SuperDrive Firmware Update 2.1 (#2): Successes, failures, repeating dialog

[Posted Friday, June 29th]

Yesterday we reported the release of SuperDrive Firmware Update 2.1 for MacBooks and MacBook Pros (or is it ?MacBooks Pro??).

Reader jonrichardson immediately posted a comment that a CD he?d been having trouble playing on his MacBook Pro now played ?without stutters or freezes?. And one happy user over on Apple?s discussion lists says:

My Macbook with MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857D can now read all our old DVD R disks?

So it appears that Apple?s claim that this update ?improves readability of certain CD media? may indeed be warranted.

Firmware upgrades, however, are a tricky business. You are effectively installing new functionality into a hardware device (like NASA transmitting new instructions to the Mars Global Surveyor). If there?s a glitch ? a mistake in the instructions, or an interruption in the process ? you may find your hardware non-functional (like NASA transmitting new instructions to the Mars Global Surveyor!).

Take special care to avoid interruptions. You may not even be aware that the update is underway. That?s what happened to one of our readers:

If you use Software Update and there are other updates besides the Superdrive update then the other installer(s) will block the alert from the Superdrive firmware update that warns not to shut down the computer until the update is completed. Because the alert was blocked and I assumed the firmware updater was simply installed on my computer (not actually running) I clicked on the Restart button. When the installer closed up popped the firmware updater?s alert. The update was already running! The computer however was shutting down and I could not stop it. The end result is I now have a completely non-functioning Superdrive.

Over on the Apple Discussions list, some users are complaining that the update made things worse. One user reports that he can no longer read his own burned CDs if they are of one specific brand. Others say that the drive will no longer accept disks at all. The last thing you want to do is to disable your internal optical drive, since this may leave you with no way to run your system installer disks in case you need to reinstall the system. To guard against this, we suggest you make a disk image copy of your system installer disk before performing this firmware update. You can use the disk image copy later, if necessary, to create a new system installer that operates from an external hard drive.

Some users who found their optical drive?s functionality reduced after the firmware update discovered that they could restore it by reinstalling the system or the most recent system update.

A number of readers are also reporting a repeated failure of the firmware installer to find an updateable drive:

Now, every time I restart my computer (in an attempt to fix a problem caused by this update, presumably), I always get the message:

No Updatable Devices Found
No devices were found that require this firmware update.

When I tried to remove the file from the Utilities folder, I was told that I did not have the authority to remove the file.

If you experience this difficulty, look in your Accounts pane in System Preferences and see if the updater application has listed itself among your Login Items. If so, just remove it.

It appears that after the firmware update, the optical drive?s firmware version will be listed (in System Profiler) as HBEA if your drive is a MATSHITA DVD-R UJ-857. Apple does not make it clear what other models of optical drive, if any, require the update.

So, to sum up:

• Do not run this firmware update in conjunction with any other updates.

• Consider making a disk image copy of your system installer disk before doing anything else.

• Note your drive?s model and firmware version before and after the update (in System Profiler).

• Download the standalone updater. Restart the computer, quit all running applications, make sure the computer is powered from the mains, and install the updater.

• If the ?No devices? alert appears after a restart, remove the updater application from your Login Items.

Above all, Don?t Panic! Remember, what you?re updating is a physical device. If you?re having trouble with it, there might just be dust in it. One of those inexpensive CD reader head cleaners could be helpful. One user over on Apple?s discussion boards wrote:

I just upgraded the superdrive firmware (don?t remember the release) and the macbook no longer boots up. The screen is completely dark and does not react although I removed the batery and power cord

[Later:] ? After trying almost everything I disconnected the power cord and the battery, went out to smell some fresh air and when I returned, it was working!!!

Smell some fresh air. Now there?s a seriously good idea.

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