Apple has released a new software update for users of its desktop and portable Macintosh computers. Performance Update 1.0 for Mac OS X versions 10.5 and 10.6 “addresses intermittent hard drive-related stalls reported by a small number of customers,” Apple reveals on the Support section of its website. The Performance Update 1.0 for Mac OS X seems to be available only as a standalone installer.

Offering detailed information on this update, the Mac maker takes customers to an additional Support document. Last modified on October 14, 2009, article HT3901 lists all the products affected by intermittent stalls.

Those are: MacBook Air (Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2.53GHz, Mid 2009), iMac (20-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Early 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Mid 2009), MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008), MacBook Air (Late 2008), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008), iMac (24-inch, Early 2009), iMac (20-inch, Early 2009), Mac mini (Early 2009).

Apple then proceeds to offer instructions to properly install the Performance Update. Users must quit all open applications, and download the appropriate update for Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard or Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard. As the download finishes, the users must double-click the disk image to mount it.

In the mounted disk image, they then have to double-click the PerformanceUpdate.pkg file to start the firmware update process and follow the on-screen instructions. As the installation process finishes (hopefully, with success), users must hit the Restart button in order to re-boot their systems and complete the firmware-update process.

Download Performance Update 1.0 (Free)