How to Disable Auto Boot in MacBook Pro 2016? Terminal command not working?

[timidhermit]

I have a MacBook Pro 2016 model with an Intel i7 running macOS Sequoia using OpenCore Legacy Patcher for which I want to disable the auto boot or auto turn-on feature when the lid is opened or when the laptop is connected to power.

I am confused by the seemingly conflicting terminal commands I found on the internet on how to do this.

From the official Apple support article (120622), it recommends the use of these terminal commands:

sudo nvram BootPreference=%00
sudo nvram BootPreference=%01
sudo nvram BootPreference=%02

to prevent auto boot when opening the lid or connecting to power, when opening the lid only, and when connecting to power only respectively.

On the other hand, iFixit recommends the use of this terminal command:

sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00

to prevent auto boot when opening the lid only. There is no switch for preventing auto boot when opening the lid or connecting to power.

I tried all of the above commands, none of them worked.

What am I doing wrong? Can someone with an Intel MacBook pro try out these commands to see they work for them?

 

[DeltaMac]

That Apple support article (120622) is only for Apple silicone.
The "sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00) is the one that should work on your Intel proc MBPro.
Try resetting that with the "turn-it-back-on" (re-enable) command, which is "sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03", then turn off again with the "sudo nvram AutoBoot-%00.
If that does not work, try a shutdown (completely off, not just a simple restart), then press and release power button for a full hardware boot.

Keep in mind that there also could be a conflict with OCLP patches or settings (not sure about that, just a possibility)
I DO know that the Autoboot command is mentioned sometimes in comments as one that does not always disable reliably.

 

[timidhermit]

That Apple support article (120622) is only for Apple silicone.
The "sudo nvram AutoBoot=%00) is the one that should work on your Intel proc MBPro.
Try resetting that with the "turn-it-back-on" (re-enable) command, which is "sudo nvram AutoBoot=%03", then turn off again with the "sudo nvram AutoBoot-%00.
If that does not work, try a shutdown (completely off, not just a simple restart), then press and release power button for a full hardware boot.

Keep in mind that there also could be a conflict with OCLP patches or settings (not sure about that, just a possibility)
I DO know that the Autoboot command is mentioned sometimes in comments as one that does not always disable reliably.

Thanks. Do you have an Intel MacBook with which you can test this (AutoBoot=%00 option)?

I just followed your suggestion to "reset" and then redo the command (AutoBoot=%00). Still does not work. I did a PRAM reset too. I am using OCLP 2.4.1. Is it possible I goofed something unknowingly when installing macOS Sequoia using OCLP? Trying to avoid wiping the entire drive just to fix this.

 

[DeltaMac]

More likely (to me) is that you have simply run into a limitation (call it a bug, if you like) of the OCLP process. I use or support about 10 different Macs that I have applied the OCLP process, mainly to keep the Macs running on reasonably current macOS versions. Some give minor issues, such as one iMac (a 2013 model) which, with OCLP patches installed, will not successfully sleep, if left more than a few minutes. It always shuts off (by itself), and refuses to boot until I do an NVRAM reset, and it is all because of OCLP. I now do a shutdown, rather than my preferred sleep, and the iMac behaves next time by booting up without a struggle. But, I always have to shut off when leaving it, as sleep does not work in the way that I would like. So, I no longer use "sleep" on that iMac. None of the other Macs with OCLP are affected by this (minor) sleep issue, so I point a "finger of blame" at OCLP, and don't use sleep on THAT iMac. But, it's a minor issue (for me).
Your AutoBoot issue maybe is on the same level, and maybe is related to OCLP, as a relatively minor problem - that you need to be aware of. I'm thinking that you might be wasting your time with a "wipe and restore", particularly if the issue is related to OCLP, and you still might have the same issue, once you get OCLP patched again.