catalina killed my MacBook pro

I'm not so sure. Seems like a huge co-incidence to me. I remember spending many hours talking to apply about sticky keys on my Macbook pro and they were adamant that this wasn't their problem as well. 2 years later they are replacing keyboards.

Have you tried seeing if the MacBook will run a version of OSX or Mac OS from an external drive. This would then allow you to see if the POST runs properly and the computer operates in a normal way. This might rule out almost everything but your PCIe bridge, and therefore you will know if its worth possibly getting a replacement SSD to test?

Same here! My MBP worked just fine till upgrade! Now I have flashing question mark folder and useless 2015 MBP.

Went to apple service , they said, ssd is ok. It cannot boot from external HD. In other words - dead! It is obviously Apple's fault, and, sooner or later, they will admit it!

Same here with an iMac 21.5" 2013. White Screen of Death! Went to an Apple Store, but no luck so far. No response at all, even target mode won't work! My guess is, that the update killed the EFI boot rom.

Update: Took the MBP15 back to the Apple store and tech would not acknowledge that Catalina broke the machine. Said the update, which can be an intense processor for the computer, exacerbated a latent hardware issue. Because a logic board at $575 is cheaper than a new MBP I sent it in for repairs. Now, to see if the issue repeats with the new logic board. This taught me a lesson on being among the first to update the MacOS.

Keep your receipt - I suspect you may be in for a refund. Saying that an upgrade causes undue stress is horse sh&**&^ compared to video conversion for example. They think they can just bluff their way out of this problem - so very apple of them....

I believe the focus that people lack in this thread is that you can have underlying hardware problems before upgrading your software. Just because it was running "perfectly fine" doesn't mean that there wasn't a hardware problem.

And it does not mean that there was either. My money in on a faulty firmware being applied as the link I posted above shows dozens of people all having the exact same "coincidental hardware" malfunction just when then tried to update the OS. I have to say that I'm not even trying to update to Catalina for several months as past experience has shown Apple just don't test themselves these days relying on those people have spare kit to try the beta test program.

Vancouver22 wrote:....

Not sure this is of any help, being your situation is different, mine was an accidental erase from find my iPhone. ...

I was reading through this thread and saw your post. You may be right that

all these issues may be related to the new "Find My" app in Catalina.

I was getting constant notification badges o System Preferences to update

my "AppleID settings" by entering my AppleID password which was eventually followed

by asking me to enter my iMac user password. I finally figured out that

every time I would wake my iPhone 11 Pro, or any other iDevice with

iOS 13.1.2, I would get a notification badge on System Preferences prompting me

to my Apple ID on my iMac to "update" my settings by verifying my AppleID Password

and it was followed by needing to enter my iMac user password. After disabling "Find My"

in my iCloud settings it finally stopped.

So, I wonder if some of these "brickings" are the result of false erase messages from iDevices

thinking these Macs were stolen/lost and commanded to brick through the new "Find My" app?

A remote lock down and erase message could create just these kinds of scenarios.

To RReinhardt93.

What’s your point?

Are you saying that hundreds, maybe thousands by now, have had the same hidden hardware problem despite having different machines from a spread of years?

Do you work for Apple and are trying to deflect the obvious to lessen their responsibility? Or an ostrich with his head buried in the sand?

BTW to RReinhardt93 again.

If we all had a pre-existing hardware problem that has been uncovered by trying to upgrade to Catalina, that is, in itself, a reason to ask Apple to rectify the problem.

Clearly, there was an underlying hardware defect hitherto unknown.

None of us has done anything “wrong” except follow Apple’s upgrade path.

Same problem here. Upgraded my MBPro 13’’ Mid 2014 to Catalina. After the restart needed, it just don’t start and appear the folder logo blinking. there is no command working, any combination, nothing. Apple Portugal answered, by phone, that “It was my choice to upgrade”. How can I report this to Apple Engineers?

Exactly the same with mine, wouldn’t boot at all then started but with a blank screen. Just persisted and after using the keystrokes before pressing on button to reset NVRAM and the power controller (sorry can’t remember what they are) it randomly started. Once logged in has been running extremely slowly. Spent hours messing about with it and now it’s slower than it was and then 4 times today hung up and needed to be restarted. Oh and this afternoon the display went and lost the toolbar had to mess about with that a couple tones and restart . . . Heavens above I’m considering getting a PC

I have the same issue. 15” MacBook Pro late 2013. Worked great prior to OS updates.... I cannot boot with previous OS usb disk. —-“Cannot load EFI drivers”. I’m guessing my firmware has been corrupted after upgrading to Catalina. The fans are on full when hitting power button. I’ve tried resetting smc and nvram so many times. Now I don’t get backlight on keyboard or power display on cord. Machines cpu is high idle but not hot. It’s like all the sensors have died. Will schedule to take into Apple repair but I think I will need a new logic board.

Just come back from the Apple Store.

Apple worker had not come across/ heard of this problem.

After “diagnostic testing” they say I need a new logic board at £465 plus 20% VAT!

£558 for a failed software upgrade and not my fault.

Not happy and declined.

How does one contact senior staff at Apple?