2018 MacBook Pro boot issues/boot loop

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2018 MacBook Pro boot issues/boot loop

I have a 2018 MacBook Pro that hasn't been turned on for a few years.

The majority of the time, when I plug it in the screen lights up and the fan starts then the screen goes dim again. Occasionally it will show the Apple logo but it then goes off.

When I hold option to go into the startup options, it does gives me these options and shows Macintosh HD and Windows. When I select either the screen goes blank and fan turns off again.

When I try to boot into Internet Recovery, it gets to the end and I get 1008f error (I have already removed from Find My).

When I attempt to go into DFU mode to revive or restore from another Mac, it very briefly connects (screen lit up and fan whirring at the same time) and then immediately disconnects.

When the screen is blank, a lot of the time the trackpad still clicks as if the laptop is turned on.

The laptop itself I remember I hardly used at the time. I purchased it off a friend but ended up not needing it, so all I did was set it up and install a few applications.

As anyone got any ideas as to how I can get this booting again? If the device is a goner, how do I know any data that was downloaded during my brief usage is safe if I need to dispose of the laptop?

Thank you.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Jan 28, 2024 2:46 AM

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HWTech

Community+ 2026

Level 9

70,706 points

Jan 28, 2024 1:20 PM in response to twmmcw

Here is an Apple article regarding the -1008f error when attempting to boot into Internet Recovery Mode:

If your Mac starts up to error -1008F - Apple Support

Are you actually able to put the laptop into DFU mode? This can be tricky to do. You need to use the USB-C charging cable which shipped with the laptop from the factory and make sure it is connected to the front left USB-C port on the broken lntel laptop. I've only ever used the Apple Configurator method for "Reviving" & "Restoring" these Macs....the Apple Configurator 2 screen must show a large faint gray box with "DFU" shown in the center which indicates the laptop is actually in DFU mode. I don't know how things work when using the Finder to perform this process since I don't currently have Sonoma installed. If Apple Configurator 2 shows the broken laptop is in DFU mode, then try the Revive and/or Restore options. If you try them a second time after a failure, then make sure Apple Configurator shows the DFU notice. If the DFU firmware Restore fails you can try using another USB-C cable (make sure it is the correct cable since a Thunderbolt 3 cable which supports the USB3 protocol will not work for this process....I don't know if a third party USB3 only USB-C cable would work or not). Otherwise if the process fails multiple times, then it indicates a hardware issue of some sort with the Logic Board and probably not work repairing as the money would be better spent putting towards another laptop.

Here are two Apple articles for performing a DFU firmware Revive & Restore.....the first one involves using the Finder on the host Mac while the second one uses Apple Configurator 2 on the host Mac:

How to revive or restore Mac firmware - Apple Support

Revive or restore an Intel-based Mac using Apple Configurator - Apple Support

If an Apple laptop has been stored for an extended time, then most likely the laptop's battery has become completely discharged. This is very bad since it can permanently damage the Lithium battery. It also can prevent the laptop from powering on or even booting....most likely the battery won't even charge. With a 2016+ Mac, if the battery is not working properly, then it can cause the laptop to run extremely slow where even if it tries to boot, it could end up taking days (personal experience) or it may never finish booting due to the power issues.

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2018 MacBook Pro boot issues/boot loop

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