Except it isn't. A "brick" means the software has so thoroughly rendered the hardware unrecoverable, it is as valuable as a brick.
There are no reports where hardware is unrecoverable. Just failed OS installs. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
macOS Big Sur Update Bricking Some Older MacBook Pro Models
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There are no reports where hardware is unrecoverable. Just failed OS installs. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
It’s unfinished as they are design glitches and a few UI elements that are not designed for the new iOS style icons.
also it’s interesting that it’s v11.0.1 not v11.0.0 they had issues with the GM and had to update it a similar thing happened to iOS and both these cases they were wide spread issues on launch day.
just seems it was hurried up for M1 base Macs and expect 11.0.2 soon
also it’s interesting that it’s v11.0.1 not v11.0.0 they had issues with the GM and had to update it a similar thing happened to iOS and both these cases they were wide spread issues on launch day.
just seems it was hurried up for M1 base Macs and expect 11.0.2 soon
The Big Sur update on my 2019 15” MBP (256GB, i7, 16GB Ram) stalled on the Apple Logo at about 95% for several hours. I did a restart and went into the boot utility and did a ‘Repair Disc’, then restarted and it booted fine, and all my data was intact.
It’s safe to say I was literally sh****g bricks as I did not have a Time Machine backup. Moral of the story - always have a backup of your machine!
It’s safe to say I was literally sh****g bricks as I did not have a Time Machine backup. Moral of the story - always have a backup of your machine!
You don't appear to have been reading the original article or the discussion thread closely enough, then. Reports are that the Big Sur installation is damaging the HDMI chip on the I/O board of 2013-2014 MBP 13" models, resulting in them being unusable. A failed OS install is usually recoverable; this isn't (without a hardware repair).
I didn't follow my own advice and updated the same machine on Friday. Got lucky—wait a few more days next time. Smoothest update I think I've had; usually I have to force a restart or similar.
The interface seems flat. I was using the light mode and it's harder to see window and column boundaries. Search areas seem more obscure. Control Center is nice. So far everything works; but this isn't my working machine. The 2017 iMac won't get upgraded for weeks. Photoshop Elements 2018 opens with an error, but worked for what I needed at the time.
2012 and 2013 MacBooks? More than 7 years old machines? It’s ok if they fail. All of us Mac users know that every upgrade comes with risks. You need to be sure if you want to take the risks on the machine you’re planning to install an OS designed for newer products. Soooo.... did your Mac went blank? Buy a new one. I think the universe is telling you it’s time.
I'm glad I did not upgrade yet. My 2015 mbp is doing well with Catalina. As usual, I'll wait at least a couple of months to make sure no serious bug is out there.
So you clear the checkbox in System Preferences>>Software Update and it doesn't install anything until you tell it to. Not rocket science.
Nice slam for the assumed damage that didn't occur. Got it. You'd have of course installed a .0 release on this critical work computer on launch day otherwise. Do people ever re-read these perceived slams on Apple before they post them?
For anyone interested, I’m tracking all the Big Sur install / upgrade issues here. https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-big-sur-11-list-of-serious-install-upgrade-issues-updated/
Are you serious? Apple is facing a class action with slowing down iOS and Apple admits that.
Glad it runs nice on my not even supported MBP 2012.
I'll probably catch flak for this.
I have religiously used Onyx for quite a while after every update major or minor, and in between. In the old days I was a religious Disk Doctor user. I have never had a problem with updates, ever. I have noticed that sometimes updates seem to get faster with use, but I attribute that to the Mac personalities the Mac computers seem to have.
I worked as (amongst being assistant editor and staff masseur, lol) the IT guy for the local newspaper in the mid/late 90s. I noticed then that the Macs reacted to people's emotions. People can laugh but I saw it happen time after time. The editor was hot tempered, and often I could NOT make the computer do what I WATCHED him make it do.
He'd stand there, shaking his head. I'd tell him, just calm down and everything will be OK. The paper was a weekly, and on production day he and the advertising manager would get neck massages, which usually fixed their computer problems.
Anyway, Big Sur loaded glitchlessly, and I really like it on my seven-year old MBP. Safari page loads are instantaneous. Computer and iPhone SE 2020 are intimately connected.
I have religiously used Onyx for quite a while after every update major or minor, and in between. In the old days I was a religious Disk Doctor user. I have never had a problem with updates, ever. I have noticed that sometimes updates seem to get faster with use, but I attribute that to the Mac personalities the Mac computers seem to have.
I worked as (amongst being assistant editor and staff masseur, lol) the IT guy for the local newspaper in the mid/late 90s. I noticed then that the Macs reacted to people's emotions. People can laugh but I saw it happen time after time. The editor was hot tempered, and often I could NOT make the computer do what I WATCHED him make it do.
He'd stand there, shaking his head. I'd tell him, just calm down and everything will be OK. The paper was a weekly, and on production day he and the advertising manager would get neck massages, which usually fixed their computer problems.
Anyway, Big Sur loaded glitchlessly, and I really like it on my seven-year old MBP. Safari page loads are instantaneous. Computer and iPhone SE 2020 are intimately connected.
Why shouldn’t I install a .0 release on my machine? Apple MAKES the hardware and software. I should be able to trust that they make them work together properly. I also expect a multi billion dollar company to test their software on their hardware during the beta period.
Not sure why you are defending them..?
this is exactly me!!! I thought I was the only person. My display works just fine after the MBP is fully booted. I can't even get to the apple logo boot screen if it is plugged in.
Last edited:
I think people who use forums tend to alter their machines incrementally over time. I upgraded from a 2013 iMac to a 2020 because Apple published the unsupported list and my machine was on it. However when I upgraded to Mojave I had major issues because I had done some Terminal commands over the years. My point is that a marginal machine might not be "stock" anymore and fail on upgrade. One old driver could be an issue.
My MBP is of the model and make that those affected machines, and is unaffected - and I’m 100% sure it’s not some quick fix by Apple that skips the fw upgrade because my MacBook did have its boot chime permanently changed to the new one - just without any problems described here. As much as I disagree a claim that was made, that this could be made up to make Apple look bad - even though I am unaffected - I still can’t help but point out that there are going to be people that if a replacement program is announced, will try to abuse it and fake being victims to a failed fw update in one way or another.
You’re complaining because if a thing had happened that didn’t happen, and if you didn’t want to drive 45 minutes, you’d have to wait a week?
Must be nice to have nothing else to worry about than potential outcomes in other branches of the multiverse.
Weird considering my late 2013 is smooth. How is that even possible, for a newer machine to run slower?
Big Sur is fast and beautiful on a fully wiped and new install. But a few factors should really be a known. Third party Kext (Kernel Level Drivers) are becoming almost impossible to use reliably unless apple has signed them. Even with SIP disabled. So if you have a few of these third party Kext files avoid the update until each vendor acknolwdges full support for Big Sur.*
* Easiest way to check what Kext drives you depend on is to run a simple command from the console.
kextstat | grep -v com.apple
I've run into a lot of issue with hardware rendering.Looks like some API have been deprecated and lots of software will crash rather than drop down to software rendering. MS Remote Desktop is an example.
The new time machine system can make it very difficult to revert back to 10.15.7. MacOS 10.15 doesn't see APFS volumes as valid TimeMachine sources. So ever if you already have a daily time machine target set up. Be extra cautious. If possible use an empty drive, format it with HFS+ and then create a full clone or TimeMachine backup. The remove it as a TimeMachine source and store it safely. **
Finally the larger spacing can really cause issues where they didn't exist before. Such as in the menubar. If you happen to use a lot of menubar utilites/icons you can easily run out of room after the update.
** I'm a fan overall of moving Time Machine to APFS snapshots, but during a transitional period you should be extra careful.
* Easiest way to check what Kext drives you depend on is to run a simple command from the console.
kextstat | grep -v com.apple
I've run into a lot of issue with hardware rendering.Looks like some API have been deprecated and lots of software will crash rather than drop down to software rendering. MS Remote Desktop is an example.
The new time machine system can make it very difficult to revert back to 10.15.7. MacOS 10.15 doesn't see APFS volumes as valid TimeMachine sources. So ever if you already have a daily time machine target set up. Be extra cautious. If possible use an empty drive, format it with HFS+ and then create a full clone or TimeMachine backup. The remove it as a TimeMachine source and store it safely. **
Finally the larger spacing can really cause issues where they didn't exist before. Such as in the menubar. If you happen to use a lot of menubar utilites/icons you can easily run out of room after the update.
** I'm a fan overall of moving Time Machine to APFS snapshots, but during a transitional period you should be extra careful.
I find it lagging just before scrolling down safari bookmarks, other than that so far not too bad other than it's ugly interface and icons. I am going to run Onyx as soon as they come out with the version for Big Sur
I turned on the phone and it said to enter the code on my computer before I could use it. It could possibly have been just for the first use but I didn't want to take the chance of not being able to use the GPS when needed.
As soon as I accepted the 2 factor authorization Apple connected me to iCloud and I didn't ask them to. I don't like that. The last time they did that and I turned it off my bookmarks got all jacked up. I just want to be able to use my computer without Apple 'reminding' me to turn on iCloud or cajoling me to turn on 2 factor authorization. It's obnoxious and very Big Brother like behavior.
Not the way Apple is supposed to be.
My screen went black multiple times during the upload and just sat there. It was concerning but I decided to just wait it out and eventually the upload succeeded.
Apple really needs to tweak the updates so we are alerted to what is going on every step of the way. Or, do as some others say and start the upload and walk away.