Help with Mac Recovery and several issues

Sansa123 wrote:

First, my MB air 2020 intel with T2 chip had been used less then 10x and stored the last 6 months. When I booted it up few days ago it was running Catalina 15.6 Battery would not charge past 1% and fan running high constant. Also, running extremely slow. It was signed into iCloud and trying to download 6 months of photos etc.

The battery may have been permanently damaged depending on how long the battery was left at 0% charge level.

Hard to say if the slowness & fan issue is due to a faulty battery or just macOS doing a lot of catch up work & scans & syncing. If you still have the slowness & fan issue after the DFU Firmware Restore, then the battery may be to blame, or it may be an issue with the Logic Board since the Logic Boards for the 2018-2020 T2 MBAirs are not known for robustness. Unfortunately there is no way to say definitively as troubleshooting is extremely limited especially when there is no bootable OS on the internal SSD.

6.Local Recovery mode and Internet Recovery mode -would not connect to wifi or load any menus

Could be a local network issue. What error message and/or codes are given when you attempt to boot Internet Recovery Mode? A Hidden WiFi network can be very problematic as can a complex WiFi setup.

9.DFU mode REvive- with help of my son’s MacBook Air M2

10.DFU mode Recover- wiped everything

With a DFU Firmware Restore, you have done as much as you can do with this laptop.

11.Automatically restarted to Internet Recovery - stuck there will not connecti to wifi or by Ethernet - does not load menu

Try accessing Internet Recovery Mode from another location so you are using a different router & local network configuration and possibly a different ISP. Some local network issues you can control such as router configuration, and cables/adapters used. Other local network issues are out of your control since they would be associated with your ISP's configuration & other local Internet.

12.Followed Apple support instructions for installing Mac OS software onto thumb drive from sons Mac which has Sequoia installed - It appeared to install OS via thumb drive after 2+ hours it went to Internet Recovery after ??Completion but still won’t connect to Internet or iPhone hotspot

Completely forget about a bootable macOS USB installer now that you have performed a DFU Firmware Restore. The default T2 security settings prevent you from modifying those settings to allow booting from USB since there are no macOS user accounts now to authenticate against. USB booting is not an option until you can reinstall macOS through Internet Recovery Mode.

but still won’t connect to Internet or iPhone hotspot

Connecting to a hotspot is a good option depending assuming its connection is fast & reliable/stable enough for Internet Recovery Mode...some are, some are not.

Questions I have - if the original Mac OS on my 2020 is Catalina is that what needs to be reinstalled? Apple support said no I can install sequoia.

Any version of macOS 10.15 to 15.x is fine.

#2- Can I use my son’s 2023 Mac to make a “bootable installer” with Catalina if he’s running Sequoia. If not can I use the bootable installer instructions with sequoia to create start up for mine. I don’t know if creating bootable installer is the directions I should have used after the DFU wipe.

Forget a bootable USB installer. It won't work until after you are able to reinstall macOS through Internet Recovery Mode and a macOS admin user account is created.

I’m not sure if there’s some glitch that came from the software on Mac being very outdated and iCloud trying to sync 0r is this a hard drive or SSD not functioning.

I have been in touch with chat support but receiving different advice and not offered any steps to fix other then it needs to be brought in.

None of this matters now since a DFU Firmware Restore was performed. You now are dealing with a network related issue involving Internet Recovery Mode, or you have confirmed a hardware issue of some sort with this laptop. These are the only two things which are now relevant.

Continued.....

Apple said I just needed battery replaced.

I didn’t agree it was a battery issue, because I couldn’t load local Mac OS recovery or update. I checked under battery health and I’ve had only 2 battery cycles. I store my computer in its box in a cabinet.

Unfortunately troubleshooting these USB-C Macs is very difficult. Some battery related issues could cause performance issues & have the fan run at high speed. However, the 2020 MBAir (Intel) has no direct cooling of the CPU so these Logic Boards have been known to have a higher rate of failure, but it may also just be issues associated with the T2 design since the T2 Logic Boards have a higher rate of failure than the non-T2 Logic Boards with USB-C ports.

FYI, your battery may be permanently damaged even if the battery is still functional. Anytime a Lithium Battery is left at 0% charge level for an extended time will cause damage to the battery. Is it preventing you from accessing Internet Recovery Mode? Doubtful, but possibly. There is no way to know without using a known good battery which has no easy way of testing due to the design. I certainly would not pay any money for a battery unless it was guaranteed to work or your money back. Even then I say to avoid spending any money on any Intel Mac and put that money towards a new M-series laptop (or any other laptop you prefer). The M-series Macs (even MBAirs) will run circles around that Intel MBAir 2020.

I also have a very old cracked screen 2005 MacBook it was sitting for 3 years and still booted up and charged.

Completely different technology & design.

The design of the USB-C Macs especially the 2018+ models is a lot more complex and may not even work/boot at all if any internal components are disconnected or non-functional. Older non-USB-C Macs would generally boot & work with most internal components disconnected including the battery. The current Mac hardware has virtually no similarity to any non-USB-C Apple hardware. Apples & Oranges.

Either you can access Internet Recovery Mode to reinstall macOS or you should recycle this laptop & purchase a new laptop. Internet Recovery Mode issues are either due to a hardware issue with this laptop (adapter/cables if using Ethernet), or with your local network configuration setup and/or ISP, or local Internet. Try different physical locations so that different routers & ISPs are involved. Do not spend any money on repairs for this Intel laptop...you will just be wasting money for multiple reasons.

Sansa123 wrote:

Shoot this made me have another question, after reading what you said about the T2 chip and my restore. I am the original owner shipped from Apple, would my security be automatically turned on to not allow booting from external or usb.

Yes, after a DFU Firmware Restore all security settings are reset to factory defaults. Factory default has USB booting turned off.

I don’t remember putting in a specific firmware password.

Firmware password lock is completely different from the other T2 security features accessed by using the Startup Security Utility (only accessible through Recovery Mode):

About Startup Security Utility on a Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip - Apple Support

Set a firmware password on your Mac - Apple Support

I’m actually so frustrated, I’ve never had any device become completely bricked from an update.

Your Mac had issues before you did those updates. It already had severe performance issues and the fan running at high speed. The updates & resets only exasperated the existing problem....it happens sometimes.

Is this problem of security only intel with T2 being restore. The apple page for DFU should maybe have a waning. Sorry venting out loud.

Anytime you flash the firmware of any device, there is always a risk of something going wrong & leaving the device bricked. Most manufacturers have a warning on their firmware updates absolving themselves of any responsibility (not sure that is enough to resolve them though for everything).

Plus why won’t the Mac just connect to Internet recovery mine just spins after entering wifi password.

Try the DFU Firmware Restore again to see if it will make any difference.

Otherwise, you may have some local network issue, or you may be exposing another aspect of the hardware failure with your Mac's Logic Board.

Can you even boot your son's Mac into Recovery Mode on your network? It would be better to try booting another Intel Mac into Internet Recovery Mode (can be any Intel model 2010-2020) so we can be sure since I'm not sure how M-series Macs work in this regard.

Have you tried accessing Internet Recovery Mode at another physical location?

At;east it would fix the software and I could’ve lived with plugging in for the my limited usage.

Lesson learned don’t even update or really even buy a Mac again.

It would most likely have gotten much worse.

Unfortunately with these USB-C Macs, there is very little troubleshooting these days since there is no way to get any relevant information about the system when an issue arises. It is extremely frustrating. It is best people start thinking of Apple computers being like an iPhone or iPad. That is what their computers are becoming with every hardware & OS change.

Sansa123 wrote:

[...]

Questions I have - if the original Mac OS on my 2020 is Catalina is that what needs to be reinstalled? Apple support said no I can install sequoia.

#2- Can I use my son’s 2023 Mac to make a “bootable installer” with Catalina if he’s running Sequoia. If not can I use the bootable installer instructions with sequoia to create start up for mine. I don’t know if creating bootable installer is the directions I should have used after the DFU wipe.

[...]

#1 - On that 2020 MBA Intel you can install any macOS version from Catalina 10.15.7 to the current release of Sequoia 15.6. You don't have to stick with Catalina and there's no real good reason to do that. I'd go with the newest OS that it can run - Sequoia.

#2 - You cannot use your son's 2023 Mac to make a bootable installer for Catalina because his computer cannot run Catalina. It's too new to do that. You can, however, use your son's Mac to create a bootable installer for macOS Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 or Sequoia 15. Any of these will install and run on your MBA.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Sansa123 wrote:

the m2 wouldn’t go to the intenet recovery the same as intel or because it’s wotking and on wifi there was no issue with his.

If the M2 cannot boot into Recovery Mode either, then you have confirmed you have a local network issue of some sort. You need to figure out the local network issue. The easiest option is to try accessing Internet Recovery Mode at another physical location so a different home network & router is being used as well as possibly a different ISP.

First thing would be to power cycle your router. You will need to wait at least 5 minutes for the router to finish booting before you should try Internet Recovery Mode again.

FYI, here is how you access the Startup Options screen on an M-series Mac and how to access Recovery Mode on it (the process is completely different than with the Intel Macs).

If your Mac starts up to Options with a gear icon - Apple Support

Personally I would not spend any money on repairs. If only a battery is needed, then that is a coin toss whether it would be worthwhile, but you would want assurances that it is the only part needed to resolve all of the issues (I'm not certain it would).

Desktop computers have power capacitors in the DC power supplies to smooth out the delivered power. Portable computers use the battery capacity to smooth out power.

When you leave it disconnected for a long time, the battery can act as a Drain rather than a Source of power. So reviving it can be a multi-step process with no guarantee of success.

Conventional wisdom is that it may only trickle-charge until the battery power level gets up to a certain level. So charging at least all night long may get it trickle-charged enough that the charging logic can actually begin to work.

Then AFTER that overnight pre-charge followed by an SMC reset, it might be able to begin a real charge cycle.

Sansa123 wrote:

H.W. - Wish I could give you some rep points. Thanks so much for taking the time to address literally everything that I needed answered. I actually feel smarter now!

Thank you. You can use the "up arrow" below a specific post to vote on it. Just make sure you are logged into Apple discussion forums when you do so or no points will be awarded.

Last 2 questions lol if it is a logic board problem, could that account for battery not charging?

Possible, yes. Probable from what you have mentioned here? Maybe, but most likely the battery charge level was at 0% for several months.....that can easily cause permanent damage to the battery so it may no longer be able to charge. Chemical reactions occur within the battery that can break the internal circuitry within the battery which makes it impossible to charge the battery.

If macOS was installed, then I could provide a Terminal command to see whether the battery is reporting a permanent failure status (I'm not certain if the Intel Mac batteries have this flag....some M-series Macs do). Unfortunately the macOS installer doesn't have enough resources to allow it.

FYI, most Lithium Batteries tend to need replaced between 3 - 5 years of age for one reason or another.

And when I booted up few days ago before all the troubleshooting I was able to login surf the web, open email, check system preferences basically fully functioning although beyond slow, if logic board was messed up would I have gotten that far and been mostly functioning?

Yes, the Logic Board could have been causing or contributing to the performance issue.

You likely do need a battery replacement. Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple

It's not a good idea to let your devices sit for so long without charging along the way (every six months as indicated in the article) and when removed, should be charged at least 20 minutes before powering up.

Have you left it connected to power these last few days?

If so, have you attempted a recent SMC reset to the get the battery subsystem ready to charge again?