"BAD MAGIC! (flag set in iBoot panic header)" — Catalina freezing all the time!

@RhythmDriver Nope, thats the first thing that I turn off on any laptop I use. As I stated earlier, its all related to USB-C/Thunderbolt peripherals. Docks, Displays, anything hooked up externally can cause some "BAD MAGIC".

Just need Apple to address this and my guess would be they have something in the tb3 driver that needs to be addressed.

I've had this issue for a very long time.

After upgrading to newer OS the error message said Caterr Kernal Panic.

2 week ago my motherboard of my Macbook Pro 2018 were replaced and after that I've not experienced a single Freeze.

So for me the problem seamed to be the motherboard (with hardrive).

@Marcwa122 Your MBP most likely has a defective hardware component... make an appointment with a Apple Support in your area and get that looked at!

under System preferences > Energy saver > automatic graphics switching

Graphics card switching... try disabling it. I’ve not had an issue since I did it.

Please stop making experiments, ask for a replacement if you are within the warranty period.

I have checked with numerous mac geniuses , numerous files got sent to Apple’s engineering team in Ireland. The bad magic kernel error does not let mac os leave any console logs or any traceable reports.

The mechanics have nothing to do with double monitors but rather how much the T2 chip is stressed. It is basically an iphone processor in charge of so many processes, including but limited to data security and encryption, facetime camera, audio (mic), secure boot, etc.

This time, they are avoiding a huge recall if you ask me.

Users who use their systems lightly are not prone to experience this error. I have this issue when I am doing a project on final cut pro. If I surf the web all day long nothing happens.

But hey we did not pay this huge amount of money for surfing on the web right?

Get a refund while you can. I could not do it at the time because I needed to keep the machines for my profession. However, I lost customers during the replacement process which took 9 months for imac pro. And the process for the macbook pro is still ongoing (somewhat stagnant process actually)

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KEEP THEIR DEVICES:

Call the Apple Support line make them give you a case number, have it documented in the system. This way no matter how long it takes they cannot reject your warranty claims on this T2 chip - Bad Magic kernel panic error.

A total of 8 senior reps ghosted me on this subject saying “we will help you don`t worry”. No callbacks whatsoever...

"Uncheck "hard disks to sleep..." on battery and power adapter tabs and change both "turn display off after..." sliders to "Never" under Energy Saver. Laptop connected to power directly with remaining 3 USB-c ports connects"

As i am always on power adapter i had only changed those preferences. I tested your alternative, changing the energy preferences for the laptop on batteries mode too.

So far i have have less to no kernel panic when the unit wakes up in the morning. Note that I use active corners to put display on sleep when away and don't close the laptop screen for optimal cooling because this "fix" is kind of a fake sleep mode, you can tell touching at the laptop it's a bit warm vs cold on a complet night in sleep mode.

So that's another option, maybe better than disconnecting absolutely all my devices all nights.

Config : MBP15 2019 full specs with 2 usb-c Screens + 1 usb-c DAS

Update from me:

I am in Spain: first machine got replaced after 1 day, the second one it works looks like so, didnt have a single freeze or reboot.

I did turn off safe boot, and all secudity features from system pref., also running constantely on Raden gpu. I am also not migrating old system out of precausion because frist time i migrated and one program had to trigger BAD MAGIC right on the boot up.

I have noticed 1 thing, i dont know if its an issue or not with i9. Computer is runing quite hot, cpu is 98% idle and temperate of CPU is between 50-60, it has occasional spikes to 90+ for just a second and goes back to 60 without fans responding much. I have now installed temperature monitoring app and set up vents controlled by app not the system anymore. Anyone has insights into temperatures also ?

I'm also from Spain and has the reboot crash problem, but since I turned off the FileVault it's crash free (6 days already). My MacBook Pro 16 is also an i9, I use iStats and haven't seen high temperatures problems like you mention, only if I use a big project I work in on Xcode fans and temperatures get high, certainly I have been on vacations so I hadn't pushed my computer too much yet.

Hi m4de, it also occurs to me when I am currently working with the MacBook Pro 16 ", so the sleep mode is not active.

Alone, if I have not connected an external display, it works without problems so far.

In the meantime I have done some surveys and there are users with external Thunderbolt displays who confirm that your system is working perfectly.

The Apple Store in Munich also confirmed this by phone. 24 hours around the clock: MacBook Pro and Pro Display XDR everything flawlessly.

However, they only have a standard configuration for the MacBook Pro 16 ".

I myself have the full equipment of the MacBook Pro 16 "with Apple Pro Display XDR.

=== German ==

Es tritt bei mir auch auf, wenn ich gerade mit dem MacBook Pro 16" arbeite, der Ruhemodus also nicht aktiv ist.

Allein, wenn ich kein externes Display angeschlossen habe, läuft es bisher ohne Probleme.

Inzwischen habe ich einige Umfragen gemacht und es gibt Nutzer mit externen Thunderbolt Display, die bestätigen, bei Ihnen liefe es einwandfrei.

Auch der Apple Store in München hat mir telefonisch bestätigt. 24 Stunden rund um die Uhr: MacBook Pro und Pro Display XDR alles einwandfrei.

Allerdings haben die dort auch nur eine Standard-Konfiguration des MacBook Pro 16".

Ich selbst habe die Vollausstattung des MacBook Pro 16" mit Apple Pro Display XDR.

@orcoonx

i am grateful to the dutch customer support team who said just go for a replacement since it is a new machine. Yeah i know that after 15 days you are eligible for a refurbished device :-(. Before that you still get a new device.

Dear Swiss Photographer

Yes, I had this crash without external display being connected. Right from day 1 of my new macbook pro. It would randomly occur.

The easiest way I could reproduce it is by watching Netflix on it and it would occur.

Apple thinks it is a hardware problem and decided to replace my macbook. So lets see how it goes in the new macbook

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a consistency with what is causing mine to crash. Today i had my computer re-imaged but it was to the current version of MacOS (10.15.3) and I logged in and it froze/restarted while I was in the initial setup.

My computer does not have any issues while connected to my external monitor. I am going to test with other external devices this weekend. Going to have to replace mine unfortunately. Having a laptop that doesn't work unless connected to a external monitor defeats the purpose of having a portable computer.