EFI-Update MBP Late 2008

Hi everybody,
I'm experiencing problems with the EFI-Update for MBP, late 2008. It does not work at all, I've retried this several times and my Laptop just gets a grey Background, the bar at the top stays, I can move the mouse and click on the "apple" - but that's it.
To get my Laptop back to life I had to hold the powerbutton and restart. The same happens now when I just want to shutdown my Laptop, grey background etc.
Does anybody else experience the same? How will this be fixed?
Thanks,
Wayne

Ok.. I figured it out! Last night I made many discoveries about my MacBook pro 15" late 2008 model. First off I thought the sucker died with the 3 bad tone beeps. However this turned out to be a bad memory dimm (modual) which I learned on another thread. By proccess of elmination I figured out which dim this was. So this more than likley than anything else has to do with my Kernel panics in the past (Not Lion and Not EFI).
Secondly I looked around more threads because I was supiscous the EFi update was failing because I had my setup with a Master Boot Record partitioning scheme. As it turns out the EFI updates can only be applied if you have a GPT partitioning scheme. Therefore I had to erase / format and lose my Windows partition just for an update (This is not ideal at all).
So first I backed up to TimeMachine then I erased and then reloaded LION on the newley formated GPT drive via TimeMachine. Once back up I applied the EFI 2.8 Firmware update and it installed perfectly.
This definatley needs to be documented better than having to search discussions thread. Secondly the only reason I was using MBR in the first place was because it was difficult to setup the Windows 7 install on the GPT partition. One Windows 7 doesnt like and 2 Mac OSX with disk util can easily mess it up. If you make any change renaming drives... anything in Windows 7 on in Computer Management / Disk management you will hose your Windows machine. This is because the pointer to the Windows 7 OS gets lost in the GPT as it gets modified incorrectly.
So in my mind Apple is poorly supporting dual booting (Boot Camp). This is unsat as it was originally heavily advertised with bootcamp.
Oh well I guess I will hit virtual box and get more memory via this new EFI update.

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MBP Late 2008 Hard Drive Questions

Hi,
I have used PC most of my life and have used Mac OS when related to graphics and video, i find both to have their own benefits. I finally bought my first mac, it got delivered yesterday, the macbook pro late 2008, i got it on a good sale which however limited me to get the 320GB 5400rpm model, and i actually was aiming to get 320GB 7200rpm model. Now that i have this laptop, i wanted to install a new 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive since this laptop model allows you to do that yourself without voiding the warranty. In order to do so, i got this and plan to use my current 5400 rpm drive as a USB:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Hitachi/DIY0A57547F8/
first of all, as someone new to mac, and even though i have been super impressed by the quality of this product, my first disappointment is the fact that apple offers you to easily replace the hard disk in the mbp but does not sell the hard disk at the apple store or on phone, or allow you to bring the laptop in for HD replacement, and expects you to fill this nice beautiful laptop with third party products, (i wanted a hard disk with the an apple sticker on it just like my current one has - i know its a Hitachi... but apple has the thick black apple sticker on it!! ), i was on phone with apple for 30 mins and they eventually couldn't sell it to me after being confused about it, all they could offer me was a replacement laptop with a 10% restocking fee charge (approx $250). i contacted a mac authorized service center and they quoted me "$332" for that hard disk from apple (Hitachi 7k320), its at $95 (and a -$20 rebate) at buy.com - without the apple sticker, same model.
now that disappointment aside, i am still optimistic with my choice and have the following questions, please correct me if any of my understanding anywhere in this post is incorrect:
1. when i install my new hard disk, what type of disk formatting should i use? - i want to be able to boot from windows xp x64 professional, i will be using it almost as much as i will use mac osx (for graphics n video), since i want to be able to run some particular PC applications on full speed that i constantly use and also play some PC games (i know many people here may argue that i dont need windows at all, however i assure you i have some good necessity for it ). Will the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) formatting allow me to boot from xp later? any tips related to this area?
2. There are 2 ways to install my new hard disk.
Route 1: http://eshop.macsales.com/techcenter/techtips/sparedrive.cfm
Route 2 (considering since my mbp is new and fresh out of the box 1 day ago): http://eshop.macsales.com/techcenter/index.cfm?page=/manuals/mac/clondata.html
which one would you recommend?
3. Once i have the hitachi 7k320 installed, and the 5400rpm that came with the product removed, should i expect any different or limited service/warranty from apple care? if anything ever goes wrong in the mbp (except the hard disk), i can send it to apple with the replaced hard disk in it and it will all be acceptable and OK, right?
4. Has anyone here installed a Hitachi 7k320 drive in a MBP Late 2008? if yes, were there any sort of noise/vibration issues after installation?
5. What brand would you prefer for an internal drive for the MBP Late 2008? it originally comes with a Hitachi.

1. Prep the new drive as follows:
Extended Hard Drive Preparation
1. Boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Installer menu (Utilities menu for Tiger or Leopard.)
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one (1.) Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
7. After formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Complete your OS X installation. You can restore other pre-bundled software using the Install Pre-bundled Software installer that is on the OS X Installer Disc One.
In order to install Windows you will need to use Boot Camp Assistant in the Utilities folder to create the Windows partition on your hard drive and assist with the installation. You can install the 32-bit version of XP w/SP2 or SP3 or Vista 32-bit or 64-bit. Windows drivers are included on your OS X Installer Disc One and should be installed after you boot into Windows.
If you must use the 64-bit version of XP you cannot use Boot Camp, but you could use VM software such as Parallels or VM Fusion. See the following:
Windows on Intel Macs
There are presently several alternatives for running Windows on Intel Macs.
1. Install the Apple Boot Camp software. Purchase Windows XP w/Service Pak 2 or Vista. Follow instructions in the Boot Camp documentation on installation of Boot Camp, creating Driver CD, and installing Windows. Boot Camp enables you to boot the computer into OS X or Windows.
2. Parallels Desktop for Mac and Windows XP, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. Parallels is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
3. VM Fusionand Windows XP, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. VM Fusion is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
4. CrossOver which enables running many Windows applications without having to install Windows. The Windows applications can run concurrently with OS X.
5. VirtualBox is a new Open Source freeware virtual machine such as VM Fusion and Parallels that was developed by Solaris. It is not yet fully developed for the Mac - some features are not yet implemented - but it does work otherwise.
6. Last is Q. Q is a freeware emulator that is compatible with Intel Macs. It is much slower than the virtualization software, Parallels and VM Fusion.
Note that Parallels and VM Fusion can also run other operating systems such as Linux, Unix, OS/2, Solaris, etc. There are performance differences between dual-boot systems and virtualization. The latter tend to be a little slower (not much) and do not provide the video performance of the dual-boot system.
See MacTech.com's Virtualization Benchmarking for comparisons of Boot Camp, Parallels, and VM Fusion.
Boot Camp is only available with Leopard. The Boot Camp Beta that was used with Tiger has expired and is no longer available for use. So contrary to the other poster's comment, Boot Camp isn't truly "free." You must purchase Leopard to get it.
As for warranty if you read yours you will find the caveat that if you perform a DIY replacement your warranty is not affected unless you cause consequential damage in which case the warranty will not cover that damage.
I have installed several Hitachi drives in my laptops, but not the current model. I've no complaints.

A word of caution when closing lid of MBP (late 2008) and placing in bag

Over the years, all the previous Mac Books I've owned went to sleep almost immediately I closed the lid. With the Unibody MBP late 2008,I thought this was no different. Until one day I arrived back home, unzipped the bag to find both fans going full tilt and a MBP very hot under the collar! It appears that the fans will continue to run until the temperature has dropped to an acceptable level even though the lid is closed and the display is off.
The moral of this ramble is to wait until the light on the front starts to pulse before placing your MBP in bag. Thankfully there was no visible damage to the MBP, but, if it had been left any longer, could have ended up with a cracked display or worse, a battery fire!

janesdroid wrote:
Over the years, all the previous Mac Books I've owned went to sleep almost immediately I closed the lid.
Safe Sleep is the process of writing the RAM contents to the hard disk, which occurs after you close the lid and before the light starts to pulse. It's actually been a feature of Mac portables since the PowerBook G4 (Double-Layer SD), in late 2005. All MacBooks, MBPs, and MBAirs have had it since day 1. That's what you're interrupting when you move the computer before the light starts to pulse, which can cause an unexpected subsequent wake up.
Apple warns against moving a portable computer before the light begins pulsing:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TA25026
Note that the more RAM you have, the longer the process takes.

Black Screen on install of Windows 7 32 or 64bit on MBP Late 2008

I have an issue installing Windows 7 32/64bit on my late 2008 MBP from a fresh Lion 10.7.1 install. Boot Camp creates a partition just fine, recognizes the Windows install disc and restarts bongs grey screen then only displays a black screen. No cursor, nothing... but if I hit esc twice the machine restarts. I have tried removing and re-creating the partition, resetting pram and repair permissions.
Any suggestions? Is this a widespread issue?
Thanks in advance.
Processor 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
Graphics NVIDIA GeForce 9400M 256 MB
Software Mac OS X Lion 10.7.1 (11B26)

I am having the exact same problem. I have late 2009 MBP with Lion 10.7.1. My harddrive has a partition and everything has been smooth. When I start the installation process, the "mac sound" starts and the screen is grey. It then turns to a black screen with an underscore in the top-left corner, then just remains blank.
We need help!

Graphics problem with mbp late 2008,nvidia geforce 8600m gt.any help?

Hi,have graphics problems with my MacBook Pro 17" Late 2008.Every 3-4 days the graphics are not ok and when i want to restart there is only the apple logo but not clear and the cursor seems to be double.Sory my english is not the best.Any help for this Problem?

Get your computer to an Apple Store Genius Bar ASAP to be tested for the problem described in this article:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377

Using MBP Late 2011 old RAM on MBP Late 2008

Hello,
I have two MacBook Pro, one Late 2008 (Model 5,1) and one Late 2011 (Model 8,2).
I know that the 5,1 can run up to 2x4GB 1066 RAM, but I'm wondering if i can use the 2x4GB 1333 RAM that came with my Built-to-order 8,2.
So, will the 5,1 force the 1333 DIMM to run as 1066? Or it's just not possible?
Also, if it is possible, will the 5,1 be under any restriction (such as running only OS X 10.6.6 or later, or something like that)?
Thank you!

You have to use DDR3 1066 DIMMs.

Can I upgrade any one of the 2 GPUs on MBP, late 2008 model?

Hello Gurus,
I have a Macbook Pro, late 2008 model, with dual GPUs.
I was just wondering if there was a way to upgrade any one of the 2 GPUs? Or are the both soldered to the motherboard?
I tried to search on the Internet and the Apple communities but could not find anything addressing this specific question.
Thanks for your replies in advance!

Both soldered onto the logic board.
Sorry.

ISight built in MBP late 2008 fail

The in built iSight in my MBP has stopped working.
I did the trouble shooting stuff;
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2090
reset the SMC;
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1543?viewlocale=en_US
camera worked for about 5 minutes and failed again; I see that the system profiler doesn't recognise any camera.
There seems to be a correlation with installing 10.5.7, but I cannot be certain. The iSight was working all day Thursday 23 July for an online team meeting using Elluminate and later some Skype calls. The following weekend I updated the OS to 10.5.7. I did not try any webcam apps until 4 August, when the fault occurred during a Skype call. 5 or 10 minutes into the call I noticed my video had frozen.
Any advice greatly appreciated
Message was edited by: George Roberts1
< Edited by Host >

Hi George,
Not sure who Mark is but For the points
7:47 PM Tuesday; August 18, 2009
Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

Random screen flash- 15" MBP (late 2008)

Just purchased a new Macbook Pro in November 2008 (Aluminum) and have recently noticed a random screen flash on the native display. It happens at inexplicable times; 1) low CPU,Mem,Disk usage, low temp (under 130 degrees F), 2) High CPU/Mem usage and higher temps (134-140 degrees f). I run VMWare and it happens, I DON'T run VMWare and it happens. Its COMPLETELY random which makes it difficult to replicate when in front of a genius or anyone else. It will happen in groups of 2 or three flashes...then nothing for quite some time (just happened). I thought the 10.5.6 update would cure the issue, but it persists.
What makes this more bizarre is when I have an external monitor that runs at a higher res (1600 x 1280), the problem continues on my macbook, but not on the External monitor (dell).
I took it into the Apple store and they ran a full hardware diagnostic (took like 2 hours) with some sort of software or something, and came up with nothing and that my Macbook Pro hardware is fine. The Genius said it was a software problem...but, i disagree given that the "flash" doesn't happen on the external monitor- only on the native display. I'm fearful that this will become a bigger problem and leave me with no MacBook Pro when I need to work. I've searched and found more youtube videos showing this issue, than I've found any support related articles here or anywhere else for that matter.
So, I thought I'd put this one out there so someone can help. Come on Apple..i have spent almost 8k on your stuff and expect better quality and a much better response to problems. anyone having this same issue? I KNOW I'm not smoking anything and this is definitely not normal behavior.

Nice advice but no dice. That flash is very different from the one we're complaining about.
I watched my flashing last night and noticed that it was actually in random parts of the screen. It woudl be a black band in the middle of the screen, then and larger band at the top of the screen....i wasn't watching video, playing games or doing anything that was demanding on the system AT ALL...PLUS this only happens to the native screen no on my Dell External monitor...SOOO bizarre.

Vista SP1 Integrated install on new MBP (late 2008)?

I have never used Boot Camp before, but have found I still need Windows for a few programs.
I have a new MBP and wanted to confirm I can install from an integrated Vista Home Premium Sp1 32-bit disc. I read the Vista Sp1 DVD boots differently from a non-Sp1 Vista install DVD.
Do I have to find a Vista disc that does not have Service Pack 1 integrated?
Thanks for the help!

No... You should be just fine with Vista and SP1 on the same disc. I have installed Vista with and without SP1 with no problems. Its actually much easier to have the updates on the same disc.

Fan noise when tilting the MBP (Late 2008)

When I tilt my new MBP to the front or to the side (maybe 30 to 50°), it makes a louder noise than usual. Thus, this also occurs when I put the MBP on a notebook stand. I suppose, it comes from a fan. Another MBP I tried, did not make this noise.
When the notebook is just standing even on a table, I hear this buzzing sound we can read about in another thread. But really quiet. I have to put my ear quite close to the keyboard.
And I hear a quiet and deeper unbalanced sound. But this could also come from the hard drive.
Is the phenomenon I described a problem or could it turn into one? Might this noise (these noises) even get louder or might some part fail? Do some of you also hear this noise (these noises) on their MBP or MB?
As I feel that no device is abolutely perfect, I am a bit worried about getting the MBP exchanged. Everything else seems to be fine. None of the typical and widespread problems.
Is the mentioned phenomenon something I do not have to worry about too much and that can be repaired without any problems at a later date at a local store?
Thank you in advance!

Thank you for your answers!
Unfortunately we do not have the same service infrastructure in Germany as over here Apple distributes its products primarily through premium resellers. The original Apple stores are just starting in Europe. But the resellers have their own Apple certified service technicians. I hope the fan replacement really doesn't take longer than one workday.
Can each of the fans inside the MBP be replaced easily? Even the one on the graphic card? How many fans are in there?
Is it possible that this buzzing sound doeas not occur all the time?
This deeper unbalanced noise seems to come from another source. Somehow you could say it is a pulsation. Can you hear this noise as well?
Would you suggest me to get the MBP exchanged (maybe for a device with other problems) or repaired?

How can I add my MBP late 2008 to my support profile without purchase date?

Hello everyone, I found out that it is possible to add your Apple products to your support profile.
Unfortunately, after six years of use of my MBP I don't know the date of purchase anymore, which is necessary to add a MBP to your support profile.
Any suggestions?

Well, that profile is really only necessary if your product is still covered by a warranty. If it is out of warranty, there isn't a requirement and you would need to pay for any phone support or repair options, so personally I wouldn't bother any longer. As far as I know, there is no way around the purchase date - Apple expects you to register the product right at/after purchase and needs the date for the warranty coverage.

Battery Issues on MBP (Late 2008 - 13")

I'm fairly new to Macs, but ince day one, my Macbook Pro has been giving me problems. Its battery drains abnormally fast and its lower left corner becomes very hot.
In 30 minutes, around 20% of the battery zaps out for no apparent reason.
I read on this other website to check Activity Monitor for CPU-using programs and things, but it seems the only thing which takes up the most is the Activity Monitor itself.
On this other website, I was told to enter "ioreg -w0 -l | grep Capacity" (without quotes) into Terminal. I did, and I got this (without quotes again):
"ioreg -w0 -l | grep Capacity
Last login: Fri May 18 11:31:33 on console
Sarims-MacBook-Pro:~ sarimabbas$ ioreg -w0 -l | grep Capacity
    | |           "MaxCapacity" = 3047
    | |           "CurrentCapacity" = 232
    | |           "LegacyBatteryInfo" = {"Amperage"=18446744073709549981,"Flags"=4,"Capacity"=3047,"Current"=232,"Volta ge"=10923,"Cycle Count"=263}
    | |           "DesignCapacity" = 4100
Sarims-MacBook-Pro:~ sarimabbas$"
Is my current capacity value a cause for alarm? Does it show a problem with my battery? Is it a battery issue which is causing it to go away so fast?
I then ran coconutBattery, which is supposed to be some sort of tool to diagnose battery statistics and things. It, as opposed to Terminal, tells me that I have a 3047 mAh current capacity, with a 4100 mAh maximum capacity.
Whom am I supposed to believe? And even more pressing, what am I supposed to do about it? I really need to get some work done without having my laptop on the charger every hour or so.

Here's my battery information, as OGELTHORPE wanted:
Battery Information:
Model Information:
Serial Number:          6N838BNB13CB
Manufacturer:          SMP
Device Name:          bq20z951
Pack Lot Code:          0
PCB Lot Code:          0
Firmware Version:          002a
Hardware Revision:          000a
Cell Revision:          100
Charge Information:
Charge Remaining (mAh):          614
Fully Charged:          No
Charging:          No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh):          2724
Health Information:
Cycle Count:          264
Condition:          Service Battery
Battery Installed:          Yes
Amperage (mA):          -1885
Voltage (mV):          11037
To eww: You're right. How can I get a new battery? Does Apple still manufacture them for a laptop of this age?

Fine vertical lines on MBP 15" late 2008

Hi all,
I have an MBP late 2008 with some display issues. I've seen the 'striping' issue posts, and this one is a little different. It originated as fine veritcal grey lines, (i.e. every-other pixel column was grey). The issue spontaneously apears and only disappears after a reset, but sometimes the reset does not fix the problem. The computer software is up to date and it is running 10.5.8. I reset the NVRAM and the SMC and the grey lines turned black, so now it just looks like a low-res screen and is hard to read. Moving the display doesn't change the distortion. A screen shot transferred to another computer looks normal, so I'm guessing the logic board is OK. Any thoughts?

I have noted a link to the latest version for Windows XP.
http://support.apple.com/downloads/BootCamp___Windows_XP_Drivers_Update_21
Boot Camp 2.1 is the latest version. We are way past due for an update.

My Late 2008 Mac Pro won't update to Yosemite, even though it has the Mac OS X 10.6.8.

I'm trying to update my Late 2008 Mac Pro to Yosemite. I've checked for updates, and it says I don't need any. I'm running OS X 10.6.8. Any suggestions?

Use this display to get a summary of your Hardware, but do not post your serial number here.
 menu > About This Mac > ( More Info ) > Report > Hardware

EFI-Update MBP Late 2008

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