Apple Hardware Firmware Updates

You must update to Mac OS 9.1 first. Generally, the updates include improvements to Firewire target disk mode, network booting, gigabit networking (on systems with gigabit hardware), and system stability. This update also adds support for additional security options which allow the Open Firmware to be password protected.

PowerBooks 2000 (FW) and G4 v4.1.8

Power Mac G4s (w/AGP slot--NOT the Cube) v4.1.8

iBooks v4.1.7

iMacs (w/slot loading CD drive) v4.1.7

G4 Cube v4.1.8

We updated our PowerBook 2000, iMac 350 SL, iMac DV SE, iBook (FW) and Power Mac G4 533 DP without incident. [Dana Baggett]

[Update #3 -- 3/24 9am] Warning! We had odd pauses and latencies in some Finder actions related to screen redraws with our PowerBook 2000 (FW) after updating the firmware. Resetting the PRAM, rebuilding the desktop and a clean install of Mac OS 9.1 did not eliminate the problem. It turns out either that our PowerBook no longer recognizes the 256 MB upper RAM module or that the RAM module has gone bad concurrently with the firmware installation. However, bad RAM will usually prevent a starup or cause system errors. We are continuing to pursue this problem with Apple Technical Support. None of the other computers exhibited this problem.

We have received one other report of this problem but with an iMac. From Brian Bajenbruch, "...I just installed the iMac firmware update 4.1.7, and it killed the extra RAM that I had installed a few months ago. Now the computer will only boot up if the original factory RAM is installed; anything else, and it just beeps."