Trouble restoring my i3 Mini :(

[Lloigorr]

Hello fellow mac users!

I have some huge difficulties recovering my 2018 i3 Mac Mini and maybe you guys are my last hope.

A couple days ago I bought this machine 2nd hand. It booted to the migration assistant screen (or whatever its called) as usual and I connected my external hard drive with a Time Machine backup, which I installed. After completion the Mini proceeded to reboot (again as usual) but failed to do so. Since then the Mini is stuck in a boot loop. The following attempts to rescue the machine failed so far:

• cmd+alt+P+R: while doing the PRAM reset it does its "gong" but is still stuck in a boot loop.
• Internet Recovery: after the progress bar went through it just shows an error code "-1008F" just below the warning sign over the globe and the URL "support.apple.com/mac/startup". The website behind that URL just explains the various error icons on the startup screen but provide no help for me. Neither wifi or ethernet do the job.
• I downloaded macOS Monterey and created a bootable flash drive with the "createInstallmedia" tool via terminal. Sadly, if I choose the flash drive on startup, the Mini won't boot from it but starts the internet recovery with the result above.

what else can I try to rescue the machine? or is it fried? that would be very sad as it worked fine before I tried to migrate my backup If someone has another suggestion to help me with my ill mini I would be very VERY grateful.

 

[Bodhitree]

I would get in touch with Apple Support, at the very least they will be able to tell you what the error code is. I noticed it wasn’t on krypted.com’s list of common ones.

 

[russell_314]

Maybe activation lock... I hope you still have contact information for the seller

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206989

 

[Lloigorr]

Thanks for your replies so far! Really appreciate it! I am in contact with the previous owner.
I tried another thing called DFU restore via Apple Configurator 2. This is something I didn't know is a thing Apparently the Mini has a T2 chip running "RecoveryOS" which was broken. I restored that and now it boots up!

It's saved! (well, nearly saved: it's still connected to the iCloud form the previous owner so I'm not able to reinstall Monterey. But as said, we're in contact)