Level 1

48 points

MacBook Pro bricked after failed Big Sur update 😵 ⚰️

Hi Guys and Gals.

I saw that there was an update to Big Sur today so clicked update. It all downloaded fine and I clicked all the items to go ahead. It said it'd be a while so i stepped away from the computer. When i returned the screen was black - no status bar, no nothing, but I could tell the LED was on. Nothing would wake it up so I eventually held the power button to force a shutdown.

Now it won't boot. Tried SMC, PRAM, holding shift, option keys, recovery mode etc etc. Tried all many many times.

The only thing that happens is the LED for the screen turns on. So i can see it's slightly lit black, and the apple logo on the outside of the screen is lit up.

An automatic Catalina update destroyed my dads iMac a month or two back - resulting in a new SSD and a cracked screen from opening it up. And now my MacBook Pro (A1502) is now dead?? What's the deal?

At least it would boot into recovery mode - this one won't even get to the loading bar, or chime when i'm trying to reset the PRAM!

Any ideas? I've done everything I know to do. It was working just fine before the update, and now i'm kicking myself. Cant even do a restore from my backup!

😰

[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Nov 13, 2020 7:32 AM

Top-ranking reply

trideck

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Jan 9, 2021 4:41 AM

Just for info sharing, it was reported that unplugging the IO board (the one with the SD-Card, HDMI and USB port) allows Big Sur 11.0.x to further boot an "bricked" MacBook Pro Late 2013 - to finish its Big Sur 11.0.x OS install.

Once done, connecting an USB or Thunderbolt LAN adapter gets the MacBook Pro back connected to the Internet (because the unplugged IO board incl. also WiFi and BT - so not working so far anymore) and then allows Mac OSX Updater to search and update to latest Big Sur 11.1.x (Apple reported to avoid the "brick" issue with).

Once Big Sur 11.1.x update has finished, reconnecting the IO Board, the "brick" issue is solved without any hardware replacement needed.

So, wondering if it ever was/ is a bricked hardware, while this seems (at least for some) that it was/ is just Big Sur 11.0.x stuck the IO Board and therefore from booting, but Big Sur 11.1x update solve it quickly (by getting this installed with the method described above).

May this is helpful info (if not known by Apple Genius Bar Experts) and offers another way to "repair" an "bricked" MacBook Pro Late 2013 (or Mid 2014) by lower costs for the value of the users affected.

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450 replies

Feb 21, 2021 4:10 PM in response to nuoptik

This problem is not limited to MacBooks - it just happened to my 2013 Mac Pro. I was able to successfully upgrade to Big Sur and was using it for several months with no major issues. Last week, I noticed some weird behavior after the 11.2.1 update and did a backup with time machine. The next day, I have a bricked Mac Pro that was working great prior to the 11.2.1 update. Everything is exactly as described here - black screen, and nothing fixes it.

kim-san

Level 1

8 points

Feb 23, 2021 1:09 PM in response to sstoynov

Hi @sstoynov

My early 2015 MBP had the same problem.

I was told to replace logic board. $478 + tax.

I guess it's not just 2013 and 2014.

I saw your post saying yours was repaired for free.

I hope I can get mine fixed by Apple.

kim-san

Level 1

8 points

Mar 11, 2021 7:33 AM in response to housell10

I contacted senior tech and pointed this thread and this is what he told:

"Thats a public "opinion" forum please know that all comment mades there have not been vetted. I can confirm your particular issue is not related to an update."

Asked to escalate even upper level and he told:

"I am a member of the Senior team, in this case you may want to reach out to the store manager for further assistance."

nuoptik Author

Level 1

48 points

Nov 13, 2020 7:40 AM in response to crample

My advice would be to not force shut it down. Maybe leave it the whole weekend if you can?

nuoptik Author

Level 1

48 points

Nov 13, 2020 7:43 AM in response to leroydouglas

Thanks Leroy but I can’t get past a black screen.

Nov 13, 2020 8:52 AM in response to nuoptik

My MacBook Pro (late 2018) has begun to get a kernel panic after trying to upgrade to Big Sur. Has anyone else had a similar problem?

nowinnie

Level 1

10 points

Nov 13, 2020 9:16 AM in response to jsquared71

Yes, I had it 2 or 3 times when I was trying to upgrade.

nuoptik Author

Level 1

48 points

Nov 14, 2020 10:16 AM in response to nuoptik

I wondered if booting it in target disk mode and trying to format it from another machine might work but I can’t even get it to do that 😕

Nov 14, 2020 10:33 AM in response to crample

After 18 hours, mine is stuck on a black screen and an Apple Logo with the status bar at 98 percent or so. Did Apple hire Microsoft engineers to run this?

Nov 14, 2020 11:21 AM in response to GlasgowRoss

No luck with USB install neither. Thing is completely bricked. Incredible this could happen to so many people.

bentb

Level 1

4 points

Nov 14, 2020 8:26 PM in response to jsquared71

me too...hits 30%, down to 20% and poof, reboot. four hours later...not even restore to catalina works.

Nov 15, 2020 9:49 AM in response to jakegittes1974

Bit late for that crucial bit of advice, but thanks anyway ;-)

jaro144

Level 1

4 points

Nov 15, 2020 10:23 AM in response to nuoptik

I have the same problem. My MacBook Pro stuck on the last bits of installation of Big Sur. Very annoying.

mknell

Level 1

19 points

Nov 15, 2020 2:08 PM in response to Dude18

Leaving it off the charger I also tried with resulting in no change.

RADumas

Level 2

313 points

Nov 15, 2020 8:08 PM in response to RADumas

Finally, it worked. Crossing fingers, knocking on wood.

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MacBook Pro bricked after failed Big Sur update 😵 ⚰️