Apple Releases iMac Graphics Firmware Update to Address Freezing Issues

imacApple today released iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0, a new firmware update to address issues which could cause users' machines to freeze up.

About iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0

This firmware update fixes a graphics issue that may cause an iMac to hang under certain conditions.

Do not shut off the power on your iMac during this update. Loss of power could result in your iMac failing to start up.

The update weighs in at 482 KB and requires OS X Lion. Apple does not specify exactly which iMac models require the update, so users should run Software Update to see if the download appears for their specific machines.

Discussion forums on Apple's site and elsewhere have been filling with numerous reports of freezing issues on iMac models under OS X Lion. It is unclear if this update is designed to target the exact issues being reported in those complaints, but it seems reasonable to speculate that Apple is indeed looking to solve at least some of those problems.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

sinisterdesign Avatar
173 months ago
huh, 10.7.1 fixed this for me. it was playing video content, any video that locked it down hard. add the added new "feature" of restoring windows on restart and you can find yourself in some furious curse-laden rants.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rjc101 Avatar
173 months ago
From the installer script, this only applies only to iMac Model ID "iMac12,1" which I think is the current 21.5" iMac (Mid 2011) ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
devianter Avatar
173 months ago
I have a 24" iMac. First generation aluminum 2.8GHz with Radeon 2600HD. Those machines had major graphics card freezing issues that were addressed by 2 firmware updates. Anytime I woke my machine from sleep I would see the last screensaver image and a cursor but couldn't get back to the desktop. Other times it would just freeze up. Only way out of it was to hard boot it by holding down the power button to shut down and then reboot it.

oh god i hear ya. i remember i bought the first aluminum imac 24" in august 2007, it had tiger back then. then leopard came out, and EVERY goddamn animation would just freeze the machine. mouse not moving, nothing. and by animation i mean anything, even minimizing or opening a stack folder in dock, or the dock magnifier. it had to be hard resetted. after 2 weeks they released the firmware update and it works well till this day (4 years).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
roland.g Avatar
173 months ago
I have a 24" iMac. First generation aluminum 2.8GHz with Radeon 2600HD. Those machines had major graphics card freezing issues that were addressed by 2 firmware updates. Anytime I woke my machine from sleep I would see the last screensaver image and a cursor but couldn't get back to the desktop. Other times it would just freeze up. Only way out of it was to hard boot it by holding down the power button to shut down and then reboot it.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mbarriault Avatar
173 months ago
Early 2010, 27" with Core i5 and Radeon 4850. Nothing in Software Update.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rjc101 Avatar
173 months ago
Apparently not. Mine didn't need an update. Maybe it's just for the low-end 6750M models?
The installer script checks for Mac ID "iMac12,1", Graphics Card ROM "113-C2950K-193" and an OS X version of 10.7 with a build of 11A511 so it reads as though it won't run on 10.7.1

Must be for one of them!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)