Following Configurator2 instructions to revive a 2019 MacBook Pro with T2 security chip,.. cannot pair.

USB-C to USB-C cables are not all the same. Some are actually Thunderbolt Cables and others are just basic USB2 cables, or charging cables. Usually the Thunderbolt cables have a lightening bolt on the connectors (at least the Apple ones do).

You need to use a basic USB2 charging cable with USB-C connectors on both ends (no lightning bolts) or a USB-C to USB-A cable. USB-A is the old style USB connector.

I mentioned the cable because it is very easy for people to overlook the differences in USB-C cables.

It is possible the front left USB-C port has a problem (or perhaps both of the left ports), but since DFU mode only works with the front one there is no way to be sure if the system won't boot. The best you can do is see if the contacts on that front left USB-C port look Ok (very difficult to do, but it can be done if you look at it with the correct angle and shine a line at the right angle). I find a lot of the USB-C ports on our organization's USB-C laptops have liquid damage (all it takes is a small bit of liquid to short two pins). It also doesn't help that these USB-C Apple laptops seem to behave oddly especially concerning the battery & charging.

Make sure to try the USB-C ports on the other side of the laptop to see if you can get the batteries charged or to provide more power to the laptop. Make sure to avoid using any multi-port adapters, docks, or hubs as they do not allow the full power of the charger to reach the laptop.

If you do end up having Apple repair them, please let us know if there was a common solution as I'm very interested in more information to help service our organization's USB-C Apple laptops. These are the absolute worst laptops Apple has ever made for servicing or troubleshooting. There is no rhyme or reason to some of their behaviors.

AppleMOS6502 wrote:

The primary issue is, a number of 16" MacBook Pro's were all 2019 units with the T2 security feature, however, we did not use them for 8 months and over 50% of them had battery life down to somewhere around 5-10%. Initially, I tried the SMC Reset, but this failed on a number of them. I was told to I downloaded Configurator2 onto my working MacBook so I could revive a number of these 16" MacBook Pro's so I went to this link for further instructions:

https://support.apple.com/guide/apple-configurator-2/revive-or-restore-an-intel-based-mac-apdebea5be51/mac

Using the "Macbook Air" method, I secured a USB-C to USB-C cable, to the LEFT-FRONT port of the system I'm trying to revive. Conducted the Control-Option-Right Shift-Power combination but I do not see the pairing occur. I tried this on another and it did pair and I was able to get that system to a point were I could begin provisioning it. I went back to the first problem machine but still cannot pair. Is there anything else I could try?

Thanks in Advance.

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