Level 1

87 points

Can't install MacOs Tahoe on Mac Studio M3 Ultra

When trying to update from Sequoia 15.7 to Tahoe 26.0 all seems fine at first. It prepares the update, then reboots, a timer starts running on how long installation will take. That runs down to "Less than a minute". Then then (without a reboot) I am back at the login screen of Sequoia. When I login I get the message that there has been an unexpected reboot.

The log says this:

panic(cpu 8 caller 0xfffffe0050ee4b08): "ANEHWDevice::Failed to validate ANE register offset 0x5a8 with expected value: 0x100000ff, read register value 0\n" @ANERegisterControl.cpp:177

I've tried default software update, downloading the full installer with the "softwareupdate" tool via the Terminal. Thing is, when I do a softwareupdate --history, it does show the failed updates:

softwareupdate --history

Display Name Version Date

------------ ------- ----

macOS Sequoia 15.4 15.4 31-03-2025, 21:35:44

macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 15.4.1 17-04-2025, 11:56:23

macOS Sequoia 15.5 15.5 12-05-2025, 23:32:03

macOS Sequoia 15.6 15.6 30-07-2025, 00:11:17

macOS Sequoia 15.6.1 15.6.1 21-08-2025, 15:04:23

macOS Sequoia 15.7 15.7 15-09-2025, 19:40:59

macOS Tahoe 26 26.0 15-09-2025, 21:17:05

macOS Tahoe 26 26.0 16-09-2025, 00:19:57

Safari 26.0 16-09-2025, 00:33:36

macOS Tahoe 26 26.0 16-09-2025, 00:59:28

macOS 26.0 26.0 16-09-2025, 01:35:02

macOS Tahoe 26 26.0 16-09-2025, 02:29:16

Never had any issue with MacOs Sequoia (updated to 15.7 first today without any troubles) so I suggest it is software. Any idea on how to fix this?

Posted on Sep 15, 2025 6:27 PM

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Community+ 2026

Level 9

77,610 points

Posted on Sep 18, 2025 5:58 PM

ckh1272 wrote:

DFU is only for firmware revives or restore. OS installation is not an option that way.

A DFU Firmware Revive will reset the security enclave and system firmware. This should be updating the system firmware to the most recent firmware available which right now should be the macOS 26.0 related firmware.

A DFU Firmware Restore will do the same thing as the Revive, but will also reset the internal SSD and it will also push a clean copy of macOS onto the internal SSD. I don't know which version of macOS will be pushed onto the internal SSD with this process (I never really paid attention to it). I think it may be possible to use Apple Configurator 2 to push a specific version of macOS onto the internal SSD, but I'm not sure how that can be acquired.

Unfortunately a DFU Firmware Revive or Restore does require access to another Mac running macOS 26 Tahoe, or possibly for a little while macOS 15.x Sequoia may work as well with the latter perhaps requiring the use of Apple Configurator 2 (hopefully you already have the version compatible with Sequoia).

Here is an Apple article with instructions:

How to revive or restore Mac firmware - Apple Support

Something else must have been done, namely updated firmware (another user posted that is what an Apple Store did for them) before they upgraded you to Tahoe.

That is exactly what the DFU Firmware Revive or Restore process does. It reflashes the system firmware. Another user in this thread or another similar thread on this forum actually stated quite clearly the Apple tech performed a DFU Firmware Revive or Restore.

I can understand that post may have been missed by many people due to the horrible way posts are ordered on this forum with the default "Ranked" sort method. I would recommend people to change their forum profile to set the default sort order to "Oldest" or "Newest" as the posts will be ordered in actual time order. It is possible to change the sort order for only a single thread by looking at the lower right of the initial post (or just below the "Top-ranking reply") where there is a "Sort By" option with a drop down list box.

View in context

140 replies

Boschje79 Author

Level 1

87 points

Sep 15, 2025 7:00 PM in response to FilipOfficial

It seems I have the latest installer version, and tried to install in safe mode. Haven't tried to install to a different drive/SSD yet. That would be my last option to check.

I tried the MacOS recovery option you opted (2), but it only opts to re-install Sequoia, not Tahoe?

Will contact Apple and file a bug report.

Thanks for all your answers.

Sep 16, 2025 6:51 AM in response to Boschje79

As another data point, I also have a Mac Studio with an M3 Ultra and it does the same thing - gets to 1 minute remaining and then dumps me back to the login screen. In my case though, it generates no logs or error messages. I tried this like 8 times before finding this thread.

I also upgraded to 15.7 before installing macOS 26.

Sep 16, 2025 10:01 AM in response to Boschje79

Have the exact same issue with my M3 Ultra. Wasted a good 15 hours trying every workaround until I found this page of postings. Tahoe is easily the most annoying OS upgrade since Panther wiped my external drives. :p

Philork

Level 1

8 points

Sep 17, 2025 4:30 AM in response to Boschje79

Same for me, M3 Ultra. ANE issue at the end of the update process from 15.7 to 26.0.

No issues updating from most recent OS version to 26.0 on following devices:

MBP Intel 2019, MacBook Air M1, AVP M2, (iPad Pro M4, iPhones, Apple Watches, ATVs, HomePods,...)

Too much time already invested without success...

Sep 18, 2025 5:24 AM in response to Boschje79

Hello.

Experienced the same issue with my Mac Studio (2025) M3 Ultra.

All my other Apple items updated with no problems on Monday (15 Sep) evening UK time.

As other people have done, tried updating from a recovery USB and system settings.

Considering the cost of the Mac Studio M3 Ultra, a very poor Apple experience that one of their most expensive items can't update to its much-hyped new Tahoe OS.

gweles

Level 1

18 points

Sep 18, 2025 10:06 AM in response to Boschje79

My Studio M3 Ultra (96GB) was updated from Sequoia 15.6.1 to Tahoe without issue. Not sure how I avoided the problem. Just posting to point out that the problem is not emphatically universal. Hope your expected fix arrives quickly and proves effective:-)

gweles

Level 1

18 points

Sep 18, 2025 2:57 PM in response to Boschje79

If it helps any…

Early Studio M3 Ultra from 15.6.1 to Tahoe successfully.

System Firmware Version: 13822.1.2

Memory: 96GB

AI: always disabled (never enabled)

Early Studio Display with Firmware Version: 17.0 (Build 21A329)

Sep 18, 2025 4:11 PM in response to Boschje79

I’m having the same problem all of you are but I have a strange tale to tell. I was running the Beta using an external drive before the final release and had no problem . However after trying to install the final I ran into the same problems all of you are having. I attempted all the same “solutions” mentioned in this thread. But after the ninth or tenth attempt with Recovery I reloaded a backup of Tahoe to the “new” 15.7. The following dialog showed up (should have taken a screen shot but did write it down)

iCloud not syncing.

The operation couldn’t be completed. (BRCloudDocErrorDomain error 22. Disabled iCloud Drive database is from the future )

Sep 18, 2025 4:27 PM in response to ckh1272

ckh1272 wrote:

DFU is only for firmware revives or restore. OS installation is not an option that way. Something else must have been done, namely updated firmware (another user posted that is what an Apple Store did for them) before they upgraded you to Tahoe.

Can a firmware update be done remotely, or do we all need to go to the Apple Store?

If not, I am thinking of returning this M3 Ultra 96Gb for a M4 Max 128Gb

ckh1272

Level 1

0 points

Sep 18, 2025 4:53 PM in response to SilverHorizonX

See the post made by troponaut. They are the ones that said that Apple did that for them at the store. Not sure the other details. I believe they will remedy this through software update soon but this is still a horrible look for Apple.

Sep 18, 2025 6:41 PM in response to HWTech

Thank you for the detailed procedure and explanation of a possible solution. I do have both backups and other Macs; however, I believe this procedure should be performed by Apple remotely to support a product they price at between $4,000 and $10,000, depending on customization. I personally do not want to venture into something so involved.

What concerns me more is the nature of the problem, which seems to be rooted in the different hardware design of the M3 Ultra versus the M4 Max. It is now Thursday, and Tahoe was released on Monday. If this were a minor issue, I believe a fix would have already been provided. Although I like the additional CPUs/GPUs of the M3 Ultra, I have lost some enthusiasm for this machine.

Sep 18, 2025 6:59 PM in response to SilverHorizonX

I have the $10k version you mentioned. Unfortunately I have to agree. I've been using Apple since high school (I'm 52) and professionally since I was 26. This is a first. I hope it's a one off and not a bad sign.

Sep 19, 2025 2:21 AM in response to Reinerkl

Reinerkl, if no other solution appears soon I will consider trying the DFU Firmware Revive method at home. Just one question since you just did the DFU Firmware Restore. In the instructions it says that only the USB-C cable that connects to the other Mac may be connected. But I suppose it is OK to also have a monitor connected except there is no mention of this.

Did you have a monitor connected to your Mac Studio when you did the firmware update?

Sep 19, 2025 3:54 AM in response to hummersallad2

Thanks for a detailed description and too bad and really strange that it still does not work but did at least the firmware version number change? But maybe it is not supposed to change…

This is really confusing.

Imagine

Level 2

201 points

Sep 19, 2025 3:25 PM in response to RaymondIdema

Hi RaymondIdema

I need to keep everything (files, apps, etc) on my Mac Studio Ultra M3, and just update Sequoia to Tahoe. Do you know if Revive will work? I do have an M1 MacBook Pro running Tahoe. Thanks!

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Can't install MacOs Tahoe on Mac Studio M3 Ultra