Software Update asking me to update Macbook Pro EFI Firmware ?!?!

[Gurruwiwi]

Hey!

Must be doing something right! :) Just audio away complete SL install.

I edited the smbios.plist to mimic a Macbook Pro 5,1 since I've got a very close match, and system profiler reads correct Ram and CPU (although says CPU unknown... help welcome!!)

Copied all entries from the web from a real MBP...

Check out the pic.

What up with that ? :cool:


.

[x986123]

It wont work, You dont have an EFI chip. Even if you do it, it wont install, since it has no instructions where it is on your *Hacbook pro*

[Gurruwiwi]

I know that :)

I'm just saying, Snow at first was very tough to tame, but it sure looks like many are heading to rock solid setups, and with this info, more heavy duty apps will be able to correctly register HW info and work accordingly. I think this is the first time I've seen proof of really tricking Apple for myself :p

Also, it does help to tune up your system. I decided to post because I've been trying all summer and I'd never come across editing smbios.plist inside of Extra folder.

I may be a reason a a KP or two also.

[beto2k7]

Can you post ur smbios.plist please?

[Gurruwiwi]

Sure thing, as sson as I get home.

[beto2k7]

Sure thing, as sson as I get home.

Thanks man, also if its not too much of a hassle the list of kext in ur /Extra/Extensions folder?

[beto2k7]

Dude can i ask u again for ur smbios.plist? heh

[Cee]

or could post how exactly you achieved this? i.e how to edit smbios and put it to extra folder etc.
would be soo nice

[Gurruwiwi]

I can post my smbios.plist, but I achieved this by "cloning" from a real macbook pro with spec similar to mine.

All you have to do is introduce model, a serial number, ram and cpu speeds etc.

It just a more extended smbios edit, not just ram and cpu from just

Like this, in my case.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>SMbiosvendor</key>
<string>Apple Inc.</string>
<key>SMbiosversion</key>
<string>MBP51.88Z.5671.B99.0867221733</string>
<key>SMboardmanufacturer</key>
<string>Apple Inc.</string>
<key>SMboardproduct</key>
<string>MacBookPro5,1</string>
<key>SMfamily</key>
<string>MacBookPro5,1</string>
<key>SMmanufacturer</key>
<string>Apple Inc.</string>
<key>SMproductname</key>
<string>MacBookPro5,1</string>
<key>SMserial</key>
<string>W834765J1GA</string>
<key>SMsystemversion</key>
<string>1.0</string>
<key>SMUUID</key>
<string>689999DA-601B-3012-B030-681A6090B999</string>
<key>SMmemtype</key>
<string>24</string>
<key>SMmemspeed</key>
<string>1066</string>
<key>SMmemmanufacter</key>
<string>Corsair</string>
<key>SMmemserial</key>
<string>100000000</string>
<key>SMmempart</key>
<string>1</string>
<!--
<key>SMexternalclock</key>
<string>1066</string>
<key>SMmaximalclock</key>
<string>4264</string>

-->
</dict>
</plist>

[xXrkidXx]

u did a retail install right? maybe you have the MacBook Pro EFI firmware...
just a guess, i dont deal with hacbooks, just HacPro's

[Gurruwiwi]

I got build 10a432 from a green demon a couple of days before the weekend prior to... September 1st :p

But if that is correct, it should contain EFI firmware for all apple line, and if so, SL send correct info to Soft.Update. It does specifically say MBP 5,1

[xXrkidXx]

lmao thats awesome!

[Gurruwiwi]

I cant remember where, I read that many higher end apps can use this to better adapt processing to the type of machine you use... So I am quite happy about this too! I really cannot say if this is or not a big deal, but I suspect it is. I've don't remember ever seeing this happen... Maybe because its not a big deal after all ? ... anyway, I think its cool.

My question though is, in theory, what might happen if I inadvertently were to do it? :D

I know what some of you are thinking, quite in a devlish way....

doooooo it....


dooooooooooooo it.....


:p

[xXrkidXx]

set up time machine, and you better go for it! lol

[Gurruwiwi]

What !? Are you nuts !? Lool...

I have no idea of the possible consequences... YOU DO IT MAN !! hahah

Anyways, I'm usic Carbon Copy Cloner, which has resored my SL instal about 5 times already, flawlessly. Just have to format, Chameleonize it, delete boot and Extra folder, restore image, re-enter UUID's and presto.

Restoring 10,5GB takes 7m30s to an e-sata port

[xXrkidXx]

then defenitly go for it lol,
also little side note, im accually considering buying an Acer 6939g JUST because of your perfect guide! if you could make the AirPort section a little more descriptive it would help TONS! lol

[Gurruwiwi]

Thanks...!!

What do you mean more descriptive? As in.. video instead of pictures !?!? :) loool

I really do recommend this machine. Its EXTREMELY weel built, although I'd wish for a quiter keyboard. They really have redeemed themselves from years of garbage (yet highly affordable) hardware. And this one was sooooo cheap... GTA4 near all high settings, hours of play, no stutters (deleted pagefile), 28 fps constant give or take 2, without OC and temperatures never rise above 68 (gpu).

Anyways, reading through this actually make me want to try .... :cool:

http://apple2pc.blogspot.com/2008/02/check-if-you-have-efi-installed-how-to.html

I'd just like to have someone come in from the community that has knowledge on the issue...

http://apple2pc.blogspot.com/2008/02/check-if-you-have-efi-installed-how-to.html

EDIT:

in terminal, the following command I got from the link

sudo ioreg -l -w0 -p IODeviceTree | grep efi

brings up

To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.

Password:
+-o efi <class IOService, id 0x100000101, !registered, !matched, active, busy 0, retain 7>
| | "name" = <"efi">
BB's-MacBook-Pro:~

Anyone know how to interpret this? (sounds good... active, matched ... )

You try the command see what it says... maybe I'm just making a complete fool of myself.... ?

EDIT:

CONFIRMED ! I am a fool. Perfectly normal and means nothing at all (the terminal response) - Anyone else get this update from soft. update?

[DocShadow]

No ... I only get a request to update 'Remote Desktop Client'.

My model is identified as "MacPro4,1".

[beto2k7]

then u wont get it that EFI update is for MBP5,1 (MID 2009 15")

[beto2k7]

I didn't get the EFI update because my model identifier is MacBookPro4,1 I guess. But as soon as I copied the smbios.plist to my /Extra folder I got an update based on my "hardware". I didnt have that update before the smbios.plist. So yeah it has something to do.

[Gurruwiwi]

Great !!

Now I'd like to know how to make system profiler find my CPU info, it read speed right, but says only 2,4 Ghz Unknow. It does see the two cores (C2D)... but I'd like to confirm also Ram speeds etc.

Anyone know how to do this ?

[Gurruwiwi]

I just found out that my laptop uses H2O UEFI.

UEFI emulates old BIOS... I found this info about it, and the webpage for the UEFI development I think...

Anyone care to comment on what this is? Because I read that most manufacturers are going to adopt this thing big time (not from the quote below) - I had no idea I used it. My BIOS seems just like any other

http://www.uefi.org/home

nabling Intel VT on the Aspire 8930G (and other InsydeH2O-based laptops)
It seems the ongoing trend for laptops is to integrate and hide as much as possible from the user. We’re all used to minimalistic crappy BIOS setups with two or three configuration options. However, things go way too far when OEMs remove options related to features that the hardware is capable of but which are disabled by default. This happens with Intel VT on many laptops – even if the CPU supports it, you may not be able to find the BIOS setup option to turn it on.

I certainly wanted to use a feature that I paid for, so I started investigating the BIOS and here’s what I found out.

Under the hood
The InsydeH2O BIOS is no ordinary old-style BIOS. Instead, it’s based around the UEFI platform. This goes way beyond the old BIOS paradigm and turns system firmware into practically its own separate OS, that even runs in full 64-bit mode on 64-bit machines. Unfortunately, they make no effort to expose any of this to the user. The firmware has support for booting EFI executables, there’s an EFI shell, there’s an EFI boot manager… but I haven’t been able to figure out how to access any of this.

If you want to reverse engineer EFI stuff, downloading TianoCore’s EDK2 is a must. It contains source code for a lot of Intel’s framework, which is what most vendors use as a base for their EFI support. A lot of the code is exactly the same as what’s in the Insyde BIOS (read the spec here).




Am I wrong, or can this be another loophole for even better hack support?

[Gurruwiwi]

Bump for "fishing for the pro's to get an answer"... :p