MacBook Pro: New. cannot access Startup Security Utility

[poldenais]

HI All,
I got a brand new MacBook Pro from my company. They put some admin software on it before I got it in case the machine was needed on the work network but it is not so they told me to wipe it and reinstall the OS using a bootable startup key.

I followed their instructions deleting the Hard drives first, then Creating a bootable macOS 10.15 Catalina USB install drive.

That all worked and when I went to reboot using the USB Drive, I got a Startup security utility error telling me I needed to set it up correctly. I restarted using Cmd + R and attempt to go into Startup Security Utility and it won't let me access it as there is no user setup on the machine.

any ideas please?

thanks

 

[hallux]

Why not just use Internet Recovery?

If you can't start up from macOS Recovery - Apple Support

Learn what to do if you can't get your Mac to start up from macOS Recovery.

support.apple.com

 

[poldenais]

Why not just use Internet Recovery?

If you can't start up from macOS Recovery - Apple Support

Learn what to do if you can't get your Mac to start up from macOS Recovery.

support.apple.com

I actually tried that as well with the globe.

it gets as far as Boot recovery assistant and then I get a message " Security Settings do not allow this Mac to use an external startup disk. You can change this by restarting and holding command + R to open macOS recovery, and then choosing Startup Security Option".

 

[chrfr]

I restarted using Cmd + R and attempt to go into Startup Security Utility and it won't let me access it as there is no user setup on the machine.

You have to sign in and set up an administrator user before you can do anything else, just as the error message indicates.

 

[poldenais]

You have to sign in and set up an administrator user before you can do anything else, just as the error message indicates.

yeah its a tricky one basically because I can't get signed in to create a user or couldn't on the initial install because work had a Device management thing installed and it wouldn't go past that on the initial install.

 

[hallux]

So.. your issue is that you can't get signed in and you can't boot to a USB drive to reinstall the OS, correct?

Again - Internet Recovery eliminates the need for the USB drive...

 

[chrfr]

yeah its a tricky one basically because I can't get signed in to create a user or couldn't on the initial install because work had a Device management thing installed and it wouldn't go past that on the initial install.

You're either going to have to figure out why you can't get internet recovery to work, get the IT folks at your employer to disable the device management settings remotely, or send the computer to your IT people to resolve the problem. There aren't any other options that'll work with T2-equipped Macs.

 

[poldenais]

thanks all, Im going to have to leave it back into work tomorrow because their device management still seems to be sitting on the device.

 

[BoomTech5000]

If you restart your Mac and then go straight into recovery that is actually (fallback macOS Recovery) so terminal and startup security will not work it's only meant to reinstall the OS and fix disk issues. The correct method is listed below:

MacOS Recovery requires: (Allows Startup Security and Advanced Terminal Use)

• The silicon Mac to be shutdown first
• wait 5 seconds after the screen goes black
• Then press and hold the power button, don't let go until you see "loading startup options"
• Then Startup Security will load and admin terminal commands will work

(if they still don't and your sure you followed all instructions a slight possibly the firmware needs to be revived: but at a last restort)


Fallback MacOS Recovery: (DOES NOT allow Startup Security and Advanced Terminal Use)

• two methods get you into fallback recovery
• METHOD 1
  
  • Restart into macOS Recovery from (login screen, user account, or macOS recovery)
  • Immediately after the screen goes black -- press and hold the power button, don't let go until you see "loading startup options"
  • Then you can use fallback copy of macOS Recovery (to install macOS or use disk utility
• METHOD 2
• Press the Power button twice in rapid succession, and on the second of those presses hold the button until the display shows Loading Startup Options, then release it.
• You will then see the same as you would in Recovery mode, except that Startup Security Utility is non-functional.
  
  This is invaluable if regular Recovery Mode is unavailable for any reason, but only becomes available after a Mac has had a macOS update, as it’s created from Recovery from the previously installed macOS.

 

[Fishrrman]

Once again I'll say it:
If you have an m-series Mac, or later-model Intel-based Macs that have a t2 chip, one of the FIRST THINGS you should do is:
- boot to recovery
- go to startup security
and
- DISABLE ALL the settings therein.

Macs worked fine for decades before Apple included this "feature".
They'll work BETTER for you in a "moment of need" if you disable it.

My opinion only.
Others will disagree.
Some will disagree vehemently.

 

[BoomTech5000]

Once again I'll say it:
If you have an m-series Mac, or later-model Intel-based Macs that have a t2 chip, one of the FIRST THINGS you should do is:
- boot to recovery
- go to startup security
and
- DISABLE ALL the settings therein.

Macs worked fine for decades before Apple included this "feature".
They'll work BETTER for you in a "moment of need" if you disable it.

My opinion only.
Others will disagree.
Some will disagree vehemently.

I 100% agree with you man, all this security kills performance and only causes more problems. when its needed fine, but when its not its just becomes a real pain. so yeah its one of the first thing I always do on my Mac! For anyone who is worried about turning it off, all the security does is stop you from using apps that basically are not in apple App Store among other things. its just a control scheme in my personal opinion.

 

[kitKAC]

For anyone who is worried about turning it off, all the security does is stop you from using apps that basically are not in apple App Store among other things. its just a control scheme in my personal opinion.

No, you've confused that with something else completely.

 

[BoomTech5000]

No, you've confused that with something else completely.

Oh? mind elaborating. I would love to hear this out so I can maybe learn something and get the facts straight ..?

 

[chrfr]

a tip that might help is make sure your not restarting into macOS recovery the reason is this:

If you restart your Mac and then go straight into recovery that is actually (fallback macOS Recovery) so terminal and startup security will not work it's only meant to reinstall the OS and fix disk issues. The correct method is listed below:

MacOS Recovery requires: (Allows Startup Security and Advanced Terminal Use)

• The silicon Mac to be shutdown first
• wait 5 seconds after the screen goes black
• Then press and hold the power button, don't let go until you see "loading startup options"
• Then everything will work
• Same process goes for T2 chip Macs

This is incorrect. Apple Silicon and T2 Macs do not share this process. It is only for Apple Silicon computers.
T2 Macs use the same Command-r or Command-option-r process to get to recovery and the Startup Security Utility.
As for disabling all the security features that other posters here suggested? That’s just a bad idea. The security exposure computers have today is not the same as it was decades, or even a few years, ago.

 

[BoomTech5000]

This is incorrect. Apple Silicon and T2 Macs do not share this process. It is only for Apple Silicon computers.
T2 Macs use the same Command-r or Command-option-r process to get to recovery and the Startup Security Utility.
As for disabling all the security features that other posters here suggested? That’s just a bad idea. The security exposure computers have today is not the same as it was decades, or even a few years, ago.

oh right, my bad, thanks updated my post!