MacBook Firmware Update Kills My Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
I only have my MacBook checking for updates weekly, I don’t like to introduce changes more often. This lets me control when the update is applied, and makes sure I can do so when I have time to deal with any issues that such changes introduce. Like last night.
Yesterday afternoon the MacBook informed me of a firmware update that was ready to apply. I admit I didn’t pay much attention to the changes the update was making; I have come to believe that firmware updates are important for notebooks and should be applied when available. I duly fired up the update process and it went without a hitch. This is one area I believe that Apple does a good job — potentially dicey updates such as firmware updates generally work properly.
The update applied properly and I headed out the door for a holiday party. I returned late in the evening and decided to check things and I opened up the MacBook lid. The system resumed as always but with a little problem. Actually, it was two rather large problems — the MacBook did not report any Bluetooth connections and I couldn’t connect to my home Wi-Fi network.
The Bluetooth problem was insidious; the reason no peripherals were detected was due to the system’s not recognizing the presence of any Bluetooth hardware. The Bluetooth icon in the system bar indicated that “no hardware detected” was the culprit. No matter what I did, including a couple of reboots, would the system acknowledge the presence of Bluetooth hardware. This was disturbing, and obviously a result of the firmware update just applied.
I couldn’t research the problem online as the MacBook would not log onto my home network, no matter what I did. It could see the network, but would not connect to it. I tried inputting the encryption key again but no dice. Things were not looking good at this point.
I stepped back and realized that the first step to figuring out the problem was to get online to research the problem. I fired up the trusty MiFi and was online in less than a minute. I Googled the Bluetooth problem and got a hit that looked like just what I needed. I hit the link and was surprised not only to find that it led to an article here on jkOnTheRun but to one that I had written a year ago!
It became clear why this Bluetooth problem was nagging at the edge of my recollection, I had seen a similar problem before. That one was the result of an OS X update, and it didn’t affect the Wi-Fi connectivity, but it killed the Bluetooth, too. I followed the instructions in my own solution:
- Shut down the computer.
- Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4.
- Turn on the computer.
- Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
- Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time.
- Release the keys.
This resets the PRAM/ NVRAM in the MacBook and sure enough it worked! My Bluetooth was back after the reboot and I was able to connect to my home network first try. Apparently the firmware update had whacked the PRAM/ NVRAM and the reset caused it to get back to normal. I must say that while I am not happy the update caused this problem, I am impressed with OS X and the ability it provides to recover from a nasty problem like this.
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But isn’t the point of paying alot more for Apple products is that they supposedly run so much better than other machines out there? Without such glitches you’ve encountered? I guess chalk it up to Apple hype.
sounds like basically the same as a bios reset to me, no nothing magically apple there…
Also a good reminder to make sure you have a full Time Machine backup before doing any updates like these.
Yeah, I call BS on this one James… I mean, seriously, Macs *never* have problems!!!! lol
Seriously though, I have found that most vendors are doing a better job of making firmware updates easier and more dependable. I remember the days where BIOS updates were necessary but “cautionary” because you’d be afraid of them bricking your device.
Have you noticed how much glee and spiteful delight non-Apple users take in any sign that Apple products aren’t perfect?
The only thing sadder than a fanboy is a hater-at least a fanboy does so out of love and enthusiasm for a product, whether its a Mac, an Xbox, or a Nokia–but a hater is just a hater.
Consumers just get ticked off about broad bold statements that aren’t entirely true. Mac it just works and AT&T best 3g experience just to name two. If you make such statements then don’t be surprised when people blow it out of proportion when things go awry.
Yup, hate the hype and the hyper. It’s like this series of commercials this one computer company made, where this guy played by John Hodgman as one kind of computer, and Justin Long as this other kind of computer, and Justin just makes fun about John. The Justin character must hate the John character.
But a fanboy is still sad.
Personally, I got tired of the whole “It just works” thing when it didn’t just work. In fact, my shiny new iMac was a real disappointment. Even with Snow Leopard it was slow compared to a 2 year old PC running Windows 7, less stable, Bluetooth worked when it felt like it after repeated PRAM resets and, compared to the Macbook Pro and with a more capable video card, it was less capable because of that crappy external monitor connector. $2500 for something I used about three months before shelving it for a $1000 PC that runs circles around it. That’s not hating, that’s disgust.
Interesting. Snow Leopard broke my WiFi at home and last week’s update fixed. So I guess I had the opposite experience :)
I recently had a full BIOS flash on my Toshiba Qosmio notebook done right through Windows care of my Toshiba Update software. Maybe 2-3 clicks in total; download, install, reboot and I was back in business within 5 minutes. It was one of the most straightforward processes I’ve ever done.
Hi all,
Like most of the time people think their product ar the best and is logic. But what NON-Apple hate Apple is the fact that its “Is workig fine, never reboot…blabla blabla”. Something is true but most people using Apple except geek, are using as well as low use instead of PC that people installing lot of progs…I know some friends which i told not to install anything but just what they need and their PC Windows working as well and never get broke.
he difference ? When my friend had a Power problem on his MAC, it was asking 900€ from the apple store just for a at the end the replacement of the power supply found on Internt for 50€.
That’s why Apple win a lot of many and, i’m ok to say people and companies must win money but a that scale …