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Caution: Unable to reinstall macOS on 2018 MBP
- Thread starter pshifrin
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The whole 10.13.6 release has seemed a bit sloppy.
Releasing the Delta update while forgetting to / omitting to release the Combo update until much later.
Then the 10.13.6 update showing in the App Store as .5 instead of .6 for a day or two. Users having updated proving it was really .6
But then after updating to .6 it would still show in the App Store as being a downgrade because it was mistakenly titled as .5.
Then this omission of the recovery image.
Things are getting very sloppy at Apple.
Releasing the Delta update while forgetting to / omitting to release the Combo update until much later.
Then the 10.13.6 update showing in the App Store as .5 instead of .6 for a day or two. Users having updated proving it was really .6
But then after updating to .6 it would still show in the App Store as being a downgrade because it was mistakenly titled as .5.
Then this omission of the recovery image.
Things are getting very sloppy at Apple.
I don’t think that will work. The T2 chip makes it so you have to authorize a startup disk from the Recovery boot, but you need administrator privileges to do that. Which, you don’t have because there isn’t an installation of macOS with an administrator account on it. It’s really a Catch 22
You cannot boot up from a USB drive with the T2 chip? I'm not understanding the situation?
I think it has to do with “secure boot” where you have to authorize (with an administrator account) the startup disk to boot into, but since the macOS install has been erased there is no administrator account to authorize it so you can’t boot into an install.
I have to believe you can still boot up on an external device by holding the option key down. I don't have a new MBP that has a touchbar/touchid, so I'm more or less making some large assumptions and I could be completely wrong.
Believe me I’ve tried. When you try to boot to an external drive (be it installer or boot drive) it will say that you need to authorize the drive and tells you to boot into recovery mode to use the Security Startup utility, which then asks for an administrator authorization which then will tell you it can’t find an administrator account.
Good morning everyone, I see it wasn’t resolved overnight 
Where I live, I have plenty of Apple Stores but not where I am for work this week, there is only one, and it’s 1 hr away (and where I already drove RT yesterday to pick this one up)
I’m going to head down for when they open at 11 and if they don’t have this model in stock anymore, it was a high end 13, i’m going to buy the least expensive TB model and thunderbolt 3 cable, do a carbon copy cloaner clone via target disk mode and then return the new on the spot.
Where I live, I have plenty of Apple Stores but not where I am for work this week, there is only one, and it’s 1 hr away (and where I already drove RT yesterday to pick this one up)
I’m going to head down for when they open at 11 and if they don’t have this model in stock anymore, it was a high end 13, i’m going to buy the least expensive TB model and thunderbolt 3 cable, do a carbon copy cloaner clone via target disk mode and then return the new on the spot.
Good morning everyone, I see it wasn’t resolved overnight
Where I live, I have plenty of Apple Stores but not where I am for work this week, there is only one, and it’s 1 hr away (and where I already drove RT yesterday to pick this one up)
I’m going to head down for when they open at 11 and if they don’t have this model in stock anymore, it was a high end 13, i’m going to buy the least expensive TB model and thunderbolt 3 cable, do a carbon copy cloaner clone via target disk mode and then return the new on the spot.
I'm at the Genius Bar right now waiting for my turn!
I am planning to get one soon but wanted to ask about the T2 extra measures. I don’t get it. Does this mean you can never re-install the system if the current OS X is corrupted except using Apple servers over the internet?
If yes then no use in making a bootable USB drive for emergency for moments when you are on metered connections, right?
If yes then no use in making a bootable USB drive for emergency for moments when you are on metered connections, right?
I’m at the Apple Store in Albany NY and they just gave me a replacement no questions asked. The manager was very interested in this saga.
I’m going to bet the Genius Bar doesn’t have access to the correct build either if recovery and apple configurator don’t either.
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Kudos to Albany Apple store for listening, understanding and going so far as to inform a lead a genius about this issue because he said they do restores all the time and if a customer had come in with this issue they would’ve wasted a lot of time and be stumped on why it’s happening.
Pretty much as soon as I told the genius what was going on he offered to try a restore but asked if I’d be more comfortable with a replacement and I opted for the replacement.
Yep, same thing here in Canada: they don't have the correct build or tools to restore the T2.
I unfortunately can't get a replacement right away because mine was purchased in the US to get AppleCare+. I'm not driving back there for that.
The executives at Apple will get a letter from me. This is unacceptable.
Not having the restore images on their servers is one thing, but not giving the tools to the Genius Bar is a whole different thing.
They told me they can't even restore the iMac Pro which was released a while ago...
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That sucks, i’m sorry. Why don’t you try my idea: buy any 2018 13 inch TB and thunderbolt cable in the Canadian store. Set it up with just a basic user, don’t even bother with iCloud, put your bricked one in target disk mode, use carbon copy cloaner to copy from new to old, then just return the temp one and cable. Should take no more than 15 mins.
This issue with the apple server..is it only for the 2018 macbooks or does this affect the 2017's as well? The reason why I ask is because I want to upgrade mine so obviously would need to reformat the hard drive, dont want to run into this issue
Not with the default settings. With the new T2 chip (on the iMac Pro and 2018 MBPs), the default setting is to only boot to the internal SSD or Recovery. There is a new Security Settings App in recovery (replacing the Firmware Password utility) that allows you to allow booting from external drives. However, you have authorize using and administrator password from an Admin user that has been setup in macOS. No OS, not ability to change boot settings.