Thunderbolt Software Update 1.2 Causing Boot Failures for Some Users
Among the many software updates Apple has been pushing out associated with yesterday's keynote announcements, Thunderbolt Software Update 1.2 is a relatively minor 537 KB download offered to provide support for the company's new Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter. The adapter is intended for use with Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook Air models and the new Retina MacBook Pro, which do not come with an Ethernet port built in due to their thin designs.
But as noted by TidBITS, the update seems to be causing major problems for a number of users, with some users' machines being rendered unable to boot.
Although it’s unclear if all Thunderbolt-equipped Macs are affected, a number of people have reported that installing the update causes a variety of strange boot-related problems (kernel panics, getting stuck at the gray boot screen, “Unexpected error” messages, and more). Regardless of the details, in each case, it seems that the Mac is rendered unusable, even thunderstruck. I’ve now heard from some people for whom the update did not cause any problems, but it’s still unclear what the difference may be between those who are and are not suffering boot failures.
The report notes that the issues can be fixed by reinstalling OS X Lion, although that is certainly not a desirable step for most users to have to take. Consequently, it seems advisable for users to avoid installing this update until the cause of the issues can be identified and Apple can introduce a revised version of the software.
Popular Stories
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums.
CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
General Motors (GM) will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles starting this year, shifting to a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google (via Reuters).
GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC in the United States. It will stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, which goes on sale this summer. The company plans ...
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year.
The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
Following six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 was released to the public this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions.
Below, we have recapped eight new features and changes added with iOS 16.4,...
With the Apple Music Classical app and an Apple Pay Later early access program now available, the list of previously-announced iOS features that have yet to launch is beginning to shrink. However, there are still a few features we are waiting for. Below, we have recapped three more iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, including an Apple Card savings account for Daily Cash,...
Apple has again pushed back mass production of its mixed-reality headset and the device may not appear at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said.
Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane In a tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "isn't very optimistic" about whether the headset will be able to create an "iPhone moment." As a result,...
Top Rated Comments
Thank You Macrumors.com for this timely warning.
It's good to know you are watching out for us.
I'm still using my 2006 White MacBook. Doesn't even support OS X Lion, which I think is actually a feature. :D
Lose a port, gain a crash. Seems like a fair swap to me.
For all I love about the Mac, the OS, compared to Windows, really seems like amateur hour way too often. If you disagree, make sure you're not mentally stuck in 95 and XP land.
In my XP years I certainly had my fair share of blue screens. However, in the two years I've been using Windows 7, with the same workflow as before (programming and graphics production), I had one crash, and that was because I accidentally knocked a PCIE card out of its slot. In the year I've been using OS X I've had to restart the Finder countless times, had Time Machine corruption on several occasions, and have to deal with "lazy" updating of the filesystem's "visual" state.
There are certainly things I like more about OS X, and that's why I'm still using it, but it really is a technically less sophisticated and more chaotic environment than Windows. Being technically less advanced isn't a negative, rather I can't get over that updates screw things up so often, especially given that Apple has way more control over the environment than MS does. Updates in Windows 7, which were much more frequent than for OS X, *never* disrupted the OS, and never even my most obscure 3rd party software utilities and apps.
I continue to use OS X because overall I like the feel of it more, and of course for the Apple ecosystem, but I do so with a constant background tension of whether or not it will remain stable.
I think I'll pass updating my 2011 MBA at the moment.