Comments on: Forgot Your Firmware Update? No Problem

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:44:06 +0000

Help
I was installing and update of firmware on my macbook and the screen went black and now there’s a whirring sound, hours later nothing has changed (I have tried all the rebooting techniques). When I turn the machine on it’s a black screen with a continued whirring.I spent an hour with the apple people on line and they told me to take the machine to an apple specialist. Can you help? I’m desperate. THANKS

By: Robinkerr

Robinkerr — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 11:30:00 +0000

H
yes had the same black screen after OS 10 install, tried above but it was booting on OS 10 , could tell because of time to boot up ,still had blank screen.
I tried boot up with apple key down plus c and t together this produced green screen and start up still green, from this was able to select start up disk OS 9 this booted up with orange screen, firmware was installed and after restart screen was back to normal.Just got to replace battery and things should be ok.

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 08:28:42 +0000

I have 3x 350mhz imacs. What happens when I have a clean Hard Drive with no OS in stalled? I try run the 10.3 or 10.4 install CD’s (No DVD) and they need the firmware update? I dont have and cant go back to )S9.x to update?

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 00:03:44 +0000

At the “ok” prompt, type “boot-mac” to get the system to load the OS.

By: Bob Furlong

Bob Furlong — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 17:35:53 +0000

I have a g3– 333 and tried to update to 10.2 from 9.2.2 and I got the white screen with:

Apple iMac Open Firmware 3.0 f3 built on 7/16/99
copyright , etc.
All rights reserved
ok
o >_

I have triesd the “boot” approach on the keyboard and nothing happens.
I have also tried the:
reset-nvram (return)
reset-all (return)

WIth the same result…nada happens
Any more ideas????

By: crapday

crapday — Sat, 25 Feb 2006 16:59:41 +0000

found that out by accident last week. great to let other users know. cheers.

crapday.

By: Chris Lawson

Chris Lawson — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 19:11:20 +0000

Wes,

Not sure why you had to erase Mac OS 9.2.x, but you should be sure to apply any firmware updates. If you still get the Open Firmware screen on boot after applying them and installing the new OS, type the following:

reset-nvram (then press return)
reset-all (then press return; the Mac will reboot)

That should clear up the problem.

By: Wes DeSelms

Wes DeSelms — Sat, 11 Feb 2006 19:05:11 +0000

I bought an iMac G3 with 9.2 installed on it.A friend had X.2 I wanted to install.To do so I had to erase 9.2 from my computer.Whan I restarted the iMac I got a white screen
with DAS like type.With the help of the enternet I found out all I needed to do was type the word “boot” and O.S.X would start-up.My question is If I install a Firmware
Updater, will it fix the problem and just go ahead and start-up O.S.X? Will I have to erase O.S.X to do so and reinstall the discs?

By: James Sparkes

James Sparkes — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 06:19:45 +0000

You mention that OS9 doesn’t care what firmware version is installed but that is the problem I am having. My old iMac is (was as I initialised the HD) running 8.6 and I want to put 9.2 on it. It is too old for any version of X. I have tried every firmware update I can find on the net with no success. Any ideas?
Kind regards,

James Sparkes.

By: Andy Seligman

Andy Seligman — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 23:54:18 +0000

Brilliant! I struggled with this for hours last year and finally discarded the motherboard. Then I did it again today, and fixed it by following your clear instructions. Thanks!

Andy Seligman
Durham Public Schools, NC

By: bbyrne1

bbyrne1 — Fri, 25 Feb 2005 00:55:24 +0000

I actually had that very problem effect my old 333 iMac about 3 days before i got my new computer, and didnt bother with fixing it because of all the work involved. Good to know, thanks!