39pm

What are you talking about when you say " ... if by small number they mean every single new MacBook Pro customer ..." ???

Do you even know what the issue is? Because if you did you would realise that statement is 100% *inaccurate*.

The issue only affects people who upgrade the drive in a brand new MacBook Pro that *doesn't* already have an SSD drive with an unsupported (usually SSD) drive. That's a tiny tiny fraction of users, who are all off warranty BTW when they do that.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 2:46pm

Does upgrading a drive really void the warranty?

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 3:02pm

You are allowed to upgrade the drive and keep your warranty.
If you do not break anything in the process off-course.

I am one of the persons that have exchanged the internal drive of a unibody macbook (not pro) with one of the intel ssd's and it makes a world of difference.
I need to run a virtualized windows and use the computer for OS X things at the same time, and having this kind of drive makes it work really well. Previously I would need to run my virtual machines from external harddrives but with the x25-m there is no heavy penalty for both OS X and Windows working the harddisk at the same time.

Many people will not need this kind of performance, like many people want a bright colorfull screen over one that has dependable color reproduction. But each time Apple drops some pro features, they not only loose pro customers but also a part of what makes their brand attractive to consumer customers.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 3:03pm

You are allowed to upgrade the drive and keep your warranty.
If you do not break anything in the process off-course.

I am one of the persons that have exchanged the internal drive of a unibody macbook (not pro) with one of the intel ssd's and it makes a world of difference.
I need to run a virtualized windows and use the computer for OS X things at the same time, and having this kind of drive makes it work really well. Previously I would need to run my virtual machines from external harddrives but with the x25-m there is no heavy penalty for both OS X and Windows working the harddisk at the same time.

Many people will not need this kind of performance, like many people want a bright colorfull screen over one that has dependable color reproduction. But each time Apple drops some pro features, they not only loose pro customers but also a part of what makes their brand attractive to consumer customers.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 3:52pm

ALL THE SSD USERS/ FUTURE SSD USERS, LETS CELEBRATE! I GONNA GET THE MACBOOK PRO RIGHT NOW!!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 3:53pm

All the SSD users/ Future SSD users lets celebrate!!! I gonna buy a Macbook Pro right now. The wait is OVER!!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 4:00pm

OK Apple, now release the firmware update so the early Unibody MBP owners can upgrade to 8GB memory too! I know its off topic, but what's the difference in a few months?

DCJ001 (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 4:17pm

You'll get a firmware upgrade to allow yourself to upgrade to 8GB memory as soon as you receive a firmware upgrade that enables firewire on your early Unibody MBP.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 5:59pm

I am talking about a firmware/software update, not a phyiscal port ya douche!

Zedd (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 7:05pm

If you could understand sarcasm, you would see he meant that it will never happen since your computer can't physically address 8GB of ram!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 7:49pm

Yes it physical can address it. There are 2 slots that will hold 4GB of RAM each. Its a firmware issue. Do some research ya sac-douche.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 8:34pm

Just because it can hold 2x4GB does NOT mean that it can address that much space.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 10:09pm

When 17 inch came out in Feb. the user was able to upgrade to 8GB. Even though both machines (15 & 17) were both using the same board you were not able to upgrade the 15 to 8GB. That is up until 2 weeks ago on the new MBP. Apple said back then that 4GB was the max for the 15 inch, yet some people were successful with 6GB. Nvidia themselves said that the boards were capable of using 8GB, but for whatever reason Apple decided not to give the 15 inch that capacity!

Here is a link you can do some research before you go popping off: Go to the last few pages of the forum that specifically deal the Unibodys and RAM.
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=573906&highlight=8gb

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 7:49pm

Yes it physical can address it. There are 2 slots that will hold 4GB of RAM each. Its a firmware issue. Do some research ya sac-douche.

AG - 9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 11:27pm

I fully agree with you on this one.

If they finally release the firmware update that allows us to use 8GB ram i would be a happy camper that i decided to not get rid of my gen 1 uMB.

Maybe it will come when they switch to Snow Leopard??
Being that that is meant to be 64bit and then they have no excuses about 32bit limitations etc.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 23, 2009 - 7:53am

I hope that it changes with Snow Leopard too.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 22, 2009 - 4:09pm

I know this says 2009 MacBook Pros and that this news from Apple was directed towards these specific Macs, whether supported by them or not; however, my question is will this firmware work on older MacBook Pro models, specifically a 17" Santa Rosa (late 2007)? Obviously you have to have a drive compatible; mine of choice was this one:

Seagate Momentus 7200.3 (Model #ST9320421AS)
7200-RPM
SATA 3Gb/s NCQ interface
16-MB cache
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Seagate/ST9320421AS/

Has anyone tested this on there old MBPs?

Thanks in advance.

ratGT (not verified) | June 23, 2009 - 3:52am

Now, let's all hope they release some kind of optional firmware that gives you the choice to switch your SD slot into Express Card slot! xD ;)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | June 23, 2009 - 8:53am

"If by small number, they mean every single new MacBook Pro customer, perhaps. "

Uhm... no. Not by a long shot. The number of people using SATA 3 SSD drives in a MBP is really low. Most MBP owners were not even aware of the issue, let alone reporting it.

Tom (not verified) | June 23, 2009 - 9:05am

Really, I do. I think probably 99% of people pick a computer based on the software they want to run and subsequently have nothing whatsoever to do with the internals. The percentage of all users who are upgrading to SSD is minimal outside of tech-obsessed circles, and I doubt too many other people are bothered if an internal connector is engineered in such a way that it exceeds the needs of the component it is connected to but doesn't meet some other standard.

Kudos to Apple for listening to their customers, though.