Since November 2020, every T2 and Apple silicon Mac that has booted Big Sur or later in Full Security mode has check the integrity of its 9 GB SSV.
T2
Some Intel Macs without T2 chips have firmware updates with last week’s security updates. Here are the details.
What to do when your Mac panics during booting, and enters a boot loop, or when it simply fails to get to the login window.
Is that Mac completely dead due to a severe failure, or could it just be in DFU mode? They aren’t easy to distinguish on most Macs.
Power-on self-test routines are widespread in electronics, and one of the oldest features in personal computers. Do Apple silicon Macs run them?
In just over a month, Apple is expected to announce macOS 14. How many Intel Macs without T2 chips are likely to be supported? What about their firmware?
T2 and Apple silicon Macs always encrypt the Data volume in internal storage. So why bother with enabling FileVault? And can you do that on external bootable disks?
What should you do if a firmware update goes wrong? Here’s a guide to avoid panic, whether your Mac is Intel, has a T2, or M-series chip, and for Studio Displays.
macOS has changed fundamentally. So has troubleshooting it. Secure Boot, the SSV, and Gatekeeper checks bring changes in strategy.
Is the performance overhead of using APFS Encrypted volumes to store sensitive data a reason for not doing so?
The Eclectic Light Company 