2020 M1 MacBook Air 820-02016. No image.

[KootenayMacGuy]

I have a 2020 M1 MacBook Air here that my client claims water was spilled on. There is no image on the display, but the backlight is on. There are no signs of liquid damage on the display or connector. I tried another known working screen and ended up with the same result. I proceeded to remove the logic board to inspect. There is absolutely zero signs of liquid anywhere. I removed the display connector and there is no liquid damage at all. No burns or bad pins on the board or the cable. I then proceeded to test for shorts on any of the lines on JP600. None of the lines are shorted to ground. I reinstalled the logic board and connected to another MacBook (2017 13" A1706) to see if the device was stuck in DFU mode, and it is not (it is booted when powered on). I have also tried connecting an external display and there is no image. Could this be a bad CPU perhaps (fried graphics)?

 

[KootenayMacGuy]

I have also attempted to "revive" the device using Apple Configurator 2, and end up with this screen. I tried on two different Macs and it gave me the same error:

 

[2informaticos]

Do you get USB activity?
The A1706 detects M1 in Target Disk mode?

 

[KootenayMacGuy]

I get usb activity. Apple configurator recognizes device as "booted" when I connect to A1706. When I connect display, display shows that device is connected with 4K/60hz output, but no image. I am unsure how to set M1 into target disk mode if booting into recovery is required in order to "share disk". Unless there is another way of entering target disk mode on M1? holding down "T" does nothing on this one...

 

[2informaticos]

"I get usb activity"
Do you see flashing activity LED, or just power LED on?

 

[KootenayMacGuy]

Flashing USB.

 

[2informaticos]

I suspect T2 got damaged on some data lines connected to devices affected by liquid spillage.
Like audio board, KB/TP...

 

[KootenayMacGuy]

So the board is now toast?

 

[2informaticos]

Very likely.
Apple found a way the machines die easy from liquid spillage.
With T2 and SSD in good condition, machine should complete DFU, without errors.