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Hi Ollie_05,

These images might indicate a hardware failure. I think that you should run Apple Diagnostics -  Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac - Apple Support and report back the results.

We may also need to proceed with an EtreCheck report. EtreCheck is a trusted and useful app to diagnose issues, both hardware and software. Please follow the steps outlined below:

1. Go to the Mac App Store and search for "EtreCheck."
2. Download it. It is a free and trusted app; as it is on the Mac App Store, and only trusted apps can be submitted.
3. Run the report, and put it in a post, as seen here - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-250000211

Cheers,

Jack

Thank you for running those tests. What concerns me with the EtreChek Report is the "System Modifications" and "Configuration Profiles Found." This could mean there is malware or a big issue.

But first, let's try these for an Intel Mac:

SMC reset How to reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support

PRAM Reset Reset NVRAM or PRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

Safe Mode Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support

(Please note that Safe Mode should not be used unless we are testing.)

Let me know if anything is better.

Here is how I suggest you do a clean install:

1) VERY IMPORTANT - BACKUP! You are about to erase your system drive. Never do that without a backup - well, actually, you should have at least two... I recommend a Time Machine on one drive, and a full clone of your system drive in a separate one.

2) Download the full  Big Sur installer from the App Store. If the installer starts automatically, quit it.

[if the OS you want to install is an older one, like Catalina, Mojave or High Sierra, use this link instead: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683]

3) Create an installer drive on a thumb drive, following the instructions here:

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Supportsupport.apple.com › en-us

4) On recent macs, you may need to authorize booting from an external drive, which may be disabled by default. You do this in "Boot Security Utility".

Information about this is available in this support document:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208198

---- do not proceed further without a backup!!!! ---- 

5) Restart your mac holding the Option key, and select that installer disk to boot your mac

6) Use Disk Utility to reformat your internal drive as APFS

7) Quit Disk Utility and start the installer. 

8) When asked, choose to migrate content from "another mac, time machine or drive".

IMPORTANT: elect to migrate ONLY user accounts; NOT applications, settings or other files

The fact that things appear normal when booted in Safe Mode is encouraging.

My first thought was that there might be a hardware problem, but now I think it is software.

First of all, make a full backup. An up to date Time Machine and also a full clone of your drive, just in case.

You should do an erase and install. You could do it from recovery mode, but I prefer to create an installer on a thumb drive.

After you erase and install, migrate ONLY the user account(s), and not the applications, settings or "other files".

I will post a full set of instructions for doing a clean install on a separate message.

Configuration profiles found - This computer may have configuration profiles installed. These are sometimes used by adware and malware.

Look in System Preferences. Do you have a Profiles pane in there? Most people don't, as it is only supposed to show when there are profiles installed.

These can be sometimes used in macs, e.g. in school labs, or on macs used in a corporate environment.

When they show in a home mac and the user is unaware, it usually means some malware is involved.

And, of course, you should uninstall sophos. Third party antivirus or "cleaners" are the cause of a lot of grief. I would not expect it to do the kind of damage you are seeing, though.

If you need more help erasing and reinstalling macOS, feel free to post back on this form!