Apple’s Latest Update Could Mess up Your Mac
When it comes to updates, especially from Apple, I usually advise you to install them as soon as possible. After all, these updates usually go through weeks, if not months, of beta testing—enough time to find and weed out big bugs. However, even with cool new features like Universal Control , you should be warned about macOS 12.3. Depending on its repair history, installing this latest update may break your Mac.
macOS 12.3 is a safe update for most Macs
You may have already updated to macOS 12.3 and haven’t encountered any issues. I can say the same since my iMac and MacBook Pro are working fine after I installed the latest update. I enjoy using Universal Control , sending new emojis, and generally enjoying the other new features that the update brings .
However, if you’ve ever had your Mac’s motherboard replaced, don’t download or install the update. According to MacRumors, macOS 12.3 does not play well with machines with new logic boards . When you try to update one of these computers to version 12.3, you will see everything from error messages to endless restarts and, in the worst case, a bricked Mac.
Why does macOS 12.3 cause errors?
While we don’t yet know exactly why this is happening, we do know that the error applies to both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. Whether your Mac came out with a logic board replacement this year or 2014, you should not upgrade to 12.3 at this time.
If you see this ad before updating your computer, great. Wait until Apple fixes the situation. However, it may be too late and you are sitting with your iMac, MacBook or Mac mini locked. If your machine refuses to turn on or work properly after trying to upgrade to 12.3, there is a fix, but it’s not easy.
How to fix a bricked Mac after updating to macOS 12.3
To access a locked Mac in any capacity, you need to put your computer into DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode and restore it. While Apple conveniently places DFU instructions for Intel and Apple silicon devices , there is one big caveat that can prevent you from recovering: Putting a Mac into DFU mode requires access to a second Mac.
If you have a second Mac or have a friend who will kindly lend you his, great – you can follow Apple’s instructions to recover your locked device, whether you have an Intel machine or an M1 . These instructions should work, but some users have run into problems. One Reddit user shared a helpful tip for those struggling with DFU:
You need to manually download 12.2.1 IPSW and it will be restored in the configurator.
Any attempts to get 12.3 on your Mac will fail with this error.
However, you should be able to get into DFU – wait until you see an exclamation mark screen after a few flashes, then do the DFU key sequence. The configurator will let you try to revive in recovery mode, but not sure if that will work – I’m guessing it’s your error 21. You should get error 2006 when trying in DFU mode.
The second time I tried to do a normal system update, the screen refused to show anything due to a firmware failure, but it still showed up in the configurator and the DFU key sequence still worked.
However, if you don’t have a second Mac, you can visit a computer repair shop that does.
You may be tempted to donate your machine to Apple, but this is currently discouraged. As MacRumors explains, sorting your bricked device into the Genius Bar will not result in a DFU repair, but most likely a second replacement of your device’s logic board. As we know the problem is due to the software not working with the logic board replacement so this will not solve the real problem here.
Instead, consider taking your computer to a third-party repair shop and explain the situation if they aren’t already familiar. They may be more likely to help you with DFU recovery using a different Mac than Apple.
[ Macrumors ]