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Catalina installation damaged EFI firmware on MBP mid 2012

Today when i run update of OSX to Catalina, when installation initiated restart of mac, it stuck on black screen. I waited 15min and turned it off. After i turned it on, again - black screen. I called to support, tried all "magic button combinations", changed and tested SSD and memory (on my dad's same notebook), tried to disconnect battery for some time (to reset settings, in case of magic keys didn't helped), tried to start with disconnected SSD\CD-rom\Trackpad\wi-fi\... Tested also monitor on another notebook - it works. But with my motherboard when i press power btn - it just turns on fan, and white led always on, and monitor didn't wake up, not "showing black screen" but just didn't turns it on at all, no backlight, no LCD any activity (checked with flashlight). So i went to official local service and they sad that "it's just too old...". So i get to unofficial service but with normal guys, and they tested all the hardware and it works great, but didn't wake up with this motherboard. And they directly programated EFI with special tool, and it works now. So in result - i'm officially say: "Catalina damaged my EFI and it cost me 2 work days and 100$ of repair cost". Is it normal, Apple? You want me to buy new notebook instead of continue using my old one that still working great, so you just tried to kill my old notebook with software "bug"? Or what? Why official support can't help with this case? Why official local services didn't helped?

Posted on Oct 11, 2019 3:19 AM

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Question marked as Helpful

Oct 15, 2019 7:53 AM in response to Smallllk

To those who've experienced this issue: please let Apple know today. These threads are not actively followed and the more users that report to Apple, probably the more likely that there will be some resolution.


I initiated a chat and was then called by a Senior Advisor. I reported the details of the update corrupting my firmware, and sent links to the relevant threads here. Be nice and don't expect a fix over the phone, but they need to be made aware of the number of users affected. For reference, here are the related threads I am following:


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250716026


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250745000


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250719221


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250728927

80 replies

Oct 11, 2019 5:46 AM in response to Smallllk

This is primarily a user-to-user support site in which Apple's participation is very limited. To contact Apple, click the Contact Apple link on their home page.


If those questions are for your fellow users, I doubt anyone will be able to provide a constructive answer, but it seems you were given sort of a runaround at first. No it's not normal, but fixing a seven year old MBP fixed for only $100 seems like a satisfactory outcome.

Oct 13, 2019 12:19 AM in response to John Galt

I understand that, but in support all they sad was: 🤷‍♂️

I'm sure that they read it anyway.

And main thing, i hope that my story can help some other users with same situation.

100$ is money too, and paying it for their bug - not fair, i already payed for this macbook a lot (when it was latest). And if official local service would help me at this price - it will be almost "OK", but they not, and just send me home without any suggestion except "buy new one". So i spent my own time to find normal service, and after than i spent a lot of time to reinstall os and restore everything, and it cost me much more than 100$...

Question marked as Helpful

Oct 15, 2019 7:53 AM in response to Smallllk

To those who've experienced this issue: please let Apple know today. These threads are not actively followed and the more users that report to Apple, probably the more likely that there will be some resolution.


I initiated a chat and was then called by a Senior Advisor. I reported the details of the update corrupting my firmware, and sent links to the relevant threads here. Be nice and don't expect a fix over the phone, but they need to be made aware of the number of users affected. For reference, here are the related threads I am following:


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250716026


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250745000


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250719221


https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250728927

Catalina installation damaged EFI firmware on MBP mid 2012

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