2015 MacBook Air firmware?

[raisputin]

Bought a used 2015 MacBook Air with no SSD.
Purchased a new SSD for it off of Amazon figuring I’d install Catalina.

got the SSD Installed, Got Catalina installed on the SSD, however the Mac wont boot from it.

my understanding is that the firmware ( 0166 B13 ) needs to be updated to 0178 B00

Apple suggested I take it to a Mac Store (closed in my area thanks to Corona Virus), or to an Apple Authorized repair center.

I really despise the idea of taking this in for repair for something so seemingly trivial.

mid I were to purchase a used SSUAX or SSUBX model SSD, (I presume it would be wiped when I got it), would I be able to Install To it directly and have the firmware update properly, or is this something that simply cannot be done without visiting a repair shop oran Apple Store?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[casperes1996]

Can't you just install an older version of macOS to that SSD you got there, and go through the upgrade process up to Catalina to get the firmware updated? Should even be doable over an external disk

 

[raisputin]

Can't you just install an older version of macOS to that SSD you got there, and go through the upgrade process up to Catalina to get the firmware updated? Should even be doable over an external disk

Unfortunately, while booting from a High Sierra or later USB drive, I can see, format, and install to the SSD, firmware verification fails on reboot.

On Sierra or earlier, I cannot see the SSD :/
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I should add this: I am booting to Sierra from an external USB drive without issue, that’s how I know I can’t see the SSD, as well as doing a recovery boot (Internet) and not being able to see it)

 

[casperes1996]

I should add this: I am booting to Sierra from an external USB drive without issue, that’s how I know I can’t see the SSD, as well as doing a recovery boot (Internet) and not being able to see it)

But if you can boot Sierra... Then install Sierra to your SSD, and go through the upgrade process; Not installing Catalina - upgrading from Sierra to Catalina. That should upgrade your firmware for you.

Alternatively the firmware upgrade tools should be inside the macOS installer packages, but I can't remember where or how they work, but they're CLI tools and they probably have -h help pages.

 

[raisputin]

But if you can boot Sierra... Then install Sierra to your SSD, and go through the upgrade process; Not installing Catalina - upgrading from Sierra to Catalina. That should upgrade your firmware for you.

Alternatively the firmware upgrade tools should be inside the macOS installer packages, but I can't remember where or how they work, but they're CLI tools and they probably have -h help pages.

Can boot Sierra from recovery or USB, but it cannot see the SSD

If I boot from High Sierra or newer either from USB or from say a partition on my external drive (using a patched version like you’d use on a unsupported Mac following th me dosdude1 website), I can see the SSD, format, install, but it won’t boot because the firmware (so I understand) on the machine is too old and it cannot see the SSD

 

[casperes1996]

Can boot Sierra from recovery or USB, but it cannot see the SSD

If I boot from High Sierra or newer either from USB or from say a partition on my external drive (using a patched version like you’d use on a unsupported Mac following th me dosdude1 website), I can see the SSD, format, install, but it won’t boot because the firmware (so I understand) on the machine is too old and it cannot see the SSD

Sorry, I think I may have misunderstood something here; I was thinking the issue with seeing the drive, was that it's formatted as APFS - but it sounds like you're saying that it's not just the volume but the whole drive that's invisible, i.e. Disk Utility is set to Show all Disks and Volumes, not just volumes, and it doesn't show in System Information.

 

[raisputin]

Sorry, I think I may have misunderstood something here; I was thinking the issue with seeing the drive, was that it's formatted as APFS - but it sounds like you're saying that it's not just the volume but the whole drive that's invisible, i.e. Disk Utility is set to Show all Disks and Volumes, not just volumes, and it doesn't show in System Information.

That’s correct. In Sierra or less, the SSD cannot be seen at all

in High Sierra or Greater (via USB) it can be seen, formatted, installed to, buton reboot the firmware fails to verify.
This is a situation that could be easily solved if Apple would just allow users to install firmware updates manually, approve them, or whatever. I get why they do not, but how incredibly frustrating for something that should be very easy.

 

[Audit13]

You will have no choice but to buy or borrow an original Apple SSD, install the latest Mojave or Catalina to the original drive to ensure the MacBook is running the latest bottom, and then install the nvme drive.

 

[raisputin]

You will have no choice but to buy or borrow an original Apple SSD, install the latest Mojave or Catalina to the original drive to ensure the MacBook is running the latest bottom, and then install the nvme drive.

That’s what I needed to know. Does it matter if the OEM drive comes blank?

 

[Audit13]

That’s what I needed to know. Does it matter if the OEM drive comes blank?

Makes no difference. Installing the latest Catalina or Mojave to the drive from a usb installer will upgrade the bootrom.