Unable to launch Apple Diagnostics

I have been thinking about this issue and its potential causes.

For me I have migrated an SSD from a Mac slightly older than the model it is in now. Originally that SSD was installed with OS High Sierra, and the update was performed on the newer Mac. Are other people in this thread from a similar situation where by the Mac having the issue has had a hard drive swapped out or anything like that too?

My logic on this is that the Mac I have this issue with was running an install of OS X Yosemite when I received it and when I transferred the High Sierra SSD in to it.

I am thinking that somewhere this change over is what may have lead my MacBook to the state it is now (non bootable diagnostics).

I spoke to a 3rd party repairs and sales shop about the issue I'm having this morning and he suggested running a full install of Mojave over the current OS but to ensure I do so from a BOOTABLE DVD OR USB INSTALLER ISO and NOT by running the installer from within the Mac after it downloads as this may help to get the EFI partition and any conflicts resolved.

Outside of this I also spoke to someone in the IRC channel ##apple (not #apple) who was previously an Apple repair tech and he put me on another potential path as follows

1: Remove current drive and replace with a blank Drive (as I have a spare, if not the solution would be a full format of the current drive back to clean)

2: Boot into factory recovery mode (hold SHIFT + OPTION + COMMAND + R) this will connect over the network to the apple servers recovery that allows for download and install of the SUPPLIED os your Mac came with

3: When in this recovery menu open a terminal window and reset the NVRAM (with command : nvram -c) once this command has finished in terminal reboot back to factory recovery (hold SHIFT + OPTION + COMMAND + R)

4: Now from within this recovery run the installer and fresh install your factory supplied OS which should also rebuild the original recovery partition as well.

5: Once this is all done boot the OS once and reboot the system and try to run the diagnostics mode holding D again

hopefully this will work but at the moment I am too busy to try either method as I have work to do on the machine so until I get some free timbal I can do is offer the advice I have been given

PS : IF ANYONE IS TO TRY ANY OF THE METHODS ABOVE BE SURE TO CREATE A BOOTABLE BACKUP OF YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM OR REMOVE YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM DRIVE AND PERFORM THE REINSTALL USING A FRESH DISK

if diagnostics mode is then working after the process, update the OS all the way back up to your current version, then try replacing the original system disk and seeing if the diagnostics still boots having been rebuilt through the process

I had a case with a Mac senior advisor. Did a full erase and reinstall (also erasing my windows partition) and did not migrate any data before testing again. Issue persisted. They gathered logs from my iMac and engineering said I should take it in to get looked at. It seems the culprit is that the memory is beginning to fail, which is why it won't boot to diagnostics. Not sure if the boot rom is the cause of it or not. My iMac works perfectly besides not being able to boot to diagnostics. I restored my data, and re-partitioned windows since then. Probably just going to install new RAM in it soon. My model is not self-installable, so have to have someone do it.

Safe-boot, re-installing or downgrading macOS don't work, I told you.

The latest BootRom causes the bug.

・Mojave 10.14.4 update

・Security update 2019-002 for Sierra and High Sierra

install your Ivy-Bridge Macs the BootRom with the bug.

I'm having the same issue on my late-2012 27" iMac.

The Mac had been doing a whole bunch of issues lately, decided to run diagnostics but it's impossible (either regular or network based).

Regular diagnostics just never boots, Mac is stuck a white screen.

Network diagnostics returns the following error (after showing a spinning globe for a while):

Error: 0x8000000000000003, Cannot load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi'
Status: 0x000000003


It is not your memory failing, do not take that line because it ends with you buying either replacement memory from somewhere (which won't fix it) or them convincing you a Mac upgrade is due (its not :P )

As you are convinced this is the issue (which I am also thinking in agreement with you) how can we go about reversing the firmware install? only way I have come across in my searches so far that looks like it would be a valid option is by booting the Mac on a linux OS, and using the linux OS to do a flashrom command set with the appropriate files for the MacBook Pro in question.

I would be very interested if you had any info as while this issue is not a game breaker YET having the option to run basic diagnostics is kind of desirable over having to put that function in the hands of someone else or an apple store anytime it needs to be done

thanks

Updated my MacBook Pro Mid 2012 (SSD + 16 GB RAM) to Mac OS Mohave 10.14.4 with the buggy boot rom. After the update second RAM slot does not work -3 beeps on start up when the second slot has RAM in it. Has anyone experienced the same problem or did my RAM slot just decide to die ? Same error when booting into hardware test.

Hi All

updated my MacBook Pro mid 2012(SSD + 2x 8GB RAM sticks) to Mac OS Mohave 10.14.4 with buggy firmware . After the update the bottom RAM slot stop working , causing the Mac to beep 3 times upon startup. Anyone experienced the same issue or has my RAM slot just died. Same error when trying to access the AHT. Thanks.

HI, nice work, great post! :)

Have you tried installing 10.13.6 yet... thinking maybe it has a Firmware update that is needed.

1. Start up from macOS Recovery

To start up from macOS Recovery, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold one of the following combinations on your keyboard. Command-R is generally recommended, especially if you never installed macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later.

Command (⌘)-R Install the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.

Option-⌘-R Upgrade to the latest macOS compatible with your Mac.

Shift-Option-⌘-R Install the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

Release the keys when you see the Apple logo, a spinning globe, or a prompt for a firmware password. When you see the Utilities window, you've started up from macOS Recovery.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250285425?page=5

So firstly, +1 for this with a (perfectly working) Mac Mini late-2012 running very latest High Sierra 10.13.6 (and having just installed Security Update 2019-003):

Error: 0x8000000000000003, Cannot Load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi'

Status: 0x00000003

(I've tried downloading the relevant DMG from https://github.com/upekkha/AppleHardwareTest and get the same error when launching that from a USB stick.)

Also… I was trying to repair someone's iMac earlier, and attempted to run diagnostics on that, and I got the error -3403D. They did have their original installation CDs as well (and the AHT version was referenced on the label of the second). I tried the Startup Disk menu (hold down alt/option) with both but neither showed up as bootable drives.

Can't do this without optical built-in drive... Maybe find a external optical reader... Would such an old CD still work?

I'd have thought if the internet AHT isn't working then nothing will?

Anyone have any luck downgrading the Boot ROM version?

Thanks for the continued and detailed effort.

As I can't get past UI Process start I can't get to utilities or terminal or reinstall - the only thing I can do is use Single User Mode - what I would *LOVE* is a way to install the latest known good EFI room to my Late 2012 (13,2) iMac from Single User Mode. The download for this exists on archived Apple Support site.

Anyone know whether this is possible please? Note I also would like to erase my internal SSD drives so I can at least see them from Target Disk Mode again - any hints and tips on that?

Tried FDISK but didn't seem to do much. And can't run full dskutil from Single User Mode...

Thanks

I experienced the same problem with my mid-2012 15" MacBook Pro running Mojave 10.14.5 and Boot ROM Version 226.0.0.0. Trying to launch diagnostics by holding down D or option-D give me

Error: 0x8000000000000003, Cannot Load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi'
Status: 0x00000003

I have not found a solution yet.

Late 2012 iMac 13.1 and same AHT issue as all others. Here is the Boot ROM History since 10.14.0

iMac 10.14.5 (18F132)

Boot ROM: 285.0.0.0.0

SMC: 2.9f5

_________________________

iMac 10.14.4 (18E226)

Boot ROM: 283.0.0.0.0

SMC: 2.9f5

__________________________

iMac 10.14.3 (18D42)

Boot ROM: 281.0.0.0

SMC: 2.9f5

____________________________

iMac 10.14.2 (18C54)

Boot ROM: 281.0.0.0.0

SMC: 2.9f5

_____________________________

iMac 10.14.0 (18A391)

Boot ROM: IM131.0115.B00

SMC: 2.9f5

I think this is a special Apple and authorized service center version. At the beginning there is a dialog box "do you have the customers permission"... to run... these diagnostic tests?"

They ran this from their local Ethernet...

Annoying that theirs works and ours (or even the network based consumer ADT doesn't!)