Kernel panic during Sequoia 15.4 installation on Apple M1 2021 MacBook Pro with Sonoma 14.7.5

I would suggest a DFU Firmware Revive or better yet a DFU Firmware Restore. Both of these will reset the secure enclave chip & system firmware. The latter will also reset the internal SSD & push a clean copy of macOS onto the internal SSD. Unfortunately this process requires access to another Mac currently running macOS 15.x Sequoia.

How to revive or restore Mac firmware - Apple Support

FYI, "dart" I believe is Device Address Resolution Table used to delineate hardware and memory on an M-series Mac (internal & external). I'm not certain on the exact name since I'm unable to locate the information with a quick search, but this is what I recall from investigating a year or so ago to assist another user.

If you are seeing this crash with a clean install with no external devices connected and without any third party apps & restore from backup, then you have a hardware issue most likely with the Logic Board.

Edit: Please keep us updated with the results and whatever happens with Apple.

I was able to fix this!! 16" M1 Max from Sonoma to Sequoia 15.4. Apple wanted me to bring it into the repair shop but I insisted its a software issue.

Many M1 Mac users experienced a kernel panic when upgrading to macOS Sequoia (15.x) caused by an error in the AppleT6000DART driver, with the message "Can't ignore lock validation" at t6000dart.c:437. This issue occurs on clean, stock installations with no third-party drivers or devices attached, which points to a software bug rather than a hardware fault. Despite some support channels attributing the problem to hardware, community testing shows that reverting to an earlier version of macOS Sequoia resolves the issue.

A proven solution is to install macOS Sequoia 15.2, which does not include the problematic driver code. To do this, open Terminal and run:

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 15.2

This command downloads the full installer for macOS 15.2, allowing you to upgrade without encountering the kernel panic. It is advisable to back up your data before proceeding and to stay on version 15.2 or an earlier stable release until Apple releases an official patch addressing the bug.

I attended Apple Office Hours today and asked the Apple Engineers about M1's failing to update to 15.4

They confirmed that the 15.4.1 update that was just released today addresses this issue

Finally got past this! I was on Sonoma 15.3.2 but ran into same issue – installs of 15.4 repeatedly failed with kernel panic, despite trying with full installer, safe mode, recovery mode, command line, app store, etc.

Once 15.4.1 was released I hoped that the issue would be fixed, but for reasons I still don't understand, software update and the terminal command "softwareupdate --list" would only show 15.4, not 15.4.1!!!!

Eventually I guessed and tried the terminal command "softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 15.4.1". It downloaded and ran the installer, rebooted several times, and actually successfully upgraded me to 15.4.1!!

So give that a try and please post whether or not it resolved the problem for you!

I just found this post from about 1 month ago relative to the 15.4 pre-final version (seems like this problem was present even then). At that time the DFU restore was perceived to be the only solution. Which I have not attempted yet. It comes from this Reddit website (you have to scroll down load more comments to get to it):

The original Post and response was in Portuguese - What follows is the google translate version.

Original Post (From 1 Month Ago):

I installed 15.4 Pre-Final Release Version on my external HD. It worked, but when I turned it off and booted from the internal HD with 15.3.1. The installation was corrupted. I cleaned the disk with Recover Sonoma, but now the Mac no longer accepts the installation of version 15.3.1. It always crashes and stays in a loop....Now when I try to update it always crashes with this LOG:

panic(cpu 0 caller 0x0): t6000dart 0xfffffdf03f8c2850 (dart-disp0): Can't ignore lock validation u/t6000dart.c:437

Reply #1:

Hi, I’m going through the same issue. I guess you haven’t found a solution other than DFU restore either, right?

Reply #2:

Unfortunately not, only restoring via DFU. After I restored everything worked normally.

DLZab wrote:

I just found this post from about 1 month ago relative to the 15.4 pre-final version (seems like this problem was present even then). At that time the DFU restore was perceived to be the only solution. Which I have not attempted yet. It comes from this Reddit website (you have to scroll down load more comments to get to it):

If only someone had suggested this sooner.....oh wait, I did back on April 2:

Kernel panic during Sequoia 15.4 install -- DFU Restore -- HWTech - Apple Community

I do realize the forum's default Ranked sorting is probably to blame for this oversight so thanks for reminding everyone again of this option. I guess no one reads entire threads these days.

For anyone who thinks it is a macOS bug, then the only way Apple will ever address it is if everyone contacts Apple support and gets a numbered support ticket. When normal troubleshooting doesn't solve the problem, then escalate your ticket higher to the engineers. If no one does this, then Apple will never know an issue even exists. Plus in order to fix an issue, Apple also needs to be able to get system logs from people & detailed information on how the issue occurred so Apple has some hope of reproducing the issue & providing a fix.

Apple is not here on these forums, so Apple has no clue about anyone's problems in this thread.

HUZZAH! As of the 15.4.1 update this morning, I'm able to successfully update my M1 from Sonoma to Sequoia with NO ISSUES!

I installed the 15.4.1 update over version 14.7.5. This time everything went smoothly.

Previously, there was an error:

panic(cpu 0 caller 0x0): t6000dart 0xfffffdf049abe850 (dart-disp0): Can't ignore lock validation @t6000dart.c:437

MacBook 14 M1 Pro 8c

15.4.1 resolved the issues for me.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this thread, much appreciated.

Yes! "CLEARLY... there is a problem with Sequoia 15.4 in Apple's software

update... for M1 processors... that needs to be fixed... submitted logs

and link to this thread as FYI."

Am having the same issue on an M1 Macbook Air. Upgrade from 14.7.5 to either 15.4 via the systems settings or to 15.3 via the Appstore failed with the same message.

Apple support confirmed that the are currently running an internal investigation.

Try installing 15.4.1, released today!

macOS 15.4.1 solved the issue for my M1 Macbook Air - upgrade worked and everything is running. :-)

Apple CDN provide 15.3.2 installer download, maybe it's a possible solution;