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Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

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Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#81

Post by floatingatoll »

zenexer wrote: post #72
ObsoleteNerd wrote: post #4

It's not "bricked" if you can fix it in Recovery Mode. Still bad that it's happening, but the term "bricked" is thrown around so flippantly these days. If a piece of tech is bricked, it's not recoverable at all.

The original source[0] states that access to Recovery Mode is not possible, at least in some cases. One user there reports[1] that the device shows no signs of life--no power, no fans spinning, nothing: > No power at all. I tried SMC and PRAM reset but sadly was unable to do either since my computer won’t even turn on. [0]: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/warning-macos-catalina-... [1]: https://forums.macrumors.…

Does this issue only affect T2 Macs and MacBooks?

If so, maybe a DFU restore is needed.

Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#82

Post by teilo »

baryphonic wrote: post #59

This is interesting. I sat down at my machine on Thursday morning, and it was entirely unresponsive. It had warned me about installing updates the previous evening, but I've done this many times without an issue, and regardless, they are always complete by morning. I waited a minute or two for any sign of life (beyond the fans running), and then held power. I heard the unpleasant sound of the fans spinning up to high…

I had a similar issue to yours when I manually ran this update on my 16". It froze on a black screen, after doing the BridgeOS part of the update. I had to force it down. When it started, it continued the update and, thankfully, everything worked.

However, I'm still having kernel panics after the Supplemental update. But interestingly, they only happen when the machine is supposedly sleeping, with the shell closed. I kid you not. I will have it sitting there on my end table in the living room, shut for over an hour, and all of the sudden it will reboot with the lid closed (I know because I have the startup chime enabled). I've never had a Mac kernel panic while supposedly sleeping. This is so f*cked.

Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#84

Post by projectileboy »

gregmac wrote: post #45
ObsoleteNerd wrote: post #4

It's not "bricked" if you can fix it in Recovery Mode. Still bad that it's happening, but the term "bricked" is thrown around so flippantly these days. If a piece of tech is bricked, it's not recoverable at all.

"Bricked" is relative, depending on your skill level. For some consumers, if recovery mode doesn't work that might be the end of line. However, there are more advanced users that can access the storage via another system and fix it there, hook up via serial port or JTAG and flash new firmware, or even desolder and replace chips. On the far other end of the spectrum, there's going to be people that consider "doesn't s…

Well, skill level and time. As soon as I’m replacing chips in a system I’m probably losing money if I value my time above $0/hr.

Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#85

Post by userbinator »

Moru wrote: post #61
userbinator wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This auto-updating treadmill we've been sold on is really beneficial for developers, but it causes some major problems for end-users. How so? If anything, I think it's just as bad for developers, who expect a stable foundation to be able to build on.

It's two-edged. On the one hand it's easy because you only get to target one version of your software. On the other hand your developing environment can suddenly change, what worked fine yesterday requires a complete rewrite the next day.

On the one hand it's easy because you only get to target one version of your software.

I feel like Microsoft somewhat had that problem solved --- if I just want to create a basic Windows GUI app, and know that I don't need any of the newer features, I can create one binary which will work from Win95 onwards.

On the other hand your developing environment can suddenly change, what worked fine yesterday requires a complete rewrite the next day.

I've seen that happen with most of the other platforms; and relevantly to this article, Apple is a good example of constant breaking change.

Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#88

Post by forgingahead »

Side poll: Do people automatically download OS updates for their computers? A lesson from my Windows days way back when was never to update anything unless absolutely needed -- computer, phones, etc. "Needed" is loosely defined as "key software that you need to work is no longer working on your older OS, hence you need to upgrade your OS to keep using this key software (sorry!)."

I'm aware of security patches etc, but risk of regular things breaking for little apparent upside has always led me (and most folks I know) to avoid upgrades except in the above-mentioned case.

Edit, not just asking about Windows, but all operating systems, OSX, iOS, Android, Linux, etc.

Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#89

Post by aganame »

tonyedgecombe wrote: post #78
cutler wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, there's no way Catalina is ever going on any of my machines. Apple has hit a real low-point with this release.

Just an anecdote but it's been rock solid for me and fixed a number of issues I had with Mojave.

Ditto. My worst problem has been that some games on Steam claim they don’t work on Mojave... but they do.

Re: Nasty macOS flaw is bricking MacBooks: Don't install this update

#90

Post by teddyh »

ravenstine wrote: post #73
therealx wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you kidding? I've had config files overwritten, x11/wayland/whatever just break after an update, wirelesss/power drivers just...change, sometimes to the point of having to recover it from a mono-screen tty, or updates fuck up the fs or something else that requires me to hit up single user mode.

Yeah, I got a black screen on boot on more than one occasion because of some change to either X11 or its config after updating. It's probably a rite of passage for a seasoned Linux user to figure out how to undo the damage to their `/etc/x11/xorg.conf`. (then again, I stopped using linux about 4 years ago, so maybe that's changed)

It has changed, yes. Most people don’t even have an /etc/X11/xorg.conf file anymore; it’s all autodetected now.
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