macbookpro 165Apple just released an update for the MacBook Pro 15-inch, late 2008 model. It requires Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.8, Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8, or OS X Lion 10.7.3.

About MacBook Pro EFI Firmware Update 2.8

This update is recommended for MacBook Pro (15-inch, late 2008) models. The update resolves a graphics issue that may cause the internal display to flicker.

Weighing in at 1.79MB, the update can be downloaded from Apple's software update page.

Top Rated Comments

claygreenberg Avatar
165 months ago
Finally!

This has been a known issue with hundreds upon hundreds of posts on Apple's support forums since the computer came out in 2008. I'm impressed it only took 3.5 years to release a fix. Let's hope it actually fixes it and doesn't create any new problems.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AriX Avatar
165 months ago
Good on Apple for targeting this for all of the recent OSs.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gmcalpin Avatar
165 months ago
So far so good! The flicker was annoying enough that I just set my computer to "higher performance" (the 9600M GT chip) and left it there forever. Not a single flicker since the update.

My workaround didn't bother me because most of what I do benefits from the extra graphics horsepower to some extent or another, but on those rare occasions that I can't be plugged in and just wanted to surf for the internet or write or whatever (like on an airplane), the loss of battery life and extra heat has been a pain in the… lap.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aniday Avatar
165 months ago
That loud beep that happens sometimes after an efi firmware updated scared the bejeezus out of me. I thought something awful happened. It's apparently normal. Never happened to me before, though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Elijahg Avatar
165 months ago
I have this problem too occasionally. Didn't think there's ever be an update to fix it, though.

What is with all these firmware updates coming out lately? We barely ever used to see firmware updates for devices past their warranty expiry, now there seems to be an update for every model made since '08! Perhaps Tim is authorising them whereas Steve wouldn't. :o
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mexikaner Avatar
164 months ago
Crazy!

I had just bought my Late 2008 MBP 15" a week ago and thought I had made a huge mistake as I had sold my 2010 MBP 13" which had been working flawlessly only for wanting something with a bigger screen was my reason for selling. I had only just recently found out about the flickering screen with 15" 9400 nvida cards. I was disappointed to say the least but, now it seems as God sent to get this firmware update within a matter of a week of owning this computer! I feel bad for the people that have waited almost 4 years to get this fixed and for me to get this within a week well... what can I say! :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

space black mbp

Apple Potentially Facing Worst Leak Since iPhone 4 Was Left in a Bar

Monday October 7, 2024 3:03 pm PDT by
Alleged photos and videos of an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip continue to surface on social media, in what could be the worst product leak for Apple since an employee accidentally left an iPhone 4 prototype at a bar in California in 2010. The latest video of what could be a next-generation MacBook Pro was shared on YouTube Shorts today by Russian channel Romancev768, just...
Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Leak Video

Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Unboxing Video Reveals These Four Upgrades

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:10 pm PDT by
An alleged unboxing video for an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The video was later linked to on social media platform X by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It is possible that this is the same MacBook Pro box shown in photos that were shared by leaker ShrimpApplePro in late September, as he claimed that this MacBook Pro...
M4 Real Feature Red

Gurman: Apple to Launch First M4 Macs and Potentially iPad Mini 7 on November 1

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:40 am PDT by
Apple will announce several new M4 Mac models around the end of October, with the company planning to launch at least some of them as soon as Friday, November 1, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple will launch a new M4 version of its low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, as well as higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models...
watchos 11 vitals

Apple Watch Users Report Vitals App Detecting Illness Before Symptoms Appear

Monday October 7, 2024 5:34 am PDT by
Apple's new Vitals app for watchOS 11 appears to be impressing some users with its ability to detect potential illness days before symptoms manifest, according to recent reports on Reddit. The Apple Watch app, which analyzes key health metrics measured during sleep over the last seven days, appears to be providing early warnings of impending sickness for at least some Apple Watch wearers...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Plans to Release iOS 18.1 With Apple Intelligence on October 28

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:18 am PDT by
Apple intends to launch iOS 18.1 with the first set of much-anticipated Apple Intelligence features on October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman says the release date is arriving this month later than initially expected, as Apple is reportedly taking extra time to ensure a smooth rollout and prepare its AI cloud...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 6

Monday October 7, 2024 4:27 pm PDT by
We're nearing the end of the iOS 18.1 beta testing process, but Apple is continuing to make tweaks to refine built-in features ahead of when the software launches. With testing winding down, there are fewer new additions, but Apple has made changes worth noting. The new beta is available for both developers and public beta testers. Control Center In the Control Center, Apple has added new...
iPad mini review thumb

iPad Mini 7 Coming Next Month: What to Expect

Tuesday October 8, 2024 6:16 am PDT by
Rumors strongly suggest Apple will release the seventh-generation iPad mini in November, nearly three years after the last refresh. Here's a roundup of what we're expecting from the next version of Apple's small form factor tablet, based on the latest rumors and reports. Design and Display The new iPad mini is likely to retain its compact 8.3-inch display and overall design introduced with...