Mac Studio M1 not showing SSD in Recovery

[Towbar]

Hi Guys
I have a major issue with my Mac Studio M1. I was performing a fresh install of Sequoia using a bootable USB. got the message that my machine had been verified. I used disk utility to erase the hard drive. my machine then restarted and when i got to recovery there was no sign of the Hard drive I clicked the option and checked Disk Utility, my hard drive is shown but it will not let me erase or format.

I cannot progress past the select drive to install OSX as it cannot find my internal SSD all my external SSDs 8TB of NVMe show up but not my internal drive. It is obviously something I have done, as it was working fine but I am at a loss to figure out exactly why this error is present. I have put my Mac Studio in DFU mode DFU mode light is flashing, but I cannot download Apple Configurator to my MacBook Pro, as it is running Ventura 13.7.2 and Apple Configurator requires OSX 14.0 or later. Sonoma +

It seems Apple is doing everything to become the parasite that Microsoft was.

Is it possible to find an older version of the Apple Configurator, I have searched for this, with no luck or can someone please offer an alternative solution? I realise I could use OCLP to upgrade my laptop to Sonoma, but that in itself may cause issues.

 

[ferrarr]

Were you booted from a different drive, when you erased the internal?

If you remove the bootable USB, what happens with the Studio?

 

[Rod]

Did you select the USB as the Startup drive before beginning this process?
When you rebooted after erasing the HD did it boot into the USB or the Studio HD or did you select the USB at Startup using the Option key?

"I cannot progress past the select drive to install OSX as it cannot find my internal SSD."
When you open DU from the USB did you select Show all Devices from the View menu?

These days it's not even necessary to use a bootable USB to erase the internal drive and reinstall macOS. There is a built in "Erase all Contents and Settings" command built in to System Settings. See this article from Apple;

Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon – Apple Support (UK)

How to erase (format) the built-in startup disk of a Mac with Apple silicon.

support.apple.com

 

[MacInWin]

I was performing a fresh install of Sequoia using a bootable USB.

That's not how to do that. It used to be how to do it on an Intel system, but is not the way to do a fresh install on Apple Silicon Macs like yours.

I used disk utility to erase the hard drive.

Alarm bells going off on that sentence. The Apple Mx Macs are NOT like the Intel machines at all. You may have erased the hidden segment of the internal storage that allows the Mac to boot from external drives at all, or you erased the Recovery system. Either is rather nasty.

it will not let me erase or format.

Sounds like you are booted from it, and it won't let you erase or format it because you are booted from it. See if this has anything helpful:

Secure Boot and disaster recovery for Apple silicon Macs

Apple silicon Macs are better-equipped to prevent and deal with disaster. Restoring in DFU mode is extremely unusual, and more powerful than anything you can do with an Intel Mac.

eclecticlight.co

or this:

An illustrated guide to Recovery on Apple silicon Macs

A step-by-step fully illustrated guide to how to use every feature in Recovery Mode on an M1 or M2 Mac running Big Sur, Monterey or Ventura.

eclecticlight.co

or this:

How external bootable disks work with Apple silicon Macs

Working with external bootable disks: how to create and add them, ownership and LocalPolicy, how that can be changed, and what happens with errors and failure.

eclecticlight.co

Good luck with it.

 

[Rod]

Sounds like you are booted from it, and it won't let you erase or format it because you are booted from it.

That was my suspicion too. Either way not the way to do it.

 

[Towbar]

You may have erased the hidden segment of the internal storage that allows the Mac to boot from external drives at all, or you erased the Recovery system.

That's not how to do that. It used to be how to do it on an Intel system, but is not the way to do a fresh install on Apple Silicon Macs like yours.

Alarm bells going off on that sentence. The Apple Mx Macs are NOT like the Intel machines at all. You may have erased the hidden segment of the internal storage that allows the Mac to boot from external drives at all, or you erased the Recovery system. Either is rather nasty.

Sounds like you are booted from it, and it won't let you erase or format it because you are booted from it. See if this has anything helpful:



Good luck with it.

Having looked at this machine, in the cold light of day, Sadly I would agree with your diagnosis. I had previously done a done a restore on this machine When it was using Sonoma but yesterday The wife was want me to go out so i was rush and thought i'll do it now let it run and it will be completed when i get back. But as stated above "thats not how you do it and as you said I did it they way you do it it on an intel machine.

I have, as you said erase all the container and the recovery partion. I did find a copy of Apple Configeratore (AC) that was compatable with my macbook. I have posted a link below should anyone else need it. However once it goes throught the process of dowloading everything it fails on the final run with this error. (image 1) From the photo you can also see the file system has been removed and all containers. Will continu to a look around, but I'm thinking this is a visit to the Apple Shop to rectify this issue. I tried dropping the IPSW file into AC to see if this would work but no joy. teach me not to break my own golden rule Always give yourself time to complete the task and make sure you know what you are doing DOH

Apple Configerator for OSX 13.7.4

 

[IWT]

I'm thinking this is a visit to the Apple Shop to rectify this issue.

Absolutely, what I'd do.

Your problem, no offence intended, is way beyond the day-to-day difficulties that we see here or experience ourselves.

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

One last gasp thing to try. In DU, select the "APPLE SSD AP0512R Media" and then see if you can Erase it with GUID and APFS and then try the installation from REcovery, not from an external device. In normal conditions, that's how you reinstall on Mx Macs. It will need an Internet connection so it can download the OS from Apple.

 

[Towbar]

One last gasp thing to try. In DU, select the "APPLE SSD AP0512R Media" and then see if you can Erase it with GUID and APFS and then try the installation from REcovery, not from an external device. In normal conditions, that's how you reinstall on Mx Macs. It will need an Internet connection so it can download the OS from Apple.

Well, it's time for an update, I decided to have one last ditch attempt before booking it into the Apple shop. I did some searching and found that when using Apple Configurator.(AC) The Host machine (The working machine must be running to the latest OSX) I, therefore, clicked on Updates on my Macbook Pro, which was using Ventura 13.7.2 and found there was an update needed. I updated to OSX 13.7.4 and re-ran AC to get the DFU symbol.

I then switched on my Mac Studio which immediately went into DFU Mode with a Flashing Orange light without me having to do it manually. (i.e holding the Power button whilst connecting the power lead) Once I selected the DFU image it turned Dark Gray. I then selected Actions from the top menu bar in AC and then selected Restore (it's greyed out in the image), as there is no faulty machine now.

Boom Hey, Presto 18 Minutes later (Yes 18 mins) a fully restored and operational Mac Studio with OSX Sequoia 15.3.1.

I had visions of Apple telling me the SSD was toast, but Apple Configurator really did fix the job. All applications are now reinstalled. You can be sure I will not make that mistake again. Therefore I have given as much info as I can just in case someone else, may find themself in this predicament. Once again thanks to everyone for their input

 

[Rod]

That's fantastic news. I must have spent half an hour yesterday going though scenarios in my mind but there were just too many questions. Some repair tasks just require hands on, well done you.