What you need to know
- Apple released macOS Monterey 12.3 this week.
- MacBook Pro users are complaining that macOS is bricking some machines.
- The problems seem to be related to users who have had their logic boards replaced.
Multiple users of Apple's MacBook Pro suggest that the new macOS Monterey release pushed out this week is bricking their Macs.
According to reports first noted by MacRumors, users of the new MacBook Pro (2021) in Apple's developer forums, and users on Reddit have spotted the issue. One user wrote:
I bought a 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro in January. Installed the Monterey beta on it at the end of January. In February, I spilled a full cup of coffee next to it and brought it in for Apple Care repair.They replaced nearly everything- from the logic board to the batteries to both cases and fans.When I was restoring my time machine backup, migration assistant advised updating to the Monterey beta since that's what OS my backup used.Accepting this prompt within migration assistant restarted the machine but did not complete the update. So I tried to update to the Monterey beta from within system preferences. This resulted in a boot loop and effectively bricked the computer.
One user in response noted a similar experience:
No answer. It's happened to me, too: I updated to Monterey 12.3 beta 3 and it bricked my laptop. My own attempts at revive/recover via Apple Configurator 2 failed. They also failed at my local service center and after conversation with Apple they replaced the logic board. I misread the release notes on Monterey 12.3 beta 4 and thought that the issue was fixed but... yep, bricked again and requires logic board replacement.
Still another said they had the same problem with their 14-inch MacBook Pro. According to an answer in the forum thread, the problem is related to a firmware bug in macOS Monterey 12.3:
There is a firmware bug in Mac OS 12.3 that renders the update impossible to install on any 2021 14 or 16 inch MacBook Pro that has had it's logic board replaced.
The suggested answer involves manually downloading the 12.2.1 IPSW and using Apple Configurator 2 with your Mac in DFU mode to revive the image.
The full thread and insight on a possible fix can be read here..
