MacBook Air M4 DFU restore fails: Configurator/Finder errors

ramil_edr wrote:

Errors:

• In Apple Configurator:

“Gave up waiting for device to transition from DFU state to Recovery state”

It can take a long time for the DFU Revive/Restore to complete.....especially the DFU Restore since it must also push a clean copy of macOS onto the internal SSD as that involves about 12GB of data or so to arrange.

• In Finder:

“The Mac could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (4047)”

It is unfortunate Apple cannot present some meaning error messages. In my own personal experience it is much better to use the Apple Configurator app as it tends to be less troublesome.

What version of macOS is on the host Mac?

Details:

- The device shows as “Apple Device (DFU Mode)”

- Connection is stable

- In System Information, USB link speed is 480 Mb/s (USB 2.0)

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Question:

Could this be caused by the cable/connection (USB 2.0 speed), or does it more likely indicate a hardware issue?

That is the correct cable to use. The cable must only support the USB protocol. I have used the Apple charging cables without any issue.....those cables only support USB2 & power.

Reasons why the DFU Revive/Restore process can fail:

• Using unsupported OS on host Mac (Apple's documentation is sometimes wrong regarding the minimum supported version of macOS for the host Mac). At this time it is best to use macOS 26.x Tahoe. I think macOS 15.7.3+ Sequoia will work as well at least with the Apple Configurator app. I find the Finder is non-responsive when clicking the buttons to start a Revive/Restore (silent failure....nothing happens) when using an older OS on host Mac.
• Make sure that the "Allow Accessories to Connect" is configured to "Always when unlocked" or maybe even "Always" while performing the Revive/Restore (depends on how quickly the host Mac is configured to log out). It is located in the "Privacy & Security" section of System Settings near the bottom of the right pane.
• Possible issue with third party software on the host Mac interfering with the process. Usual culprits are anti-virus software, cleaning/optimizer apps, and third party security software.
• Bad cable
• Bad USB-C port on one of the Macs (you can try connecting to a different port on the host Mac, but you must use the designated DFU Port on the "broken" Mac.
• Not connecting both laptops to power
• Not disconnecting all other external devices from both Macs
• Hardware issue with the "broken" Mac.

What is the history of this "broken" Mac where you are trying to perform a DFU Firmware Revive or Restore? That reason could be the same reason you are having problems performing the Revive/Restore.

To look for possible issues with your host Mac, run the third party app EtreCheck and post the complete report here so we can examine it for clues.

How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting an EtreCheck Report - Apple Community

“MacBook Air M4 DFU restore fails: Configurator/Finder errors: I’m having an issue restoring a MacBook Air (M4) via DFU mode and would appreciate any advice. […]‘The Mac could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (4047)’[…]“

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Error (4047):

Any VPNs Or Firewalls Turned On:

I’d say you have something getting in the way, as far as misconfigurations and security, most like, of which, is a VPN. So, do you have any on? If so, delete them, if not required for work or school. If required, then turn them off. Do the same with the Firewalls turned on.

“thank you very much, I've heard that this error is often associated with a dead NAND, do you think it's true?”

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You are most welcome.

Occurring through on an iPhone:

If sharing the connection, I can most certainly see this causing the issue. Contemplating that would depend on how it is distorted on the iPhone —not the Mac:

A. Personal Hotspot;

Also, the WiFi chip may be corrupted; if you are using How to set up a Personal Hotspot - Apple Support, then I can see how that would get in the way.

B. SIM Chip Corruption.

Internet connections. can most certainly occur to your SIM card on an iPhone should it be damaged. So, contact you Carrier.

C. Boot Loop:

When your iPhone gets stuck in a Boot Loop, such connectivity issues occur when you go about installing an update, and it stalls while in the process. See my User Tip: How to Fix an iPhone in a Boot Loop - User Tip