System Management Controller: Difference between revisions

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Current SMC Updates: Added rMBP, added date column
SMC does not exist on Apple Silicon machines.
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The '''System Management Controller''' ('''SMC''') is a subsystem of [[Intel]] [[Macintosh]] computers. It is similar in function to the older [[System Management Unit|SMU]] or [[Power Management Unit|PMU]] of PowerPC based Macintosh computers.<ref>{{cite web |title=HT2368: About the SMC Firmware Updates |url=http://support.apple.com:80/kb/HT2368?viewlocale=en_US |website=Official Apple Support |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223202919/http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2368?viewlocale=en_US |archivedate=2008-12-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=HT202040: About the SMC Firmware Updates |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202040 |website=Official Apple Support |publisher= |accessdate=2018-04-28 |archive-date=2021-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519004618/https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202040 |url-status=live }}</ref>
The '''System Management Controller''' ('''SMC''') is an internal subsystem introduced by [[Apple Inc.]] with the introduction of their new [[Intel]] processor based machines in 2006. It takes over the functions of the [[System Management Unit|SMU]].<ref>[http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303725 Apple general documentation on SMC Updates]</ref> Apple has released updates for this system in order to address power or sleep issues in several recent models.<ref>[http://search.info.apple.com/index.html?search=Go&lr=lang_en&kword=&khot%20OR%20kcap&news&q=SMC%20update&&type=kbdload Search of SMC Updates on Apple's knowledge base]</ref>
 
==Overview==
The SMC controlshas powerroles flowin controlling thermal and fanpower speedmanagement, likebattery thecharging, SMUvideo beforemode it.switching, The[[sleep mainmode|sleep objectiveand iswake]], to[[hibernation keep(computing)|hibernation]], theand machine[[light-emitting runningdiode|LED]] normally with minimal noiseindicators. It also enables enforcement of the Mac[[macOS]] OS[[End-user Xlicense agreement|End User License]], allowing itmacOS to identify when it is running on non-Apple hardware,.<ref>{{cite webpodcast |titlehost=Interview[[Randal withL. AndySchwartz|Randal Hall,Schwartz]] Product|date=2010-08-11 Manager for Oracle VM|df=mdy |title=VirtualBox |url=httphttps://twit.tv/floss130}}<shows/ref> although this can be circumvented by using thirdfloss-party hacks.<ref name="artifactfix">{{cite web|url=http:weekly/episodes/www.macbreaker.com/2012/04/fix-hd-3000-artifacts-on-your.html130 |titlewebsite=Fix[[FLOSS screenWeekly]] artifacts|series=130 on your Hackintosh|workpublisher=Fix[[TWiT.tv]] screen artifacts on your Hackintosh|accessdate=172018-04-28 June 2012}}</ref><ref name|archive-date="netkasSMC">{{cite2018-04-28 web|archive-url=httphttps://netkasweb.archive.org/?cat=15|title=netkasweb/20180428181223/https://twit.orgtv/shows/floss-weekly/episodes/130 » FakeSMC|accessdateurl-status=17 Junelive 2012}}</ref>
The SMC should not normally need to be reset at all. Doing so however can be useful in [[troubleshooting]] certain issues, such as:
*Failure to turn on
*Failure to recognize internal [[AirPort]] Extreme card
*Failure to recognize internal Bluetooth Module
*Failure to recognize attached devices (Firewire, USB, etc.)
*Unexpected power off (i.e., sudden unexpected loss of power, not system shutdown)
*Failure to wake from sleep or unexpected sleep (note this can also be caused by [[operating system]] corruption)
*Failure to recognize keyboard and trackpad
*Failure to recognize battery
*Poor battery performance
*Nonoperational LED Battery indicator
This is due to the fact the SMC may become corrupted over time and not respond properly to certain requests. This sort of corruption can be triggered by a power surge.
 
== Current SMC Updates ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!
! Shipping Version
! Latest Version
! Date Update Released
|-
| [[iMac]] Early 2006
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/imacearly2006smcfirmwareupdate.html 1.1f5]
| ?
|-
| [[Mac Mini]] Early 2006
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macminiearly2006smcfirmwareupdate.html 1.3f4]
| ?
|-
| [[MacBook]] Any
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macbooksmcfirmwareupdate11.html 1.4f12]
| ?
|-
| [[MacBookPro|MacBook Pro]] 15-inch
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macbookpro15inchsmcfirmwareupdate.html 1.2f10]
| ?
|-
| [[MacBookPro|MacBook Pro]] 17-inch
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macbookpro17inchsmcfirmwareupdate.html 1.5f10]
| ?
|-
| [[MacBook_Pro#Third_generation_.28Retina.29|MacBook Pro Retina]] 15-inch
| ?
| [http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1559 2.3f35]
| 03/14/2013
|-
| [[Mac Pro]] 2 or 4 Cores
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macprosmcfirmwareupdate11.html 1.7f10]
| ?
|-
| [[Mac Pro]] 8 Cores
| ?
| [http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macprosmcfirmwareupdate11.html 1.15f3]
| ?
|}
 
==See also==
* [[Embedded controller]] (EC)
* [[Power Management Unit]]
* [[Power management integrated circuit]] (PMIC)
* [[System Management Unit]]
* [[Power Management Unit]] (PMU)
* [[System Management Unit]] (SMU)
* [[Apple T2]]
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
<references/>
 
==External links==
[[Category:2006 introductions]]
*[https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201518 EFI and SMC firmware updates for Intel-based Macs]
 
[[Category:Products introduced in 2006]]
[[Category:Macintosh computers]]
[[Category:Apple Inc. hardware]]
 
[[de:System Management Controller]]