MacBook Pro bricked after failed Big Sur update 😵 ⚰️

I have also spent close to 2 hours with Apple support and and hour that their service centre. Nothing till now.

Have a phone call with Apple Support scheduled in another 12 hours.

Guys,

Please post the status of your service requests on this thread. Would definitely help others.

Hey, MacBook Pro 2018 here stuck at 98% aswell. I contacted Apple and they asked me to force shutdown the computer and to next boot the Mac with Option + Command + R key pressed till the planet appear, I was not too quick with the keys so the Mac reboot normally and by my surprise the install finished by its own and the login page appear. I was scared to shutdown the computer while update was not finished but the assistance guy at the phone told me it be can be caused by the internet connection..not sure about this.. hope it will help you or others 🤞🤞🤞

Who had FileVault enabled when the update caused a black screen? I have a mid-2014 MacBook Pro. Maybe having FileVault may be a factor? I did fix mine. I posted how I did that but had to restore from backup and it was challenging. I had to wipe the drive because it i longer recognized my password.

I had FileVault enabled on my 2015 MacBook Retina 12”. I have no clue what to try as obviously on this MacBook nothing is removable...I feel like my only options are to try to reset the SMC but so far no joy.

Hi, my MacBook Pro Late 2013 also bricked by Big Sur OSX update. Apple Phone support guided me on several key combination, but didn‘t solved the problem. My Mac still stands still, black screen, no fan noise, nothing. The only indicator of it is on/ off is the Apple logo. So, they made me an appointment at the local Apple Genius Bar which I went yesterday and the locals tried solving via LAN connected terminal tools which was not successful, too. So, they concluded the mainboard was bricked which could be only fixed by an replacement/ spare. Now, given it is (they call) it already vintage hardware, such spares are rarely available and repair costs to be discussed with Apple Care which I have contacted today twice. First in the morning, I have described the issue not knowing this is a worldwide reported problem (already in the media). They forwarded me to an Apple Care manager which explained he can‘t offer anything. Means, all costs on me. Then a colleague made me aware of this is a general problem described in the web and so I gave it another try, hoping Apple Care was made now aware in meanwhile too and may potentially has a quick fix or offer for those users affected. Again, Apple Care manager has no solution nor offer. This is super disappointing as obviously Apple Big Sur update bricked MacBooks worldwide, but Apple Care obviously don‘t care about so far. I hope they will change their mind and help us soon by more and more users reporting this issue.

Have a similar issue. Black screen after initial failed attempt of the upgrade. Only sign of life is external monitor acknowledging usb-c connection is live. Tried all boot button combos. 2017 MBP.

Please, someone can try to change the internet connection before trying to switch on the MBP?? If you were updating using WLAN for example, try to just change the SSID of your network or the IP of the server or just disable IPv6 on the router... In my case this worked. Also give priority to 2.4 GHz WLAN over 5GHz. Try it!! Good luck!

My MBP Mid-2014 also bricked by Big Sur update. SD card inserted. Black screen problem with no key combinations at boot working (it's not booting). Spoke to Apple for an hour on Saturday when this happened and booked into an iStore (an hour's drive away) next Saturday. Told it would cost me £69 for a diagnostic test and more if work was needed. I am reluctant to go until Apple acknowledge it was their fault and admit liability - I don't want to pay someone just to tell me it is bricked! I was reluctant to do the update on an older machine but curiosity got the better of me - of course wish I had waited. Apple please could I (and all of the other affected people) have an official response please? This issue has had some traction in the press (The Independent and Daily Mail here in the UK), I think it needs more press attention so that the reputational cost becomes too much for Apple and they have to act - otherwise they will probably be able to blame it on older hardware and expect customers to either pay for a costly repair or buy a brand new, very expensive, Mac.

Sounds like the store you were referred to was a authorised repair centre. I won’t touch my local with a barge poll but that’s a different story.

Anyway I’ve just been talking to Apple, tried a few things, no luck. I’ve been told I’ll have to wait for a callback. If it does mean taking it in I’ll wait until I can get to the nearest Apple store.

Not sure if anyone else has noticed this but my 2015 MacBook 12” was getting warm just as I left it. Almost like it was actually doing something behind the black screen...updating possibly, I’m not sure 🤔 might leave it on tomorrow and see what happens.

At the point of total despair I tried unplugging the power and thunderbolt monitor. Suddenly it came on!

Heres the thing, I tested this many times - if the power cable and / or thunderbolt screen is plugged in the MacBook Pro either powers on to a black screen or a frozen login.

...so this is a bit of a workaround because your unplugging and plugging cables back each time but it gets the thing too boot.

reading these various adventures, I think we have achieved superstitious problem solving. Whether it is disconnecting and reconnecting a piece of hardware, turning the lights out and going in a circle four times, there is no sense of what the problem is. Mine was bricked and it came back to life. I did many of the things people have posted. Did any of them contribute to the resurrection? Not a clue. Not until Apple reveals the root cause. Do the various things, but just be mindful to not do anything that permanently changes your computer.

Nobody has tried just to change the WLAN or move to a LAN connection? I did some changes on my WLAN like changing the SSID and when pressed the power button it came to live and finished the update well...

I guess I'm lucky because Big Sur won't install on my MacBook Pro after several hours of working with Apple. They know there's a problem but apparently they don't have a clue. So rather than risk what happened after I installed Catalina on my iMac - made a mess of my computer.

I'm lucky because when I try to install Big Sur it won't and just says there's an error. Apple knows there's a problem but the "fix" they gave me didn't work. Now having read some of the horror shows below and having had Catalina mess up my iMac, I think I'll skip Big Sur for now.

I'm in the same((Macbook Pro Mid 2014. Black screen of death and nothing else. Official support says - You update OS on your own risk!!!!)) You hear that?))They broke my device and says that it is my problems because mbp is warranty out..... i'm in shock!

[Edited by Moderator]