How Upgrading to MacOS Tahoe Bricked My Mac Studio—and the Fix

Recently, I decided it was time to switch to a new desktop computer. My increasing video editing workload had outgrown my Intel-based iMac's capabilities, leading me to purchase a Mac Studio with a hefty 96GB of RAM.

The excitement was palpable as I unboxed the new device. I relocated my iMac, set up the Mac Studio, and everything seemed flawless at first. But the universe had different plans.

Roughly an hour into using my new system, a notification alerted me of the available MacOS Tahoe upgrade. Owning a MacBook that runs MacOS 26 smoothly, I eagerly initiated the update on my Mac Studio.

Initially, everything with the update seemed on track. Then, things took a turn—my machine rebooted only to display a black screen. I waited, and waited… but nothing happened.

Multiple reboots yielded the same outcome. Recovering via recovery mode was my next thought, but it seemed impossible. Researching the issue, I learned about a particular bug identified in September 2025.

The glitch involves the MacOS Tahoe installer trying to load an Apple Neural Engine driver, which fails a hardware check, causing the installation process to halt. While most reported the OS reverting to Sequoia, I faced a more severe failure where the OS didn't load at all.

My expensive machine was effectively unusable. However, there was hope on the horizon.

Apple devices have a deep recovery method called DFU Firmware Revive/Restore. It requires another Mac, a USB-C cable, and allows you to update or reinstall firmware and the OS. While intricate, this process was my beacon of hope.

Despite my efforts, I couldn't get the DFU process to work as expected.

Performing a DFU Firmware Revive/Restore

To start this recovery, one must use a USB-C capable of both fast charging and data transfer, not to be mistaken with a Thunderbolt cable, and connect it to the designated DFU port.

Ensure the affected Mac is powered off, and the other computer is powered on with a user logged in. Disconnect the malfunctioning Mac from power, hold its power button, reconnect the power, and continue holding the button until the DFU window activates on the assisting Mac.

Initially, I attempted the Revive option, which took over an hour, only to end in failure. Repeating the process with the Restore option was also futile.

Prepared to visit the Apple Store for a firmware flash, I took one last chance, unplugging and replugging the Mac and booting it. To my surprise and relief, the login screen appeared.

From then on, ignoring any Tahoe upgrade prompts became my new rule. Despite Apple's assurances of a fix, my ordeal painted a different picture, showing the precarious nature of high-value software updates.

Why Linux Still Wins in My Book

Three decades of using Linux have never seen such catastrophic malfunctions. The sluggishness of OS installations and MacOS's bugs further solidify my belief in Linux's superiority.

Though MacOS remains a staple due to certain software requirements that struggle on Linux platforms without NVIDIA GPUs, I'll tread cautiously with future MacOS updates.

Apple shouldn't release updates that risk turning powerful devices into paperweights. While recovery tools exist, I wouldn’t recommend inexpert users to attempt a DFU Revive/Restore. The safer route is to seek help from the Genius Bar.