4 ms·

The problem is, not everyone has a second machine. Not being able to install from USB or internet is really annoying from a support point of view.

scarface74 5y ago
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904
adamomada 5y ago
Try looking at it as a solution, not a problem. In dire straits you can actually recover the machine, vs having no other option like GP noted. Normally, and for normal users, the recovery mode is just a startup key combo away to re-image the machine.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  Understood, but I can't wrap my head around why they removed the internet recovery option. Until very recently I managed a large fleet of Macs and it's already happened twice that a user managed to break their system so bad the builtin recovery wouldn't work. Both didn't have another system to hand to do the DFU thing either. Internet recovery as it existed on the intel macs would have saved them a trip to the office.
- WesolyKubeczek 5y ago
  You know, all it takes to recover a hosed system on x86 is a flash drive. Because the bootloader on those machines doesn’t have to be a specially made macOS partition with a slimmed down macOS on it (hah! Those people are calling Grub2 bloated!) which must live on the internal storage. Moreover, on x86, even if the internal storage is hosed completely, I can boot the machine off USB/Thunderbolt and have it live for years more. Try that with dead SSD in your new macbook. Talk anout e-waste problem and how „heroically” Apple is fighting it, too.
  - astrange 5y ago
    You can't boot it if you restored the BIOS wrong - it's usually on a writable NVRAM. The M1's initial bootloader is on immutable storage.
    - WesolyKubeczek 5y ago
      I muck with the OS and above all the time, and I somehow can’t remember I ever needed to restore my bios. No. Never. Really. But M1 macs need the internal storage to work and be intact to boot even from external media. If the internal ssd on my intel mac or dell xps tablet (the soldered one, yep) dies, I boot from usb3.1 and keep on keeping on. The M1 Mac is a brick after that, except the new mac studio where the ssds are somewhat replaceable.

scarface74 5y ago

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

adamomada 5y ago

Try looking at it as a solution, not a problem. In dire straits you can actually recover the machine, vs having no other option like GP noted. Normally, and for normal users, the recovery mode is just a startup key combo away to re-image the machine.

GekkePrutser 5y ago
Understood, but I can't wrap my head around why they removed the internet recovery option. Until very recently I managed a large fleet of Macs and it's already happened twice that a user managed to break their system so bad the builtin recovery wouldn't work. Both didn't have another system to hand to do the DFU thing either. Internet recovery as it existed on the intel macs would have saved them a trip to the office.
WesolyKubeczek 5y ago
You know, all it takes to recover a hosed system on x86 is a flash drive. Because the bootloader on those machines doesn’t have to be a specially made macOS partition with a slimmed down macOS on it (hah! Those people are calling Grub2 bloated!) which must live on the internal storage. Moreover, on x86, even if the internal storage is hosed completely, I can boot the machine off USB/Thunderbolt and have it live for years more. Try that with dead SSD in your new macbook. Talk anout e-waste problem and how „heroically” Apple is fighting it, too.
- astrange 5y ago
  You can't boot it if you restored the BIOS wrong - it's usually on a writable NVRAM. The M1's initial bootloader is on immutable storage.
  - WesolyKubeczek 5y ago
    I muck with the OS and above all the time, and I somehow can’t remember I ever needed to restore my bios. No. Never. Really. But M1 macs need the internal storage to work and be intact to boot even from external media. If the internal ssd on my intel mac or dell xps tablet (the soldered one, yep) dies, I boot from usb3.1 and keep on keeping on. The M1 Mac is a brick after that, except the new mac studio where the ssds are somewhat replaceable.