Macbook A2159 Apple Configurator 2

[zeydullak]

Macbook A2159, power button do nothing, black screen. Left top usb-c fast(0.5sec) turn on/off tester repeatedly, left bottom usb-c 20V2.5A, no usbs on the right side. Apple Configurator 2(v2.17) shows DFU icon, when press 'Revive' - error occurred "Unexpected device state 'Recovery' expected 'RestoreOS'..."(picture attached)
Apple Configurator 2 v2.14 shows alert "Requires a system software update", picture attached.
goal: get user data
Please advise.

 

[2informaticos]

Any history available?
Did you try with charged battery?

 

[richilg1]

Using known good charge ports? You need to address non working CD32 if that port is looping, even if it's not being used.

 

[2informaticos]

I mean to test your board with a battery which holds some charge.
If machine boots, then your problem is located into USB-C area.
If still not, your problem can be anywhere.
Also, some machines require battery to complete DFU.

Did you try only Revive, or Restore too?

 

[zeydullak]

No history, no visible physical damage.
Thermal images before any manipulation attached.
Charging:
1. March 18 evening - I left macbook with plugged in charger, 20V ~2.5A
2. March 19 morning - usb tester showed 20V 0A, charger plugged off, Apple Configurator 2(v2.17) has the same error "Unexpected device state 'Recovery'... "
3. March 20 morning - usb tester 20V 0.7A(!)
Also top usb-c now shows nothing on the usb tester, picture attached.
I tried only Revive, because the goal is to get access to user data. "A revive is designed to not make any changes to the startup volume, the user’s data volume, or any other volumes. User data may be retained if recoverable." I believe Apple Configurator 2 v2.14 has an epic bug, because of using 'Restore' word in Revive flow.
Battery wasn't detached, motherboard was not removed from the body.

 

[richilg1]

If you're not getting anything from one of the ports, have you not disassembled further to check for liquid damage? Also, have you tried known good ports? If you get no response from one port using a known good pair of USB ports, then you have a CD32 issue or something related to it. This would cause DFU revive failure, and will not allow you to access data in that condition. I would stop applying power to it and take it apart to look for obvious damage. BTW those thermal images are showing heat in normal places, there is nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever there

 

[2informaticos]

USB-C tester stay black in bot connection ways on that port?
You sould compare diode mode readings arount corresponding chip with other ports.

 

[zeydullak]

I took the motherboard from the body, we did not observe any burns or damage on the mainboard. But the USB C connectors were corroded, possibly shorted and we cleaned them and now both showing 20V 0.05A. Should we try to put back PCB and connect battery? Or these readings are not good?

Check the attached pictures.

 

[2informaticos]

No need to put the board back.
Check which coils get voltage.

 

[richilg1]

I'd say also check thermal cam again while trying each port, while not installed in the body/housing. Is it 20V at .05A consistently or does it fluctuate or loop at all? IF this port cleaning did fix the board, it will not boot now since the DFU revive attempts have failed previously, due to the charging short. If there is no other measured anomaly on coils, or anywhere else, you could try the revive again.

 

[zeydullak]

1. Both usb-c 20V at .05A consistently
2. Coils measurements attached
3. Motherboard visible in Apple Configurator, screenshot attached, didn't try Revive yet, please advise

 

[zeydullak]

Thermal cam

 

[richilg1]

Someone will know better than me about monitoring the correct coil voltage, but that looks accurate to me. Thermal cam is picking up heat in the correct place, that's the T2. I would attempt to revive it now, though it may be better to have it in DFU mode, not recovery mode. It probably isn't too important which mode it's in, as long as you choose to revive only. Make sure board is fully installed with both ports in working order.

 

[zeydullak]

Assembled, Apple Configurator - same error.

 

[richilg1]

Does the battery charge while reviving? Did you put it in DFU?

 

[zeydullak]

Power consumption while reviving 4.42V 3.22A.
I am able to put macbook into DFU mode. But Apple Configurator Revive error almost the same. Picture attached.
Second Revive attempt gets stuck at 40% loading. Picture attached. Disconnecting the USB does not change the state of infinite loading of Apple Configurator.
After that macbook switches to Recovery mode again and I can reproduce the same actions, turn into DFU mode, try Revive, Error, infinite loading, Recovery mode.

 

[2informaticos]

CPU core doesn't appear, so your board doesn't boot.
You've forgot the voltage for two big coils; near CPU/RAM, on right side of the image.

Make a short to ground on 3V3_S5 and try again DFU Revive.

Coils marked as "Groubde" by you, have very low resistance to ground as normal.
Is better to post the real value, in ohm scale (not diode mode).

Sorry for delay, I was 2 days in hospital.