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Apple Releases macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 With Fix for MacBook Pro Charging Issue [Updated]
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What, like typing it in?
Anyway, it says "Preparing" which means it has downloaded it, and is now uncompressing etc and getting ready to do the install.
You're right - after all these years, and all the old jokes at Microsoft's expense, it seems it's still impossible to get a progress bar to accurately report times. It'll say "10 minutes" for around 15 minutes then drop to "5 minutes" for another 10-15.
I noticed you have automatic update turned on. You might want to reconsider. If your Mac automatically updates and the update has been known to cause boot loops and other fun experiences, you could end up with having to spend time fixing a new problem. When it comes to updates, I always check MR first to see if there are problems with the update install, before trying it myself.
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I meant like download an installer via the Apple site. Left it long enough and it eventually did it's thing. Guess I was just impatient.What, like typing it in?
Anyway, it says "Preparing" which means it has downloaded it, and is now uncompressing etc and getting ready to do the install.
You're right - after all these years, and all the old jokes at Microsoft's expense, it seems it's still impossible to get a progress bar to accurately report times. It'll say "10 minutes" for around 15 minutes then drop to "5 minutes" for another 10-15.
Good point. I'll uncheck it. Thank you
You may want to set up your Auto Software Update as shown. That way the MRTConfigData and the XProtectPlistConfigData security files are still installed automatically. These do not require large downloads nor restarts.
TBD they didn’t seem to be aware of the issue. Left it with them. Now I’m seeing they’re offering battery replacement. So hoping they do that instead of wipe it like they were discussing.
When are they going to fix the external display issue? My watch wakes up the Mac but a picture doesn't show up until 20-30 seconds after. The same with the keyboard and mouse. Sometimes it even times out and I have to start the process all over again. Ugh!
It lets me reset the password via Apple ID, but this doesn't help. It won't accept the reset password either.
The other problem is that I can't access Recovery Mode or Command Prompt or anything else with Cmd+R/Cmd+S/etc. No mater what key combination I use when powering on, it asks me for a password and won't accept it. I really don't know what to do anymore.
I managed somehow to get to Recovery Mode --> Utilities --> Terminal.
I can't figure out how to create here the new user ...
I can't figure out how to create here the new user ...
I've been having similar problems as @scotty588 with the update, on Big Sur.
However, it's worse—the MBP (a 2018 model) will rev up its fan at the "Preparing..." 10-minute mark, and then the fan just kept blowing like a turbine for over an hour, with no progress. Checking the Activity Monitor indicates that the update is using up max CPU, but neither makes any progress nor accesses the disk after a point in time. (The supplemental update worked fine and quick on my MacBook Air 2020 on Catalina.)
Meanwhile, as a few other posters on this thread have reported, the battery starts to drain, even on AC adapter. It's like the update is telling macOS to start ignoring the adapter during the update and disregard the charging state. :-(
Normally, I try to be patient with these things... but hearing the fan blast for over an hour without stopping, without the Mac charging and without making any apparent progress seems like an obvious tip that something is afoul.
However, it's worse—the MBP (a 2018 model) will rev up its fan at the "Preparing..." 10-minute mark, and then the fan just kept blowing like a turbine for over an hour, with no progress. Checking the Activity Monitor indicates that the update is using up max CPU, but neither makes any progress nor accesses the disk after a point in time. (The supplemental update worked fine and quick on my MacBook Air 2020 on Catalina.)
Meanwhile, as a few other posters on this thread have reported, the battery starts to drain, even on AC adapter. It's like the update is telling macOS to start ignoring the adapter during the update and disregard the charging state. :-(
Normally, I try to be patient with these things... but hearing the fan blast for over an hour without stopping, without the Mac charging and without making any apparent progress seems like an obvious tip that something is afoul.
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Just on a whim, do you own a model with a T2 security chip? If so, are you using the same password you use to enable security on that chip?
When I tried to recover in a similar situation as yours a little while back, I had a painful realization that I needed to input the firmware security password I initially used, not my Mac's admin password. Not sure if that is your case, though.
This is a 2017 15" MBP that doesn't have a T2 chip.
At least I don't think it does. I think T2 chips were introduced with the 2018 MBP.
At least I don't think it does. I think T2 chips were introduced with the 2018 MBP.
Indeed—I think that the T2 chip was introduced along with Touch ID, and the 2017 did not include Touch ID. Hmm.
Based on what you said and also my experiences with this, I've chosen not to go farther with the update this time, not until we see some hints of a solution.
Meanwhile... how is it that you cannot log back in? Did the update somehow completely reset your password and account information? Do you have the FileVault recovery key that you can input manually?
Yes it does have Touch ID; all MBPs from 2016 on have Touch ID.
I have no ideea what happened. After the update downloaded it rebooted computer to proceed further.
On restart computer prompted me for a password and won't accept it.
I don't think I have any FileVault recovery key, and even if I did, where should I input that?
I have no ideea what happened. After the update downloaded it rebooted computer to proceed further.
On restart computer prompted me for a password and won't accept it.
I don't think I have any FileVault recovery key, and even if I did, where should I input that?
Well, if you don't have a FileVault recovery key, that may not help you anyway...
How about Target Disk mode? If you have another Mac, it may be possible to connect it with the Mac you had troubles with on the update. See if you can access the Mac's file system that way. (Here's a link for reference on how to do this, if you happen to have another Mac and the proper cable for it:
Another idea is Time Machine. Do you have a Time Machine backup you can roll back to?
Both of these ideas will likely require your login password... and if your login password has somehow been nullified or is no longer accepted, or your user account has been deleted, then you'll have troubles with this from the outset. Still, if you can access your Time Machine backup from recovery mode and the password to access it works there, you may be able to get everything back to the way it was...
So I do have a TB3 cable and a second Mac and I did try Target Disk mode and it works. I could access the drive on my machine using the password that my machine won't accept. So what do I do now? How can this helps me recover my access?
Regarding the second option, I don't use Time Machine for backup. My files are stored on Dropbox and periodically synced to iCloud for redundancy. But if possible, I would like to avoid the hassle of reinstalling everything.
Regarding the second option, I don't use Time Machine for backup. My files are stored on Dropbox and periodically synced to iCloud for redundancy. But if possible, I would like to avoid the hassle of reinstalling everything.
It's good to hear that you're able to access the drive of the new Mac via Target Disk mode, using the password. That means that the account is still in there, your files and apps are still in there, and theoretically you're able to log in.
Now the question is: how do you log into that account using the standard macOS login screen? You're not able to do that since you updated the machine to 11.2.1, right?
Could you possibly create a new admin-level user account from the Terminal in Recovery mode, and then reset the password on your previous account? (Apologies if you've already tried that.) There's instructions for that which could help here:
https://www.lifewire.com/create-new-admin-account-for-login-issues-2259976
If not, can you create a new admin account in Terminal on the updated machine, and then transfer the data from the old user account to the new one?
You must be a super patient person... I would really be beside myself in such a situation...
Yes, issues started when attempting to upgrade from 11.2 to 11.2.1.
I tried the procedure in that link, but doesn't seam to work for me. Tried booting in single user mode with Cmd+R, but don't know if it worked or not as I did not see any lines scrolling during bootup as mentioned in the article. Did not fine the mentioned file to remove, but did could be due to the fact that I probably removed it in previous attempts. Then I restarted, but I could not get to the point where it asks me to create a new admin account.
What is the instruction to do this manually in terminal?
I may be a bit patient as I'd prefer to make sure I run out of all the other options before formatting and installing from scratch. I also tried, just to see if it works, from the Utility menu in Recovery Mode, the Reinstall Big Sur menu option. It asked for the password to unlock the drive, and it strangely accepted it, and then it said something like "can't downgrade this machine" and it stopped. What downgrade is it talking about?
I tried the procedure in that link, but doesn't seam to work for me. Tried booting in single user mode with Cmd+R, but don't know if it worked or not as I did not see any lines scrolling during bootup as mentioned in the article. Did not fine the mentioned file to remove, but did could be due to the fact that I probably removed it in previous attempts. Then I restarted, but I could not get to the point where it asks me to create a new admin account.
What is the instruction to do this manually in terminal?
I may be a bit patient as I'd prefer to make sure I run out of all the other options before formatting and installing from scratch. I also tried, just to see if it works, from the Utility menu in Recovery Mode, the Reinstall Big Sur menu option. It asked for the password to unlock the drive, and it strangely accepted it, and then it said something like "can't downgrade this machine" and it stopped. What downgrade is it talking about?
It’s a security update as well. Fixes a substantial flaw. See one of the recent articles.