MacBook Pro bricked after failed Big Sur update 😵 ⚰️

I’m not aware of one. I only knew about the battery replacement program because I had the swollen battery problem. My MBP was not eligible either. The genius told me that I keep it plugged in too much and don’t allow the battery to cycle.

Yes - ask to speak to a senior support person. Point them to this thread showing that some of us are getting help, and then ask them to search for your particular MacBook Pro, Big Sur installation, I/O board, and corruption. Engineering HAS recognized this issue, but you have to find someone willing to look it up. My repair is scheduled for next week, and there should be no charge. They will start with the I/O board, and proceed to the logic board if needed.

Well, I didn't want to mention it until it actually arrived, but Apple replaced my bricked 2013 MacBook Pro with a 2020 M1 Macbook Pro at no cost. They were going to do an I/O board replacement for free but they couldn't find a local service centre that could source the parts, so they did a replacement. Pretty good result!

Seems like if you get to senior support and they track down the right issue they will take this seriously and fix it for you. Be polite, and patient, but firm. Apple are fixing these broken Macs!

Julia, I hadn’t tried connecting an external monitor. There was no way to upgrade to 11.1, since my MacBook Pro couldn’t start up, other than to show a grey screen. I tried to start up in recovery mode, but there was no response to any key combinations.

I suspect that it’s the older MacBook Pros (2013-2014) that were really bricked by Big Sur, with little chance of recovery without some sort of hardware repair. Somehow, having an SD card in the slot during the upgrade was involved in many of those with bricked machines. My senior support guy said that the entire logic board could be corrupted by the upgrade.

Make an appointment with the Genius Bar insist on speaking to a senior engineer or getting the number for an engineer. I doubt your logic board is broken but if it is they will repair for free or you should insist.

Thanks for everyone replying on this community thread.

My Macbook Pro was seen by the local Genius store and they recommended a logic board replacement at $500 my cost.

I filled out an online form to the San Jose Better Business Bureau and Apple corporate just replied with a form letter advising it was out of warranty.

I contacted Apple support and asked for a senior support person. They found the documents related to this issue and we are working through a solution. I will update this once resolved.

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.

Hey cpharada59, what year is your Macbook Pro? I am exactly in the same situation as you now. Went to Genius Bar today and they told me that the logic board needs to be replaced for $578 which I should pay. I just called Apple support and talked to senior support person, and he simply told me that they cannot cover this repair cause, since he does not find any documented problems in their system for 2015 Macbook Pro's (mine is 2015). He said that he only finds documents for 2013 or 2014 macbook pros. Also he mentioned that if Apple determines that other model were affected later on, they will reimburse me for the repair.

Mine needed to get re-soldered I brought it to UBreakIFix they kept it for 3 weeks, might have changed I/O connector?

from their record it was a GPU/Power IC motherboard issue.

The OSX update 11.0.1 fried my laptop and I had no choice but to get it repaired elsewhere.. Apple wanted 830$

these guys charged me 349$ plus taxes.. reasonable yes.. should I have gone through that? no.. Apple didn't vet this properly Mine too was a Mid-2015 MacBook Pro 2.8 Ghz i7 quad core with the integrated iris graphics card not dual graphics card model..

I've turned the page, but I won't forget it..

Dear all: After 2 months of being without my 13" Mid 2014 MacBook Pro which was bricked by Big Sur, today I received a beautiful new MacBook Pro! This came after many, many calls to support, a trip to the Apple store, and two trips to a local authorized repair store. It was anything but painless, and I received contrasting information from different senior support staff. After being told that I would get mine repaired locally, I was told by another senior advisor that no parts were available for my machine, and I'd just have to buy a new Mac, since it was so old. I finally got another senior advisor to listen, and he took over my case, read the documents and realized that I did qualify for a replacement. Whew!

If you have a 2013 or 2014 Macbook Pro, I suggest you keep trying, talk to a senior advisor and ask them to look up their internal documents that do show major damage from Big Sur to these units. If you can just get someone to listen, you do have a chance of getting some help.

Hello Dana!

Glad to see your persistence pay-off and Apple provided the kind of support we love it for. Personally I feel tech issues are something that will always occur, it’s the way you’re supported that sets a brand reputation, so I was appalled by initial response from Apple to this Big Sur issue; Glad it got back on tracks! I got my 2018 MBP affected (it wouldn’t update, so needed a T2 chip firmware reset done for free in Authorized Tech shop) so I hold off any install on my old 2013 MBP. Cases like yours make more confident in going through now.

I’m sure the brand new M1 machine will soon make forget your ordeal!

PS: Could you please confurm your experience was in a US store?

Yes, this occurred in the US. But, neither the Apple Store or the authorized repair store could tell me why my Mac was stuck on a gray screen - just that it was toast and would need a logic board replacement. Apple had planned to start with the I/O board, and if needed replace the logic board. Apparently they are all out of replacement parts for these old units, and is (if you're persistent and lucky) replacing the computers.

So glad your 2018 is fixed at Apple's expense. I'm not sure I would go through the hassle of updating your 2013 MBP. It took 2 months of haranguing to receive my replacement. At least, it might be worth calling support to see what they suggest. Best of luck!

So I made another appointment with Apple, went and delivered it and was called the next day that I would have to pick it up as all Apple retail stores in the DFW Texas area were going to shut down due to COVID.

The next option was a separate authorized repair store, so I delivered it and am waiting on their diagnostics. The rep at this store advised this was the third time the local Apple stores had temporarily closed due to COVID.

Thank you Dana, for your kind answer.

I’m considering to go trough the hassle because I use this as a backup machine, as I had to, during the whole month it took Apple to sort out the issue with my MBP. I also will use it to check Big Sur before install on my main MBP, however I’ll wait for a new more stable release.

Enjoy your new M1!

Final update - after being told by Apple store that I have to pay for the repair, I called Apple support again and got to another senior support engineer. Explained the whole situation again, and mentioned that this upgrade to Big Sur issue is affecting many macbook owners, and some of them were getting help from Apple. After being on hold for at least 15 min the senior support rep told me that they will pay for it and the fact that I left my macbook pro in the Apple store and did not authorize the repair the first time helped and will speed up the process. She called the apple store where my bacbook was and arranged the repair. 5 days later I got my 2015 macbook pro completely fixed - in the repair order it was noted that the logic board, the I/O board and a I/O Coax Cable were replaced.

Thank you Apple for helping me!!!