A1278 EFI Lock, options?

[NZXTInerTia]

Hello, currently trying to repair an A1278 MacBook Pro with a 820-3115-B Logic Board. The company I purchased the Logic Board from does not have the EFI password, is there any realistic way to reset it locally? I've seen a lot of random answers online for similar models, I'm just looking for a direct answer.

Thanks everyone, happy holidays.

 

[Audit13]

Maybe this will work: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/78792/How+do+I+reset+the+firmware+password+on+my+MacBook+Pro

 

[NZXTInerTia]

Maybe this will work: https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/78792/How+do+I+reset+the+firmware+password+on+my+MacBook+Pro

So this was one of the first articles I found, this device absolutely refuses to PRAM reset. Any ideas?

 

[posguy99]

Hello, currently trying to repair an A1278 MacBook Pro with a 820-3115-B Logic Board. The company I purchased the Logic Board from does not have the EFI password, is there any realistic way to reset it locally? I've seen a lot of random answers online for similar models, I'm just looking for a direct answer.

It wouldn't be much of a password-protect if you could get around it easily. It was an open secret in the community that on older Mac(s), if you made a hardware change, the ROM would erase the firmware password. The easiest way to do that, was to remove RAM. That trick doesn't work any longer, because most Mac(s) don't have removable RAM.

You've bought a motherboard that most likely came from a stolen laptop, which the thief parted out when they couldn't get past the password.

Apple can reset it, the problem will be getting them to do it, since serial numbers won't match and you don't have proof of purchase.

 

[Audit13]

Doesn't the a1278 have removable ram?

Could the MacBook be enrolled in Apple's Device Management program: https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT204142#eligibility?

 

[posguy99]

Doesn't the a1278 have removable ram?

It does, but presumably the OP has already tried that, plus they probably received it without RAM to begin with, so if the trick were going to work, it would already have worked.

 

[NZXTInerTia]

It wouldn't be much of a password-protect if you could get around it easily. It was an open secret in the community that on older Mac(s), if you made a hardware change, the ROM would erase the firmware password. The easiest way to do that, was to remove RAM. That trick doesn't work any longer, because most Mac(s) don't have removable RAM.

You've bought a motherboard that most likely came from a stolen laptop, which the thief parted out when they couldn't get past the password.

Apple can reset it, the problem will be getting them to do it, since serial numbers won't match and you don't have proof of purchase.

I don't believe the Logic Board was stolen, it seems to have came from a pretty legitimate seller that we've used a few times. I don't think they're a "certified Apple re-seller" or whatever, so I doubt they've got a DEP code.

I know it "wouldn't be much of a password if it was easy to break", I just figured I'd ask here before trying to bring it into Apple. I know its pretty old, which I'm hoping they'll do me a favor and unlock it.

Any idea of why the PRAM reset wouldn't be working though? It doesn't seem to react at all, meanwhile I can get A1465's and 1466's to do it all day long.

 

[Audit13]

Could it be that there is a problem with the logic board's keyboard connector/circuitry?

 

[posguy99]

Any idea of why the PRAM reset wouldn't be working though? It doesn't seem to react at all, meanwhile I can get A1465's and 1466's to do it all day long.

Because, according to Apple's documentation, that ability is disabled when a firmware password is in place.

source: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201255

 

[DeltaMac]

The ability to remove a firmware password by changing the RAM configuration was removed, sometime in the 2011 model year. MBPro A1278 (13-inch models) were those from between 2009 and 2012, and the last A1278 (Mid-2012, 13-inch) continued to be sold new until late 2016 (last model that could have both RAM and hard drive easily upgraded, and the last sold with built-in optical drive). So, the logic board was certainly updated during that time to the more-secure version, where you could still upgrade the RAM yourself, but if a firmware password (the EFI password) was lost/forgotten, then only Apple can clear the password, and you STILL have to provide proof of ownership --- a challenge to do after replacing a failed logic board.
And, just to echo what posguy99 stated, the firmware password prevents choosing other bootable options, and also prevents the PRAM/NVRAM reset.
You are probably just unlucky to get a newer logic board that requires a factory code to reset the EFI/firmware password. Only Apple can provide that. You would have to ask AppleCare support about that, maybe you will have better luck then...