New Mac OS update bricked my 16" M1 Pro Macbook firmware

jikacz wrote:

1. Hello,

I've recently downloaded the new 12.1 mac OS update. The computer told me that I needed to restart, so I closed all the programs and did so. I left the computer and came back to a black screen with a (!) and the text: "support.apple.com/mac/restore".

This essentially means that the update bricked my computer at the firmware level. The above webpage states that you need to hook up the computer to another mac - come on, I don't have another mac lying around. That's ridiculous to suggest. I have tried the following:

Pressing and holding the power button (M1) to load the startup options

1. Machine starts to enter startup options and then reverts to loading the startup options

If the power button is released at any time, the (!) screen comes back instantly. The only option is to have this looked at by Apple. I want this to serve as a public service announcement for others out there that this is happening• .

System Specs:

16" Macbook Pro: M1 Pro base model

If your Mac starts up to an exclamation point in a circle

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211868?cid=mc-ols-mac-article_ht211868-macos_ui-09292020

you can submit your Apple Feedback

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html

Call Customer Support (800) MY–APPLE (800–692–7753)

Make an appointment for a "hardware issue"—

https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

Outside the USA

https://locate.apple.com/country

jikacz wrote:

This is not a helpful comment. If you read my post, I state that I don't have access to another computer, so I cannot follow the steps provided on https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211868?cid=mc-ols-mac-article_ht211868-macos_ui-09292020

Additionally, I have had a conversation with the apple support team on the phone and the only option provided to me was to bring it to an Apple store. Something I already mentioned in my original post. Just posting a slew of links is unhelpful and shows that you're just after engagement points.

Thanks for your critique jikacz—

I guess I missed your point...however we already know this is happening in some isolated cases, and you were provided a path forward.

"The only option is to have this looked at by Apple. I want this to serve as a public service announcement for others out there that this is happening• "

This being a technical support forum— not a public service announcement page

In the reference links I supplied above include an appropriate venue for you to share you feedback, engagement point or not.

you can submit your Apple Feedback

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html

It just bricked mine too. I had the base model. I returned it to best buy for a full refund. What was odd was the update was over 3gigs big which is extremely large for an update. That’s almost the size of a new operating system install. I’m not sure I’m gonna buy another one. I’m not fond of the two weeks to get it fixed and they did not offer me a new one out the box like the one I had. Thank god I bought it from BestBuy.

i took mine into the apple store and they tried a restore and the it was burnt. Unreal. $2500. They Offered to send it in and wait two weeks to get it back and would not give me a brand new one. Apple should absolutely give their customers a brand new mac if their MacBook Pro M1 is brand new and apple fried their system with an apple update. However. This M1 was an awesome computer until the update.

Dear jikacz,

man - I had the same issue with my brand new MacBookPro M1pro (14"/10CPU/16GPU/16GB/1TB) with Monterey.

On Jan 9 I still worked on the machine, shut it down and then in the morning of Jan 10 - black screen with the message to contact apple support. I even tried the linking go the computer and everything else - but always back to the black screen with the message. So - I sent it in to Apple for repair - no clue what the reason is.

I work on Mac Laptops since 1996 and with these last two generations (MacBookPro 2019 15", MacBookPro/M1pro 2021 14") I had only problems... really a shame - I am currently working on my 2013 MacBook Pro (15", Catalina) - which still turns smoothly like ever - maybe these new machines are simply too complex and sensitive... Good luck for you ! Hope it gets solved !

Bluecore

Bluecore - may I ask what happened when you got your MacBook Pro back? I'm having the same problem with the exact same kind of macbook pro, and I'm off to the Apple store tomorrow and fearing for the worst. My concern is being able to recover all my data because I haven't done a backup in months (silly me) and it just stopped working from one day to the other, just like yours... :-( Thanks!

Hi Ohno, actually - my work's informatics office managed in the end to "revive" it - using a USB drive to transfer Firmware and some keystroke acrobatics - then reinstall macOS. However - in the process the SDD got wiped... Maybe directly at the Applestore they can do some more magic to recover data. Apple should REALLY be concerned about this issue - even if it is only few cases - this is absolutely NOT ACCEPTABLE for such a new and expensive machine ! They should also immediately REPLACE it and give you a new one. Best of luck ! Bluecore.

Thanks, Bluecore and jikacz for sharing your experiences! I am so sorry that this happened to you both, and I absolutely agree with you.

I took my three months old (!) Macbook Pro M1 to the Apple Store today and left it there, then got a phone call from an employee telling me that the "good news" was that "hey, my hardware is in perfect conditions!", and that the bad news was that they had to wipe my SDD clean. I lost months of work, and I was blamed by the store employee for thinking that this couldn't happen to a new MacBook, because "both old computers and new computers can break" - except that mine didn't break. It just successfully downloaded an upgrade that damaged it. :-( So frustrating.

I had this exact issue. My M1 16" Macbook repaired from water damage, and with the OS 12.3 update, bricked my machine. With AppleCare+, I took it to the Genius Bar and they had the logic board repaired. When it was returned, the OS was 12.1, so I updated and ran into the same issue again... Genius Bar, replaced logic board...

The next time around I had the Apple Store update it before I took it back. They were able to figure out that:

A FIRMWARE UPDATE FOR THE LOGIC BOARD IS REQUIRED.

Updated to 12.3 and now have a fully functioning Macbook. Hope this helps!