What happened?

macOS Sonoma and macOS Ventura 13.6 were released with multiple serious bugs in their upgrade and boot process. Combined, these bugs can create conditions where a machine always boots to a black screen, no matter what power button press combination is used. This leaves users stuck, and the only solution is to use DFU recovery.

This situation can happen with certain settings on certain models, when multiple macOS versions are installed side by side (one Sonoma, one earlier). Since Asahi Linux behaves as if it were macOS 12.3/12.4/13.5 (depending on model and installation time), dual-boot installs of macOS Sonoma and Asahi Linux have the same effect. For macOS 13.6, this situation doesn’t even require a dual-boot system, and can be triggered stand-alone as the only installed OS.

We have updated the Asahi Linux installer to automatically perform an integrity check and diagnose your system on startup. To run it, paste this command into Terminal in macOS:

curl https://alx.sh | sh

You can quit the installer once you reach the main menu, without making any changes to your system.

Apple bug reports: FB13319681 and FB13319708

What are the bugs exactly

There are two bugs:

• macOS Sonoma upgrades use the previously installed version as System Recovery. This makes some sense, but does not consider backwards compatibility problems between older RecoveryOS and newer firmware. If this mismatch causes recoveryOS to fail to boot, this will leave System Recovery unusable.

• For 14″ and 16″ models: Once System Firmware is updated to the macOS Sonoma version, if the display is configured to a refresh rate other than ProMotion, that system will no longer be able to boot into older macOS installs nor Asahi Linux correctly. This includes recovery mode when those systems are set as the default boot OS, and also System Recovery at least until the next subsequent OS upgrade.

What happens if I get hit by the bug? Will I lose data?

You will need another Mac to recover from the fault using DFU mode. However, you will not lose data.

What machines are affected?

MacBook Pro models with ProMotion displays (14″ and 16″) are affected by the black screen boot bug.

What versions are affected?

• macOS Sonoma 14.0+ (not fixed as of 2023-10-31)
• macOS Ventura 13.6+ (uses 14.0 firmware)
• Possibly: macOS Monterey 12.7 (unconfirmed)

What should I do?

I have not upgraded to macOS Sonoma (or macOS Ventura 13.6) yet and I want to

We recommend waiting until these issues are fixed by Apple before upgrading. If you want to risk it and you have a 14″ or 16″ machine, make sure the display refresh rate is set to ProMotion before attempting the upgrade. You might still end up with a corrupted System Recovery, which can only be fixed with DFU mode or a subsequent successful upgrade.

Regardless of whether you plan to install Asahi Linux or not, we recommend running the Asahi Linux installer after a Sonoma upgrade to check the status of your System Recovery partition. It will inform you about any issues prior to the main menu, before any changes are made to your system.

I have not upgraded to macOS Sonoma (or macOS Ventura 13.6) yet and I’m in no rush

Feel free to stay on macOS version 13.5 or earlier for the time being. You can safely install Asahi Linux if you wish.

I have already upgraded to macOS Sonoma and I want to install Asahi Linux

The Asahi Linux installer has been updated to check the version of your System Recovery, and will inform you of the risks if there is a mismatch. It will also check the ProMotion refresh rate, and refuse to install if it is set to anything other than ProMotion mode. Therefore, it is safe to install at this time.

Start the installation process normally. Follow the prompts carefully and read all the information printed. If your System Recovery version is mismatched, make sure you understand the risks. If your display refresh rate is incorrect, the installer will ask you to change it.

I have already upgraded to macOS Sonoma and I have Asahi Linux

If you are currently booted into macOS, ensure the display refresh rate is set to ProMotion (for 14″ and 16″ machines).

We recommend running the Asahi Linux installer again to verify the integrity of your System RecoveryOS partition and ProMotion status. If there is a problem, you should refrain from making any major changes to your system until the issue is fixed by Apple.

I am affected to the issue, what do I do?

If your machine boots to a black screen (brief Apple logo, then nothing), first attempt a regular recoveryOS boot by fully powering down the machine, then holding down the power button.

If that does not work, try booting into System RecoveryOS. To do this, fully power down the machine, and then perform a fast “tap-and-hold” power button gesture (press and release once, then press and hold).

If that also leads to the same problem, unfortunately you will have to resort to DFU mode. S