MacOS Catalina 10.15.7 is causing a Kernal Panic - Forced an update to T2 chip by installing Big Sur - My machine is now bricked So only in the last 2 weeks has my Macbook Pro 2018 starting having this kernal panic problem. I was on 10.15.7 and after disabling the power nap and vault encryption suggestions I still had no luck preventing the kernel panic. The firmware of the T2 chip was 17P6610 with Darwin Kernel Version 19.6.0.
I then tried to do a clean install of OSX High Sierra and the issue persisted (The T2 chips firmware was still 17P660 - It didn't roll back). As a last ditch effort I went ahead and installed OSX Big Sur because I though that I might be able to force a firmware update to the chip to a later version but ran into a fatal problem. The install completed just fine but when I restarted my Macbook it turned off and has not turned on since. I can hear the fan spin up quickly and then cut out but nothing happens. It is a complete brick right now. I would not advise anyone to do what I did unless you have a high level of expertise to figure out what might go wrong if you did what I did.
My question is: Has anyone been in the same position as I have and successfully recovered their machine? I am reading up on how to use Apple's Configurator 2 in DFU mode to revive the chip but I have never done this before. Any inputs on where I should go from here? I am saving a trip to the Apple store as the absolute last solution but it feels like I am getting closer to have to do that.
You should use the Configurator to restore the T2 chip. Follow the steps shown here:
Apple Support: https://support.apple.com/guide/apple-configurator-2/revive-or-restore-mac-firmware-apdebea5be51/mac