If I order a new/refurb BTO MBA right now, will it come with Sequoia or Tahoe?

[Miss Terri]

Hi folks,

As in the title, I'm wondering if I buy a new M4 MBA 13" today (BTO, 32G and 2TB), would it come with Sequoia or Tahoe?

Would the answer be any different for a refurb of the same spec?

Is this knowable?

I thought I might be stuck with Tahoe (would rather at least start with Sequoia) but a friend just received a brand new BTO Mac Mini and it came with Sequoia.

 

[MBAir2010]

this depends on when that M4 MBA 13" was boxed then shipped.
My MacBook Air M1 can't load Big Sur and I need to revert to Monterey which was the default OS.
case in point my MBP 2012 13"/dvd player model was promoted, made and presented during LION
but my actual MacBook takes Mt Lion-Catalina only.

I hope this helped and was accurate.

 

[Miss Terri]

Well it would be shipped sometime after today, since I haven't ordered yet. A refurb would come sooner (since obviously they already have them), whereas a new computer would take a couple of weeks to arrive (not sure if they are actually "building" to order but the new MBA M4 I would want has always had this type of lead time - or at least I've never seen them ready to ship when I've looked).

 

[Miss Terri]

BTW, I have done some research and it *seems* like one could "downgrade" to Sequoia with a bootable USB copy, but having looked a the instructions it's something I would rather not try if I didn't have to (terminal commands, etc.). I mean, I have used terminal for things but this had vague notations like "you would need to re-load your apps as they would all be gone." I mean, the Apple apps that are usually just there? Or did they mean stuff one has bought and added separately.

Anyway, how easy life would be if I thought I could buy one now with Sequoia.

(Didn't buy sooner as I was out of the country, and by the time I got back the computer I had ordered to my house would have been beyond the return date so that didn't seem great.)

 

[Bigwaff]

Need another Mac to use Apple Configuarator. You should be able to install Sequioa firmware+OS from IPSW via DFU.

How to revive or restore Mac firmware - Apple Support

Rarely, a Mac with Apple silicon or the Apple T2 Security Chip might experience an issue that requires its firmware to be revived or restored by another Mac.

support.apple.com

Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 macOS IPSW Firmware Restore Files Database

Apple Silicon Mac Direct ISPW Download Links Database. This database includes ISPW file sizes, Is the OS Still Signed? Release Dates & More!

mrmacintosh.com

 

[Miss Terri]

Oh wow, I hadn't considered (or known) you could change the whole original firmware.

It seems from the one other thread I found related to this (meaning, how to downgrade if I do sadly end up with Tahoe), that all I would have to do is wipe and re-install the OS from a USB drive right out of the box, and then (and only then) migrate my data over from my Intel MBP.

I did read though, that if I were ever to do an Internet Recovery (tho not sure why I would once I had the Sequoia OS Install USB made) then Apple's servers would be like "Oh right, this is a Tahoe computer, let's send Tahoe to it."

So is what you are showing a way to defeat even THAT level? Ok now that sounds scary, but I haven't delved in yet so maybe it's not.

 

[tacosand]

I had talked to an Apple sales rep via chat on Apple's website last week to inquire about what operating system the refurbished macs come with these days. The rep mentioned that the refurbished units or most of them now have Tahoe installed as the default operating system and that there would be no possibility to downgrade to Sequoia. The rep verified this with a technician, so good to know that there are options to downgrade the firmware/os. Thanks for the links @Bigwaff

 

[chrfr]

Personally, I'd just try using Tahoe. The difference between that and older versions of macOS just isn't that substantial. Maybe try testing out the computer first before worrying about moving any data before going to the effort of downgrading the OS.

 

[PhotoPhan]

Received a new BTO 15” M4 MBA a couple weeks ago- it came with Sequoia.

 

[Miss Terri]

I had talked to an Apple sales rep via chat on Apple's website last week to inquire about what operating system the refurbished macs come with these days. The rep mentioned that the refurbished units or most of them now have Tahoe installed as the default operating system and that there would be no possibility to downgrade to Sequoia. The rep verified this with a technician, so good to know that there are options to downgrade the firmware/os. Thanks for the links @Bigwaff

I have to think this is wrong. From everything I have read so far you can even downgrade a Tahoe computer *without* downgrading the firmware (that would only be a problem if you wanted to do Internet Recovery on Sequoia but why would you do that once you had your USB C copy of the OS)?

I'm not surprised though. I have often gotten wrong or bad advice from the "Geniuses." I'm not saying they are all bad, but.... one of my older threads here (a decade ago) was me having to figure out how to recover my Macbook from a mistake a genius had made which had messed it all up and made me UID #502 with a stupid user name (and then they had no idea how to fix it. I figured it out from reading on the Internet and fixed it myself).

Now someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that you don't even HAVE to "downgrade" the firmware as long as you don't ever use Internet Recovery to re-load Sequoia (you could use if if you ever use any OS after Sequoia later on). But as part of the process you would have made yourself a USB C stick OS backup so why would you do Internet Recovery?

 

[Miss Terri]

Personally, I'd just try using Tahoe. The difference between that and older versions of macOS just isn't that substantial. Maybe try testing out the computer first before worrying about moving any data before going to the effort of downgrading the OS.

That's cool. But the reason I don't want to do that is that it's much "messier" if one (you, me, whomever) already has their DATA in a Tahoe OS. For me (or someone like me), whose data has never been associated with Tahoe, I can just wipe the new machine, install Sequoia, and THEN move my data onto the new machine.

If I ever want to try Tahoe (fat chance from what I see now, but hey maybe later), then of course no problem "upgrading" then.

 

[chrfr]

That's cool. But the reason I don't want to do that is that it's much "messier" if one (you, me, whomever) already has their DATA in a Tahoe OS. For me (or someone like me), whose data has never been associated with Tahoe, I can just wipe the new machine, install Sequoia, and THEN move my data onto the new machine.

If I ever want to try Tahoe (fat chance from what I see now, but hey maybe later), then of course no problem "upgrading" then.

No my point was to just try it out in Tahoe before moving any data to see if you like how it works. It's easy enough to reset the computer to migrate or downgrade afterward.

 

[tacosand]

I have to think this is wrong. From everything I have read so far you can even downgrade a Tahoe computer *without* downgrading the firmware (that would only be a problem if you wanted to do Internet Recovery on Sequoia but why would you do that once you had your USB C copy of the OS)?

I had expressed my surprise regarding the rep's statement since the computer I had expressed interest in originally came with Sequoia as it was released in 2024. There's another thread on here, stating that it's not possible, in this case it's the new M5 macbook.

 

[Miss Terri]

No my point was to just try it out in Tahoe before moving any data to see if you like how it works. It's easy enough to reset the computer to migrate or downgrade afterward.

Oh I see what you mean. Sorry I misinterpreted. I can already tell though from watching some videos and seeing screen shots in articles that I wouldn't like it right now. I'm going to revert to Sequoia (if I don't luck out and get one that already has it) and then later if I want to try Tahoe it will be more mature.

I DO wish there were a way to tell right away which OS it has. But I tried with a serial number and it gives zero indication.