“Apple Computer Inc. quietly issued a firmware update Tuesday for its Intel-based systems that users said fixed overheating problems in the MacBook Pro notebook, which has been plagued with heat and noise issues since it was introduced in February,” Gregg Keizer reports for TechWeb. “The firmware fix — available directly from Apple’s download site or retrieved automatically via Mac OS X’s Software Update mechanism — was released without fanfare and with virtually no details. The update’s explanatory page, for instance, neglects to actually say what the update does or is supposed to fix. That left Mac users guessing. The title of one thread on Apple’s own support forums told the tale: ‘What the **** is this new SMC Firmware update for MBP?'”
“Although Apple said that the update was to “System Management Control (SMC)” firmware, it was up to MacBook Pro (MBP) users to figure out that SMC is the specialized controller that manages thermal and power conditions, and is in charge of running the portable’s fans,” Keizer reports. “Within hours of the update, users began reporting that the update seemed to increase the MacBook Pro’s use of its fans, and using diagnostic tools, claimed that their machines were running up to eight degrees cooler… Other MacBook Pro complaints — that the portable makes an irritating whining sound, which in some cases is joined by a mysterious “mooing” noise — have or haven’t been fixed by the update, depending on which forum thread one reads.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “LinuxGuy” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Note: We tried to apply the MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update to a recently-shipped 17-inch MacBook Pro unit (arrived May 10th) and a dialog box told us the firmware update was not necessary for our MBP. We have had no overheating or whine or any other issues with this new 17-inch MBP – except that it routinely causes people’s eyes to bug out when unveiled in public.
[UPDATE: 9:09am EDT: Our 17-inch MBP runs all day (and night). While it does get warm at times, it doesn’t come anywhere near the realm of causing a burn or pain.]
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