MB Pro M1 Pro dead after 12.7 update

Hi.

Just updated my MacBook Pro M1 Pro from Monterey 12.6.8 to 12.7.

Either booting into Mac Os or Recovery Mode I can see the white Apple logo for a few seconds and then just a black screen.

Any idea?

Tnx.

Posted on Sep 27, 2023 11:19 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Oct 14, 2023 12:49 AM

Had the same on iMac m1. But waited patient while the screen stayed petrifyingly black, and in the end it started.


I don't like this non descriptive black screens, and inconsistent user experience. Steve Jobs r.i.p. would never have accepted this behaviour of any Mac.

32 replies

Sep 29, 2023 10:22 AM in response to ReloadingData

Had lot's of problem here also. In the Reviving phase maybe I was wrong: there was no way to have the faulted Mac in DFU until I did the following:

  • start and stop the faulted Mac without any cable connected
  • connect USB-C/USB-C MacBoook Pro 2018 power cable
  • restart with the correct combination key

Is it mentioned the cable must not be connected before the first on/off? Maybe I've lost this info.


When the Mac was revived there was no way to boot from the internal disk -> it moved to Recovery Mode.

"No problem", "I will change the boot options and install Ventura on it". No way: the boot options said: "You need to boot in Recovery Mode". BUT I WAS IN RECOVERY MODE!!! (???)


OK, "no problem I will boot in Recovery Mode after a full shutdown". No way: Recovery Mode always ended in a black screen: OH APPLE, ARE KIDDING ME???


I restarted from my internal HD which moved to that "sort" of Recovery Mode and created a new partition with Sonoma. Now I was able too boot in Recovery Mode and installed Ventura 13.6 ono my Monterey. It did several restarts and downloaded extra files. Anyway, Ventura is now fully working.


Deleted the unwanted Sonoma partition.


This was not a machine revival, this was an odissey. Thank you, Apple.


Oct 16, 2023 4:17 AM in response to Jaydude

Hello,


It is not the first Monterey update for users. :)


I got the same problem, my MBP has never turned on after the flash process. It was powered and got its battery 100% full. Just the same than some other users, this 12.6.8 to 12.7 "security" update has just bricked my computer 10 days ago.


I really hope an official solution will be offered.


Best.

Oct 16, 2023 9:56 PM in response to TotOOntHeMooN

The above described process is THE OFFICIAL PROCESS and I did it by my own because I'm an Apple technician. If at the Apple Store weren't able to revive your Mac is because it's completely fried. I really doubt they weren't able to revive your Mac. The only way to get out if the problem I can suggest is to move to another Apple Store or, better, send it to Apple.

Oct 5, 2023 5:29 AM in response to viorel114

  1. take working mac computer with macOS Monterey 12.7 or newer
  2. install and launch apple configurator app
  3. connect power cable to bricked mac.
  4. take proper USB cable, it’s very important.
  5. connect mac computers with the usb cable, plug usb cable to the proper USB port, it’s very important.
  6. Press and hold the power button until the DFU icon appears in apple configurator app



Revive or restore a Mac with Apple silicon using Apple Configurator - Apple Support


does your mac play startup sound ?


Oct 5, 2023 6:51 AM in response to viorel114

This was my procedure:

  • start and stop the broken Mac -> press ON and after the "boing" press untill off
  • connect the 2 Macs -> any port on the master (for repair) and the port next to the Magsafe on the broken Mac
  • Please note: NOT a Thunderbolt cable but an USBC-USB with both data and power - oldest Apple cables for powering Intel MacBooks are OK.
  • Press left CTRL + left OPTION + right SHIFT + Startup buttons together
  • Hold all buttons for 10 seconds and then leave all buttons except for Startup button until DFU appears (should be immediate)


Please note: the cable is very important.



Sep 28, 2023 6:04 PM in response to majortom1967

“the apple reviving quest”


thank you for your reply.


In my case power cable was disconnected, fully charged battery. 

I know it’s bad practice. i was too tired 🍻 u know. before go to sleep i’ve launched update process and on the morning it was “surprise”


after brain storming 10 hours straight me and my friend got success finally.


so what was done:


  1. we’ve got working macbook (intel) 13.6 ventura with installed Apple Configurator 
  2. usb-c to usb-c “Samsung SSD” cable, the apple charging cable failed for the mission…
  3. we’ve downloaded macOS 13.6 ventura .ipsw file from INTERNET for my MB Pro m1 pro 
  4. we’ve connected both macs and put the 🧱 bricked one in recovery mode so the Configurator app showed DFU squared icon
  5. we’ve dragged .ipsw file to the DFU icon and pressed REVIVE button


P.S.

by default the Configurator app very slowly downloaded ~14GiB macOS 14.0 Sonoma… and REVIVING process ended with error 


“The System cannot be restored on this device.

Failed to restore device in recovery mode, libusbrestore error: 21

[com.apple.MobileDevice.MobileRestore - 0x15 (21)1” 


we used at the moment apple charging cable…


well the macbook is working on macOS 12.7 Monterey now, but the firmware and recoveryOS i guess is 13.6 Ventura version, the macos update software menu is showing only the Sonoma update is available, there’s no Ventura option…


we’ve tried 12.6 ipsw file - fail of course.

12.7 file is not existing.


we’ve tried 13.5.2 file - success, but the macos update menu is still showing only Sonoma update option…

Oct 17, 2023 12:38 AM in response to majortom1967

Thank you for your answer.


My Mac display the Apple logo and sound when I open it, then shut down. If I keep the touch id button pressed, it display a message under it. I release the button when the message change to enter into the config menu (I don't remember exactly the text) but then shut down.


When my MBP is connected to another Mac, Apple Configurator detect it, but the revive process is avorted (buserror 21). I can imagine it is not completly fried?


Reading the above solutions, I can understand that error is displayed if the process bellow is not properly followed?


Why I have done this update... Probably I had better to install Sonoma first. :(


I really hope Apple will do something, I have never encountered any problem with all my Mac since 1986.


Thank you for your kind support.

Oct 19, 2023 6:27 AM in response to majortom1967

This process is outlined very well. Thanks for sharing.


I did run through these steps and the configurator wanted to download and use newer updated software. I believe this was for Sonoma, however I am on Monterey and did not want to upgrade. So I did use an ipsw file from ipsw.me for 12.6 and dragged it onto the DFU icon, and clicked on Revive.


The revive still did not work for my Mac so I had to do the Restore which restored the MacBook to factory condition. All my data was gone. Then I had to restore from Time Machine Backup. Glad to have a backup in place!


I hope this 12.7 update does not knock out more MacBook's at work here as this was very time consuming and a terrible experience.

Nov 10, 2023 2:08 PM in response to manza289

The first time it happened to me (and was mac os 12.7 Monterey!!!) I needed both to reinstall (revive) the firmware and reinstall Mac OS. The second time only mac os (Ventura 13.6.1) needed to reinstalled. This looks not a firmware corruption to me but just a mac os corruption. If you are able to boot in Recovery mode (sometimes happens) then you can just reinstall mac os. The question is: what os do you need? If Sonoma it will not be s problem but if you need Ventura then you can’t. Unless… you have a bootable installer from usb stick or disk -> install Sonoma into a temporary volume in order to have a working user; boot in Recovery mode and use Sonoma user to low security prefs in order to allow boot from external devices; boot fron the Ventura installer and install it onto the broken Ventura volume; delete the temporary Sonoma volume.

MB Pro M1 Pro dead after 12.7 update

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.