Unable to launch Apple Diagnostics

So... If I get this thing back together ever... (Not looking forward to thermal paste and heatsink replacement...)

What do I need to avoid in terms of particular OS versions?

Should I do a internet recovery and let it install... Lion? Or will High Sierra be ok? Maybe just boot from High Sierra USB (and not install?)

You mentioned a security update / patch - do I need to avoid that as well?

I believe they're talking about avoiding the Security updates that now include Firmware updates, I've been meaning to try booting my 2010 Mac Pro from a 10.13.6 external Disk without installing to the Mac Pro... but haven't got around to it.

BDAqua wrote:

No, it was Westmere.

According to MacTracker, the Westmere CPU has been used only in 2010 and 2012 Mac Pros, not in any iMac. The only Ivy Bridge based Mac Pro was the Late 2013 (which is still the current model…); it requires ASD v.3S159.

…nor the EFI version that they could not even start to run.

Which is exactly the problem, with Ivy Bridge based Macs – including the Late 2013 Mac Pro, according to one report here.

Anyone found a solution for this issue?

It just happen to my MacBook pro mid2012 .

I own other MacBook pro with the same characteristics and the test goes good but on this computer the issue is persistent

We need to take some attention from Apple to here. I have a faulty mba 2012 mid and I dont have any idea what is the problem with that computer because I cant run AHT, so I cant take necessary action to make it my mba works again. Dudes, please get in touch with the Apple support about this and make them pay some attention to this problem.

Same thing on my MacBook Air Mid 2012 128 GB. Now I am on macOS Mojave 10.14.5.

One more interesting detail that in System Information>Hardware>Diagnistic<Apple Diagnostic it shows me last AHT run dated 19 November 4018 (yes, it means 2018, but shows 4018). This was the last time I ran the test. So no doubt that something went wrong with updates. I am just not sure since which update exactly.

I just had my Mid 2012 Macbook Pro motherboard replaced and it came back with MacOs Sierra. AHT currently works but we all know once I upgrade to Mojave its going to be gone. I am from South Africa and we don't have any Apple stores or Genius bars in the country - only approved re-sellers. If I filmed a video showing AHT working, the upgrade process and then not working after the upgrade, would someone be willing to take the footage to a Genius bar in the USA ?

Exact same problem here, Mid 2012 MBP (9,1) worked perfect until Mojave 14.4 update. Started randomly crashing then corrupted the OS entirely until it wouldn't boot anymore.

Can't install a clean OS on it even with a new SSD drive, fails every time - internet, USB, nothing

Reverted to a time machine backup of High Sierra and it boots / runs but still randomly crashes

Cannot run apple diagnostics, get same error everyone else here gets

I had my mac looked at by a very qualified repair shop, my logic board, RAM, etc are good - just have a bugged boot rom now apparently.

Petré wrote:

It just happen to my MacBook pro mid2012 .

I own other MacBook pro with the same characteristics and the test goes good but on this computer the issue is persistent

"Same characteristics" = what? Same year, same OS version (what?), both have been upgraded to Mojave (even if later downgraded to an earlier OS)? I suspect that these "characteristics" are true of the one that won't run AHT, but not all true of the one that will. Read the thread for more information.

ne0shell wrote:

Exact same problem here, Mid 2012 MBP (9,1) worked perfect until Mojave 14.4 update. Started randomly crashing then corrupted the OS entirely until it wouldn't boot anymore.

I had my mac looked at by a very qualified repair shop, my logic board, RAM, etc are good - just have a bugged boot rom now apparently.

As for your other problems (aside from the Cannot load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi' error), they may or may not be related to the Mojave update. From reading on other forums, it seems a lot of folks are having trouble with Mojave in general. I think it's worth asking: Do you really want to run the latest OS (even if Apple says you can) on a seven year old computer? I prefer Sierra, myself (even with its plethora of annoying bugs – which now will never be corrected). Just because an old computer can run the latest OS doesn't mean it will do so well.

Anyway, keep in mind that while a repair shop may be "very qualified" in your view (or mine), Apple will pay no attention unless said shop is their own (i.e. Genius Bar, or mail-in evaluation) or under contract with them (i.e. Apple Authorized, AASP). Telling Apple that any other shop found no problem with your computer is wasting their time and yours.

I don't know if it's exactly an Official Policy (and can see why it wouldn't be publicly announced), but I gather that Apple will run their diagnostic on even seven-year old Macs (and maybe older) if brought to the Genius Bar. After all, they might get a repair job out of it. Certainly in this case, since the computer is officially supported for the Mojave upgrade, they should check it out if you bring it to them with a complaint.

If your Mac doesn't pass Apple's diagnostic, you will have to get it fixed before Apple will listen to you about the Cannot load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi' error. You will then have a choice: whether to have it repaired by Apple, or take it to some other (possibly cheaper) shop. If it is repaired by Apple, and still shows the Cannot load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi' error, then you have a case, and can insist on a solution.

Note that it may not show the error, if its logic board has been replaced with one from a computer that has never been upgraded to Mojave (or had the noted Security Updates installed – if indeed they cause the problem). Check to see if the Boot ROM in the replacement logic board has a number below or above 200; it seems like the problem occurs when the number is above 200. To make sure, you can go ahead and install Mojave, and see if it can still run AHT. (You can always downgrade back to an earlier OS, as I did; the Boot ROM will not be reverted to the earlier version, however, so it will still be unable to run AHT, regardless of which OS version is on it.)

If you have the Mac repaired by another shop and it still shows the error (paragraph above also applies), you'll have to get the Genius Bar to run their diagnostic on it again. If it then passes, you'll have a case, and can insist on a solution.

To reiterate (once again): Posting about a problem here in "Apple Community" does not bring the problem to Apple's attention. Apple hosts this forum as a service to its users, a place where they can help each other solve problems. Other than providing moderation, Apple pays no further attention to what goes on here. In fact, a Senior Advisor told me he would lose his job if he paid official attention to this thread. I can understand why, and have no argument with this policy.

However, it means that if anybody here wants a solution to the Cannot load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi' error – which can be provided only by Apple – it must be brought to Apple's attention via official channels, i.e. Apple Support and/or a visit to a Genius Bar (or AASP). Since Apple Support will almost certainly tell you to take your Mac to a Genius Bar, you might as well go ahead and do that to begin with.

Hi everyone... I finally put my iMac together again with new logic board. I managed to *bend* the CPU and lots of socket pins... which meant no boot - but then tried again unbending stuff - which has been a nightmare... anyway - imagine my surprise when it actually booted this evening! (details of HW and SW below)

So... I'd now like to install High Sierra on the internal NVME 128GB SSD [no fusion] - leaving the 1TB internal SSD for Applications & Media

BUT do I need to watch out for either a Security Update or just Boot Rom update as part of installing High Sierra - or just later (or now) with Software Updates? [ I now have IM131.010A.B09 Boot Rom version ]

Thanks

Bill

Model Name: iMac

Model Identifier: iMac13,2

Processor Name: Intel Core i7

Processor Speed: 3.4 GHz

Number of Processors: 1

Total Number of Cores: 4

L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

L3 Cache: 8 MB

Memory: 32 GB

Boot ROM Version: IM131.010A.B09

SMC Version (system): 2.11f16

Serial Number (system): xxx

  System Version: macOS 10.13.6 (17G65) [High Sierra]

Version: Darwin 17.7.0

  Boot Volume: Ext Mac OS HS [external Samsung T5 SSD]

  Boot Mode: Normal

  Secure Virtual Memory: Enabled

  System Integrity Protection: Enabled

So, as it turns out - my RAM in my 15 inch MBP had gone bad which is what was causing the random crashes and inability to install an OS. The bootrom issue just prevented me from running AHD to find this out. A family member gave me their mid 2012 13 inch MBP which was not updated yet to use and when I put my RAM into it (it had the minimum included) I was able to run AHD and find out about the RAM issue. Swapped it out w/ the original 4GB in my 15 inch and was able to install an OS + its stable again with no crashes. I just can't run AHD on it. I've never had RAM go bad before in any computer so kind of surprised by it but glad my MBP is still usable.

The bootrom that causes issues for me was Mojava update 14.4. You can obtain installers from various places (known as "patched" install utilities) that will let you update but will not include the bootrom updates (confirmed this by emailing one of the authors). I'm currently running High Sierra again safely on both of my MBPs but do plan to update eventually using one of those tools (unless Apple admits the bootrom problem and releases a fixed version).

So I couldn't stop myself.. I had to do an install, and I had the Mojave installer sitting there on my ext. SSD so I used that. It got a bit stuck on one of the many auto reboots during installation - even throwing up the "Error: 0x8000000000000003, Cannot Load 'EFI/Drivers/TestSupport.efi'" error message!!

But after a reset, seemed to make it into Mojave correctly - and now have 285.0.0.0 Boot ROM installed:

and after Mojave install:

Hardware Overview:

  Model Name: iMac

  Model Identifier: iMac13,2

  Processor Name: Intel Core i7

  Processor Speed: 3.4 GHz

  Number of Processors: 1

  Total Number of Cores: 4

  L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

  L3 Cache: 8 MB

  Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled

  Memory: 32 GB

  Boot ROM Version: 285.0.0.0.0

  SMC Version (system): 2.11f16

I did try a 'D' restart - but it got hung on grey / white screen until I rebooted. I might try option D too..