Overview
When traditional Recovery Mode on a Mac is not sufficient to reinstall the operating system, Apple Configurator 2 can be used to restore the computer at the firmware level.
This is applicable to Apple Silicon and Intel Macs with a T2 chip.
Not sure? Check here: Mac models with the Apple T2 Security Chip
Be sure that Configurator 2 is up to date!
DIIT
Getting Stuck, When to Use
Typically, we boot into recovery mode, erase the hard drive, and reinstall macOS. Per
This message indicates that the Mac is activation locked, and that we should be able to enter the activation lock bypass code from Jamf. This did not work, and a support call to Apple confirmed that these devices were not, in fact, activation locked.
Due to the lack of a usable admin account or boot drive, the only real option left was to restore the computer via the method below.
Restoring with Configurator
This is a summary. Official documentation is here, depending on your device:
- Revive or restore an Intel-based Mac with Apple Configurator 2
- Revive or restore a Mac with Apple silicon with Apple Configurator 2
- Make sure you have the latest version of Configurator
- Connect a USB-C cable to the left-front port of the non-working Intel Mac
- Left-rear for Apple Silicon
- With the laptop off, press Power + left Control + left Option + right Shift for 10 seconds
- Keep holding the power button but release the others until the laptop appears in Configurator as "DFU"
- Right-click and chose Restore, which will prompt something like
- You may have to install a software update to be able to connect to the laptop
- Note that the non-working laptop screen will be blank this whole time. When the process is complete, and the non-working laptop no longer says "DFU" in Configurator, you can disconnect and power on.
- There will be absolutely nothing on the drive, the only choice will be Internet Recovery
NEED TO VERIFY STEP 8, DOES IT ACTUALLY INSTALL THE OS?
- In Recovery Mode, go to Disk Utility and erase the disk so it's ready, then install the OS
