MacOS – Can’t update the Macbook firmware

efifirmwaremacbook promacossoftware-update

Here is my very sad story.
I have a Macbook pro 13" retina early 2015 (MB 12,1).
My bootrom version is MBP121.0167.B07 and according to this ( https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qGRVF1aRokQgm_LuTsFUN2Knrh0Sd3Gp0ziC_VIWqoM/htmlview ) table I'm running a veeery old firmware, updated to yosemite.

I found this problem while I tried to upgrade to mojave (I'm runnig Sierra right now). Error while verifying the firmware.
After many tries and repairs to the disk, I found the problem: my firmware.

So i tried many thing to update it. Install mojave on a external drive didn't help (same firmware error). I tried to boot with mojave using carbon clone (I cloned the hard drive from my girlfriend's macbook updated to mojave). I also tried to do a update while in mojave, but nothing.

I tried a fresh install of sierra, but no firmware updates. I tried to use El Capitan from a external drive, still nothing.

I tried some tool to install the firmware right from highsierra installer, nothing.

I tried to install it manually with bless command. The output was good, it sets the nvram to install the update after the reboot but nothing.

What should I do? Change the logic-board seems expensive and stupid if the problem is just a upgrade.

Thanks everyone.

Best Answer

Your question does miss some key details, so this answer makes the following assumptions:

  • You've correctly identified your current Boot ROM version
  • Your MBP still has the original Apple SSD installed
  • You've already tried (directly or indirectly) resetting the NVRAM
  • You've never installed macOS High Sierra on your MacBook Pro

Essentially, some years back Apple started automatically including firmware updates (if/when required) within macOS updates/upgrades. And, with the move to the APFS file system, firmware updates were required on pre-existing Macs with SSD drives to support macOS High Sierra (and above) as they required APFS to be installed. So, cutting a long story short, you're most likely missing this firmware update.

Since you've already gone through quite a bit of frustration, your best bet is to go through a total reinstall process. My recommendation would be to do as follows:

  1. Make a full backup of your data using Time Machine (or your preferred backup solution)
  2. Shut down your MBP
  3. Switch on your MBP and immediately press and hold the OptionCommand ⌘R keys *
  4. Let go of the keys once you see either the Apple logo, a spinning globe or a firmware password prompt
  5. When the macOS Utilities window appears select the Disk Utility option
  6. Proceed to erase your internal drive
  7. Quit Disk Utility
  8. The macOS Utilities window should reappear
  9. Now select the Reinstall macOS option
  10. Proceed to install macOS
  11. Once the installation is complete, migrate your data across

* This specific key combination will install the latest version of macOS compatible with your model Mac, which presently is macOS Mojave.

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