Apple released Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.3 on Wednesday. The update for the Thunderbolt-enabled Mac mini improved Lion Internet Recovery support.
Internet Recovery was first introduced with the launch of the Thunderbolt-equipped Mac mini and MacBook Air. The feature lets users restore or repair a Lion installation over an Internet connection when the computer’s hard drive has failed, or a new drive has been installed, and a bootable installer ins’t available.
Apple’s Thunderbolt Mac mini
The firmware update also addressed Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode performance issues, and Apple Thunderbolt Display compatibility issues.
Thunderbolt is a new high-speed expansion port that uses the same connector as Apple’s Mini DisplayPort video adapter and can currently support up to six devices in a chain. The port offers dual-channel 10 gb/s data throughput, supports hard drives and other peripherals as well as displays, along with FireWire, USB and Gigabit Ethernet devices with adapters.
Mac mini EFI Firmware Update 1.3 requires an mid 2011 Mac mini with Thunderbolt port and OS X Lion 10.7 or higher. The update is available via the Software Update application, or as a downloadable installer at the Apple Support Web site.