macOS Big Sur Update Bricking Some Older MacBook Pro Models

[wumpalumpa]

The term "bricked" means a computer or device with firmware so badly damaged that it is as useful as a brick and cannot be fixed by the user. Your Mac Mini is far from bricked.

you are right

I wouldn't tell it is bricked

not yet....

right now is just like those socks showing a hole

 

[baryon]

Out of curiosity, what help is an update for someone whose machine has been bricked? I take it they can't even install the update?

 

[cmaier]

This is why I run one full release cycle and one full year behind. Tim Apple will vacuum the cash out of your wallet for beta (and now alpha-quality) hardware and software products.

I hate it when there’s a serious discussion of an actual Apple screwup, and someone comes along with a lame “tim Apple” and undermines the entire argument.

 

[posguy99]

As an IT professional, that ocsp.apple.com outage is horrifying, not because they went down, but because they architected our machine’s OSes to have a weak link. On my work 2019 MBP, I lost all ability to use audio inputs (built in, Blue Yeti, webcam mic) because of the outage (bizarre, right?). I wasn’t alone in this at work. I’m on video calls all day every day as we work at home during the pandemic, so I had to scramble to use my gaming pc for work calls. How in the hell does Apple have a phone home in place that can cripple things like that due to an outage on their side, where they designed their OS to need home to ack things? I am still livid.

As an "IT Professional", what in the world were you doing installing a .0, on release day, on a mission-critical machine?

 

[strayts]

Annnnnnnnnnd this is why I always wait a couple of weeks.

 

[flexiboy1912]

My parents have a 2020 iMac 27” and it appears to have bricked it as well.

Explain bricking? Nothing wrong with Big Sur on my 3 devices

 

[Serban55]

you are right

I wouldn't tell it is bricked

not yet....

right now is just like those socks showing a hole

Why not back to mojave or catalina if big sur is making a hole into your system?
I always buy a new pair of socks when the current ones show signs of first hole

 

[mknell]

Been using the beta from day 1 and now the final release and no major issues at all , all these "bricking" comments are a bit odd as I have it on 3 devices and all working fine. Maybe more user error to me

Nope. All affected devices are MBP 13 inch late 2013, Mid 2014.
Their I/O boards are bricked. One even identified the HDMI IC specifically has been bricked.
It affects at least 73 people and rising according to Apple support community.

 

[Serban55]

Explain bricking? Nothing wrong with Big Sur on my 3 devices

It exploded during installation..imac on batteries

 

[wumpalumpa]

I cannot understand why some people are that apple fanatics

really, it feels like religious fanatism

even when apple screw up something there are a bunch of blind defenders


if I go to a restaurant and something doesn't taste nice or as expected I tell, even if is a restaurant I like


I always liked MacOS (Operating System) and I still liking it


but nowadays I sincerely believe it is not worth it to expend 1 euro on apple laptop/desktop hardware anymore


maybe on apple tablets and/or phones, ok

 

[mknell]

Will someone confirm that the laptops are truly bricked? Meaning the firmeare is corrupted and halting the CPU. Can you still put the laptop into Target Disk Mode?

You cannot put the affected laptops into target disk mode, at least it does not work for mine.
The I/o board has been bricked, specifically the HDMI IC on the I/o board.
Only after unplugging the I/O board I was able to boot to log on screen.
Logon does not work either, as the keyboard does not fully work.

 

[posguy99]

Last but not least... HUGE privacy concerns are popping up!
Apparently trustd and other Apple services and apps will now BYPASS firewall tools like little snitch and even VPNs. This is outrageous and I can confirm it. I had updated to little snitch 5 and it no longer can block any OS services from calling home. However, these Apple servers are constantly connected as indicated by my network firewall. I've now blocked them outside the machine.

This was reported during the beta and *now* you're outraged?

 

[daviecee]

Out of curiosity, what help is an update for someone whose machine has been bricked? I take it they can't even install the update?

I had similar when I updated my 2008 & 2011 MBPs to Catalina. No solution found online. Resorting to wiping clean and rebooting from old Time Machine backups when I get the time and can do it while crossing my fingers.
Used it as an excuse to upgrade as I need a laptop for work and can't go for a length of time without. Seriously clouded my opinion of Apple though. Never be an early adopter is the best advice.

 

[Louise Jones]

My MacBook Pro is quite old, mid-2012, but it still runs Big Sur. I have noticed some glitches, such as long delays on shutdown. I was hoping that the ones with just Intel graphics would still maintain some compatibility. I also have 16GB or RAM and a terabyte SSD, and performance has not been an issue, since I do not use it for gaming.

I also have a ThinkPad around the same age, which was not on the Lenovo 'support' list but works well with Windows 10. Microsoft seems to manage releases of Windows 10 in a way that handles backward compatibility issues. For example, I am on a 1909 release on the ThinkPad but a 2004 release on the Mac (bootcamp). Windows Update says that the ThinkPad is still waiting for a compatible 2004 update, but I suspect it will never see it. Appel does not publicly say so, but I am guessing that they have a similar way, too. My MacBook was the last to have integrated DVD and 1394, which I use, and buying compatible accessories for a new MacBook Pro would just be another problem. At some point, I will just stop upgrading and take my computers off the net unless I need an app upgraded. I hope my MacBook will last until the M1 machines mature. The fact that I cannot upgrade them makes my choices difficult and expensive. Maybe I will get a Mac Mini, but that is like a boat anchor.

 

[4jasontv]

And MS "feature updates" to Windows 10 don't ever break anything. Uh huh. Yeah. What universe are YOU living in?

MS breaks things every update.

My Logitech MOMO wheel can go 2 to 3 weeks working fine and then flip and be unresponsive because of an update only to randomly work fine after some time. It frustrating but no one at Microsoft or Logitech cares, and I honestly don’t expect them to.

 

[bgalakazam]

I know it's not a pro, but for info my 2014 Air did not brick.

 

[TimB21]

One day there will be a OS release that no-one will complain about.

"You may say I'm a dreamer..."

 

[317342]

Pfft snowflakes. Doesn't anyone remember when updating iTunes erased your entire hard drive? --Now THAT was a bug!

This is a cold breeze compared to the OS 9 days that some seem nostalgic for.

 

[wumpalumpa]

well hope they solve it with macOS 11.0.2 update

plus maybe they could add the feature to properly handle second display output without needing partially working solutions like those you can find on AppStore

ohh.. sorry

I just forgot they dropped eGPU support (so probably wouldn't be in their plans offering solid 2 displays video output support)


thanks they haven't deleted USB ports on those M1 models, still someone would keep claiming those are Pro machines touched by the holy apple

 

[Mactendo]

Last but not least... HUGE privacy concerns are popping up!
Apparently trustd and other Apple services and apps will now BYPASS firewall tools like little snitch and even VPNs. This is outrageous and I can confirm it. I had updated to little snitch 5 and it no longer can block any OS services from calling home. However, these Apple servers are constantly connected as indicated by my network firewall. I've now blocked them outside the machine.

It turns out that in the current version of the macOS, the OS sends to Apple a hash (unique identifier) of each and every program you run, when you run it. And user's IP.

That's how Tim values your privacy. macOS Big Brother.
In the next update it will probably start secretly recording video and audio.

 

[glowplug]

This was reported during the beta and *now* you're outraged?

I'm outraged now because this is the first I've heard about it. Had I known when the beta was out, I would have been outraged then too.

 

[SilkY SliM]

I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013) and update went smooth, though Boot up does take longer than catalina,

 

[Ethosik]

And this is why you don't update until for at least six months with Apple - never thought I'd have to say that. My Windows machines are more stable now. Yikes.

The one year upgrade cycle is too aggressive. Apple can't hang.

My windows 10 was fine until I upgraded to the 20H2 version. Nothing but problems. It can happen with Windows or macOS.

 

[psingh01]

This is why I haven’t updated at least until I finish making a proper backup.

 

[ShortFormErnie]

I got news for you buddy. The "Big Bucks" you paid for your 2013/2014 Macs has served it's purpose. You're not entitled to a free OS year after year, especially for these Macs that are near 7 & 8 years old. Years ago Apple charged $129 for an OS upgrade and people happily paid it, and Macs weren't any cheaper back then they are now.

You should be ashamed of yourself for this kind of gatekeeping.