Apple Thoughts: iMac Firmware Update 1.4 Available

"Released on Saturday, iMac EFI Firmware Update 1.4 (1.7MB) specifically addresses the hard lock-ups that occur at random and leave iMac users with the custom-order graphics with no choice but to reboot their systems to regain a usable computer, regardless of whether they're using Mac OS X or running Windows in Boot Camp."

The update fixes the wake up problem that some have been experiencing with the new iMacs that have the ATI Radeon 4850 chipset. The freeze would happen regardless of the software that was running at the time, and reports are that the normal troubleshooting steps such as resetting the PRAM had no effect. An earlier story from Apple Insider discussed this issue and the similarity to what happened in the fall of 2007, when iMac owners experienced an unresponsive interface issue for some tasks. This issue apparently is more severe since all activity is brought to a standstill.