Filed under: Bluetooth, Software Update, Macbook Pro
Apple releases fixes for Bluetooth and MacBook Pro hard drives
Apple has just released two firmware updates, one fixing issues with Bluetooth and the the other fixing the MacBook Pro hard drive noise issue.The first, Bluetooth Firmware Update 2.0.1, fixes bugs and improves compatibility with the Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse and Apple Wireless Keyboard. It's available for all Macs with Broadcom Bluetooth chipsets, which include all unibody MacBooks and MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs, and all other Macs introduced in 2009.
The other one, Hard Drive Firmware Update 2.0, which has been promised by Apple for some time now, fixes the widely reported issue with hard drive noise. This issue only affects MacBook Pros with 7200 RPM hard drives introduced in June 2009 or later, so this update is only available for those Macs.
Both of these updates are available through Software Update, or they can also be downloaded on Apple's support downloads page.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ike said 6:29PM on 8-19-2009
I have an early 2009 17" MBP (with 7200RPM 320GB drive) and I've been having the occasional "extended beach ball with no hard drive activity" issue. I was relieved to see that Apple had acknowledged the issue but apparently my computer "does not need this update."
My hard drive doesn't spin down or click, it just seems to become unresponsive every once in a while, for 20-40 seconds at a time. I've seen other people complain about this, so where is the fix for the early 2009 MBP?
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L. E. P. said 6:30PM on 8-19-2009
This update seems to not work for me. I just correctly installed it by going to Utilities, and I was testing it using iPhoto, and it froze for a few dozen seconds.
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whynam said 6:55PM on 8-19-2009
I have a late 2008 non-unibody MBP which has the intermittent problem of random freezing wireless MM. But I cannot see the bluetooth update from my software update. It is weird as the patch is intended for all macs with the broadcom chips?
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whynam said 7:02PM on 8-19-2009
UPDATE: Although I did not see the bluetooth update from Software Update, I downloaded directly from Apple and installed just fine. It said Bluetooth firmware is up to date after the installation.
waiownsyou said 6:57PM on 8-19-2009
I have a 15" MBP with the $50 matte screen and 320gb 7200rpm I just got two days ago. I didn't get the update but I still get the beachball of death sometimes. I heard the HD thing was only for 500 7200 rpm peeps :/
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albi said 7:10PM on 8-19-2009
i was JUST having the bt issue with apple kb n mice, but i couldnt see the update. Do I have to have 10.5.8 first? because that's not going to happen.
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Joachim Bean said 8:55PM on 8-19-2009
You'll need 10.5.7 or later for this update.
Elad said 8:04PM on 8-19-2009
Odd, I'm currently on a 17" MBP that was BTO with a 500GB 7200 RPM harddrive purchased end of July 2009 and am experiencing the exact symptoms described here (both the beeping and the beachballs). However, Software Update doesn't show any updates, and when I manually downloaded the update and tried installing it, I only get "This computer does not need this update".
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jb510 said 9:21PM on 8-19-2009
I'm confused here too. I have an older 15" MBP (early 2008) in which I put a Western Digital 500GB 5400 rpm drive (Model 5000BEVT). That MBP beeps and stalls exactly as described. I downloaded the update directly (not SW update) and it too says "this computer does not need this update".
However, my newer (late 2008) MBP which I put a Seagate 500GB 7200rpm (Model ST9500420AS, which means NO G-Shock), and it works perfectly, not stalls or beeps.
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Jordan said 12:22AM on 8-20-2009
All of your issues could be solved by using Windows 7.
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Mikekchu said 2:19AM on 8-20-2009
I was getting the random feezing on my 13" MVP which wasn't hard drive related. 10.5.8 fixed that
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howiegroove said 10:14AM on 8-20-2009
I just got my MacBook Pro one week ago. I purchased the 7200 RPM 500 GB hard drive and there is no update for me as well. I get random spinning beach balls for no apparent reason what so ever. Does anyone know why this is?
When I got my Macbook Pro, I installed from my backed up iMac that got stolen. When I look at system profiler, it says the name of my laptop as "Howard's iMac". Anyone know how to change that around or if that might be the problem?
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david said 1:54PM on 8-20-2009
"Odd, I'm currently on a 17" MBP that was BTO with a 500GB 7200 RPM harddrive purchased end of July 2009 and am experiencing the exact symptoms described here (both the beeping and the beachballs). However, Software Update doesn't show any updates, and when I manually downloaded the update and tried installing it, I only get "This computer does not need this update"."
I just purchased one also(actually two), 17", matte screen, 4gb, 3.06 ghz, 500gb 7200rpm ;) and when i did software update, it showed the firmware 2.0 update but it wasnt checked...other updates were checked except hard drive firmware update.... didnt show the bluetooth update though... grrrr
eeeeeeeyeah, im going to run the update and take it there.
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Rob said 2:30PM on 8-20-2009
I was going to buy a MacBook Pro laptop (MBP). But with all the hardware related problems, I am going to wait until Apple releases the next gen MBP.
It looks like this gen is a real lemon...
IMHO, Apple better fix it soon or they will loose even more sales..
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