David Esp Video Technical Blog

WHen using Windows under BootCamp, I had been getting some serious problems when using an external drive via FW800.

• …like the device disappearing (from the visibility of the OS, Windows 7).

As advised by suppliers, removed and reinstalled BootCamp, as follows:

• Windows 7: [Control Panel >> Remove Programs: BootCamp Services]
• Rebooted
• Inserted Mac OS Disk that came with the MacBook
  • It is MacBook-specific. Must use that one, not any other.
• From root folder, as seen by W7, ran [setup.exe].
  • Kapersky complained a few times.
• Rebooted.  Mostly OK but no keyboard lights or control thereof.
• Rebooted again.  Now the keyboard lights are on and controllable.
• Check the BootCamp version: It is 3.0.
• Need update to 3.1.
• Go to Apple support page for BootCamp:
  • [www.apple.com/support/bootcamp]
• ..and click [Downloads]
  • Taken to [http://support.apple.com/downloads/#macoscomponents]
  • There are several items.
• There are several Boot Camp 3.1 downloads (these are upgrades not installs).  Which one (if any) is appropriate?  Examples:
  • Boot Camp Update for MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010) (Windows 64 bit)
    • Any good for 17-inch ?
      • Various articles around May 2010 say nothing about the 17-inch, so maybe not then.
        • e.g. http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/boot_camp_update_for_macbook_pro_13_inch_mid_2010_windows_64_bit/
  • Boot Camp Software Update 3.1 for Windows 64 bit
    • Any good for MacBook  Pro?
• Searched web for any clues:
  • http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=11618952
    • Has a link to Boot Camp 3.1 full software (install not upgrade) from someone’s personal site, but it is in the context of an i5 laptop.
  • http://support.apple.com/kb/DL979
    • Official Apple site.  Says it’s for laptops also.
  • http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1044
    • Text says it fixes issues, ones I have never encountered on my 17-inch.
• Finally: Downloaded the one at http://support.apple.com/kb/DL979
• Broadly applicable installation instructions are at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4177
  • …even though they’re for the 13-incher.

Not necessarily related, but interesting to note:

• Controller Saturation:
  • http://www.hardmac.com/news/2010/05/17/problems-on-certain-of-the-macbook-pro-2010?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hardmac+%28HardMac.com%29
• USB port speeds differ (and why):
  • http://www.hardmac.com/news/2010/06/22/macbook-pro-core-ix-usb-ports-are-not-equals?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+hardmac+%28HardMac.com%29
• USB & FW Benchmark Tests (SpeedTools suite):
  • http://www.hardmac.com/news/2008/10/28/new-macbook-pro-performance-level-of-usb2-0-vs-firewire
    • USB2: 36 MB/s read, 30 MB/s write
    • FW400: 40 MB/s read, 32 MB/s write
    • FW800: 60 MB/s read, 50 MB/s write

This entry was posted on Friday, June 25th, 2010 at 21:51 and is filed under Mac, MacBook Pro, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.