Well que sera, sera. If it gets through the first reboot without problems I'd say you're safe. Interesting...!
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macOS Big Sur Update Bricking Some Older MacBook Pro Models
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I've done an update to Big Sur from a clean install of Catalina and had the black screen problem, myself. (I installed Big Sur several times, experimenting with my multi-boot layout; I got the black screen problems twice, out of maybe 8 or 9 installs.) I'm not saying that means you'll get it, but I'm almost 100% convinced that this issue is not because of rogue settings in the 'before' OS, but because of a genuine flaw in how Apple upgrades the firmware, when it does, which isn't always, on these machines.
Well, I'm done with the upgrade, and Big Sur is running fine. Granted nothing is configured since i applied the upgrae right after setting up Catalina via the setup assistant. No black screen here. Even rebooted to confirm bootup would work without issues and it did. I also reset PRAM before doing the clean installs as well as staring with a blank SSD.
Hard to say. I rarely have issues unless things are REALLY broken. Hope this helps.
Now I have 2 red marks on system preferences begging me to log into iCloud, and one to force 2 factor authorization on me. When I turn on my computer I get a warning that some apps won't work unless I do 2 factor authorization, apps I don't ever use.
I got another random warning to log into iCloud, funny thing is it says I am logged in.
This is ridiculous and is ruining my computing experience and is so unnecessary.
Thanks indeed for actually trying the experiment. Given the number of reports plus, well, the fact that I've experienced it myself, I still don't think it is user error, or a result of non-clean installs. But I do agree that your results don't add to my theory! I'm glad your machine's working fine. Enjoy!
What about the fact I had the public beta on prior to release? maybe nothing in connection, but interested to find out if any of the other people infected also did the beta. I was just wondering if maybe it did something to the firmware prior to the official upgrade. I was able to go back to Catalina, and then back to Big sur without problems.Thanks indeed for actually trying the experiment. Given the number of reports plus, well, the fact that I've experienced it myself, I still don't think it is user error, or a result of non-clean installs. But I do agree that your results don't add to my theory! I'm glad your machine's working fine. Enjoy!
By the way, what is the black screen problem? I didn't read about it in detail. So, i'm not sure what I should have expected to happen beyond the MBP no longer running.
I have a 2019 iMac, and I'm wondering if it's safe to upgrade. I really would like to use Big Sur, but rely on this machine for a lot. Any ideas?
I ran Big Sur 11.0 beta 6, 7, 8, 9 (was there a 10?) and 11.0.1 (I think the two versions were RC1 and RC2, right?). Looking back at my own posts, and the forum, I think the problem only started happening with the 11.0.1 versions - but for me it seemed pretty consistent, happening with any non-`createinstallmedia` update (i.e. just a normal update) from Catalina to any 11.0.1 version. This is my own description of the problem.
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In the end, disconnecting the cables to the I/O board made my MacBook Pro responsive again. I don't know why that worked, but I've been able to revert back to Mojave now using Recovery Mode and a bootable USB installer. If I reconnect the I/O board and power back on, the machine becomes unresponsive with a black screen again, so I've just left it disconnected for now. I've ordered a used I/O board on eBay, and hopefully that will get my wifi and those ports back up and running again. Seems to be a very weird bug in the Big Sur update!
Well, I feel really dumb. After trying a bunch of things, I realized I had not tried unplugging every device that was plugged into the iMac and then try booting it. So I unplugged literally everything but the power cord and it booted up and finished installing Big Sur.
Reading your post here, and your original, than the posts after yours and mine, suggests this might be connected to external device compatibility possibly. I know for me, the MBP had nothing external connected to it for the big sur upgrade. My iMac only has a couple hard drives connected + a logitech wireless dongle for the mouse. and a blu-ray drive. Beyond that nothing fancy connected. Even though I don't usually do this, Apple does recommend disconnecting all devices. Just trying to gather information from the recent people I've seen post about the problem and my own experience. I may take the MBP back to an older version of the macos just to have compatibility.
I have a 55 year old car, still does 70mph and about 35 mpg, but it does look like it's not only Apple's very clever people who love making products for landfill.... https://www.theregister.com/2020/11/17/tesla_nand_memory/
Interesting.
My money is still on people inadvertently hosing ROM updates on logic or controller boards by prematurely power cycling their machines, because the updates took very long without any indication on screen that anything was happening at all.
By the time I found this thread I had already started the update on my mid-2014 MBP. Sure enough, I hit the blank screen. I decided to sit it out (while reactivating my old boat anchor of a Windows laptop, so I could work), and after an hour or so of absolutely no on-screen feedback I was greated with a shiny new Big Sur installation.
Something must be causing it to take longer than expected. I have two macs of different generations and Big Sur took no longer than a half hour to install is what I estimated in wait time. I also don't remember a blank screen for anymore than 30 seconds to a minute or two either. I do know Big sur changes the startup chime too, because my Macs which already had the classic chime, now have the new one apple made.
That's a very new machine, and it doesn't match any reports of problems, it really should be okay.
So what is the iMac equivalent of removing the battery or i/o board? I am sitting on a late 2013 iMac that appears to be bricked at the moment.
When you sign in with your Apple ID you will enable services such as iCloud, the iTunes Store, the App Store, iMessage, FaceTime, and Find My on this Mac. Your Apple ID account information will be used with each service and certain data from your device, including your contacts, calendars, photos, documents, health, activity, Safari tabs, and other app data, will be sent to Apple to store and back up on your behalf.
This is not OK
This is not OK
Old car ≠ computer
I get your point, but generally consumer electronics fail over time. For the environment's sake, I wish they lasted way longer.
It wouldn't be hard for Apple to implement a way of delaying updates as standard, and having a setting for more frequent updates.
I've said it time and time again. There are plenty of very basic Mac users who can be easily misled due to how Apple delivers updates now.
Yes people can Mistankenely update to Big Sur. When there is a new OS out, Apple hides the normal updates leaving Big Sur as the only one showing, leading people to believe its the only update available and not realising they are downloading a major update. There is no warning, there is no nothing to suggest that it could be a problem.
This is a common myth that, sadly, is still being widely circulated.
Computers don’t get old and slow down with age. Computers aren’t living beings. Yes, computer components will fail, but they dont "slow down". It just works or it doesnt (leading to glitches, kernel panics, etc). Its probably a myth from the time spinning disks were the norm—you used to have regular maintenance routines like defragging your hdds. Fortunately we’re not living in the 90’s anymore, and for most use cases modern PC’s would last you a few decades.
Your computer from 2015 would run exactly the same 15 years later:
- When it benchmarks 1000 on cinebench the first time you got it, it would still get the same 1000 score on the year 2030.
- Your 3ghz i7 macbook pro would still run at the same 3ghz frequency 15 years later.
- When you export a video in 7 minutes time, the same video would take exactly the same 7 minutes to complete 15 years later
SSD’s are probably the only part in a modern computer that is really “aging”, the only part that's consumable. After hitting certain million cycles or certain hundred TB written, the cells would start to fail. But, again, it wont slow down your computer before it fails.
Luckily we can just change our SSD’s for a new one and you computer would run like its brand new again….. except that Apple hates modularity and now everything is soldered down.
Anybody's 7-8 year old Macbook Pro is probably just fine and just needs some cleaning and new thermal pastes (or new SSDs). Or just do a clean install of MacOS if you're paranoid of unwanted apps running unbeknownst to you.
The only reason some people experience problems installing Big Sur is because theres a bug in the installation process not found by Apple's QA department, or, like some people pointed out, an incomplete firmware installation. It has nothing to do with a computer getting "old".
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Apple have deliberately removed the ability to prevent the nagging reminders using Terminal. I always used to do this as it allowed security updates, but not major OS updates after one user rang me about a 'security' update that was taking more than an hour (Mojave) when they were meant to be doing some urgent work!
Thank you!!! This is the same thing I have trouble with. Telling clients to do security updates and small OS updates, but now you only see the next major version in system settings. I had to downgrade multiple users to Mojave after they accidentally installed Catalina and lost the ability to use essential apps.