Apple Configurator 1 For Mac

Posted on  by



Apple Configurator 2 User Guide

What a revive does

How many iOS devices do you manage with Apple Configurator? Select Number: 1-10 11-50 51-100 101-1000 Over 1000 How many stations of Apple Configurator does your organization own? Apple updated Configurator to version 1.1 on Thursday. The new version of the enterprise iOS management software includes new preferences to change how automatic configuration is handled as well.

In very rare circumstances, such as a power failure during a macOS upgrade, a Mac may become unresponsive and so the firmware on the Apple T2 Security Chip must be revived. A revive updates that firmware. A revive is designed to not make any changes to the startup volume, the user’s data volume, or any other volumes.

What a restore does

You must restore the firmware and erase the internal flash storage if:

  • You can’t start the Mac from the startup volume or the recoveryOS

  • Reviving the T2 chip firmware is unsuccessful

WARNING: Back up your data before you restore your Mac. When you restore a Mac with a T2 chip, you are restoring the firmware and erasing the internal storage. When this process is complete, any data on any internal volumes is unrecoverable.

Supported devices

Revive and restore processes cover all Intel-based Mac computers with a T2 chip, namely:

  • iMac (2020)

  • Mac Pro (2019)

  • Mac mini (2018)

  • iMac Pro (2017)

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

  • MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

  • MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)

  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)

  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)

  • MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)

Requirements

To perform this process, you must have:

  • The latest version of Apple Configurator 2 installed on a Mac and internet access

    You may need to configure your web proxy or firewall ports to allow all network traffic from Apple devices to Apple’s network 17.0.0.0/8. For more information on the ports used by Apple products, see the Apple Support article Use Apple products on enterprise networks.

  • A supported USB-C to USB-C charge cable, such as the one sold by Apple (may not be available in all countries or regions)

  • A supported USB-A to USB-C cable

The USB-C cable must support both power and data. Thunderbolt 3 cables aren’t supported.

Revive or restore process

The revive or restore process involves the following steps:

1. Launching Apple Configurator 2 on the second Mac and connecting the Mac computers

2. Restarting the Mac using a special key sequence

3. Using Apple Configurator 2 to revive the firmware or restore the firmware and erase all volumes

Step 1: Set up the Mac with Apple Configurator 2 and connect the USB-C cable

  1. Verify that:

    • You have the latest version of Apple Configurator 2 installed

    • The Mac with Apple Configurator 2 is plugged into a power source

    • You can connect to the internet

  2. Plug in (along with any adapters needed) the USB-C cable.

  3. Launch Apple Configurator 2.

Step 2: Prepare the Mac mini

  1. Plug in a monitor so you can see when the process is complete.

  2. Disconnect the Mac mini from power.

  3. Plug the USB-C cable into the Thunderbolt port closest to the HDMI port.

  4. While holding down the power button, connect the Mac mini to power and continue to hold the power button for about 3 seconds.

    Note: You won’t see any screen activity from the Mac mini.

Step 2: Prepare the Apple notebook computer

  1. Press the Sleep/Wake button for about 5 seconds to shut down the Apple notebook computer.

  2. Plug the USB-C cable into the front Thunderbolt port on the left side of the Apple notebook computer.

  3. While holding down the power button, at the same time press all three of the following keys for about 3 seconds:

    • The right Shift key

    • The left Option key

    • The left Control key

    Note: You won’t see any screen activity from the Apple notebook computer.

Apple Configurator Tool

Step 2: Prepare the iMac Pro or iMac (2020)

  1. Disconnect the iMac Pro or iMac from power.

  2. Plug the USB-C cable into the Thunderbolt port closest to the Ethernet port.

  3. While holding down the power button, connect the iMac Pro or iMac to power and continue to hold the power button for about 3 seconds.

    Note: You won’t see any screen activity from the iMac Pro or iMac.

Step 2: Prepare the Mac Pro (2019)

Revive the Mac Pro

You need to revive the firmware in a Mac Pro if the light turns amber and flashes the following sequence in under 4 seconds: three short flashes, three long flashes, and three short flashes again. For more information, see the Apple Support article Mac Pro (2019) status indicator light behavior.

Restore the Mac Pro

You must restore both the firmware and erase the internal flash storage if:

  • You can’t start the Mac from the startup volume or the recoveryOS

  • Internet recoveryOS was unsuccessful

  • Reviving the firmware is unsuccessful

WARNING: Back up your data before you restore your Mac. When you restore a Mac with a T2 chip, you are restoring the firmware and erasing the internal storage. When this process is complete, any data on any internal volumes is unrecoverable.

  1. Plug in a monitor so you can see when the process is complete.

  2. Disconnect the Mac Pro from power, then do one of the following:

    • For the desktop Mac Pro, plug the USB-C cable into the Thunderbolt port farthest away from the power button.

    • For the rack mount Mac Pro, plug the USB-C cable into the Thunderbolt port closest to the power button.

  3. While holding down the power button, connect the Mac Pro to power and continue to hold the power button for about 3 seconds.

    Note: You won’t see any screen activity from the Mac Pro.

Step 3: Revive the firmware

  1. In the Apple Configurator 2 device window, select the Mac whose chip firmware you want to revive.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Choose Actions > Advanced > Revive Device, then click Revive.

    • Control-click the selected device, then choose Advanced > Revive Device, then click Revive.

      Note: If you lose power to either Mac during this process, begin the revive process again.

  3. Wait for the process to complete. During this process, an Apple logo will appear and disappear.

  4. After the process completes, your Mac will reboot.

    Important: When you revive the firmware on the Apple T2 Security Chip, you must verify that the process was successful because Apple Configurator 2 may not alert you.

  5. If necessary, use macOS Recovery to reinstall macOS.

    See the Apple Support article How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery.

  6. Quit Apple Configurator 2, then unplug any adapters and cables.

Step 3: Restore the firmware and erase all data

  1. In the Apple Configurator 2 device window, select the Mac to be restored.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • Choose Actions > Restore, then click Restore.

    • Control-click the selected device, then choose Actions > Restore, then click Restore.

      Note: If you lose power to either Mac during this process, begin the restore process again.

  3. Wait for the process to complete. During this process, an Apple logo will appear and disappear.

  4. After the process completes, your Mac will restart.

    Important: When you restore the Mac, you must verify that the process was successful because Apple Configurator 2 may not alert you.

  5. After the Mac restarts, press Shift-Option-Command-R at startup to install the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

    See the Apple Support article How to reinstall macOS.

  6. Quit Apple Configurator 2 and unplug any adapters and cables.

See alsoBack up and restore iPhone and iPad devices in Apple Configurator 2Boot process of Mac computers

Apple Configurator 2 User Guide

Configurator

Apple Configurator 2 Setup

You prepare Apple TV just as you would an iPhone or iPad. When you prepare an Apple TV, you can enroll it in a mobile device management (MDM) solution, update software, or add configuration profiles to it. When you update tvOS, you can rename the device and choose the language and region.

Apple TV supports specific payload settings. Other payloads apply only to iPhone and iPad devices but not to Apple TV. See Apple TV MDM payloads in Mobile Device Management Settings for IT Administrators.

WARNING: Preparing devices may take a few minutes, and you shouldn’t stop the installation after it starts. If you try to cancel or stop the process, Apple Configurator 2 takes the time necessary to safely terminate all operations. Don’t shut down the Mac running Apple Configurator 2 while it’s preparing devices—doing so could damage the devices.

Before you begin, make sure you have the following:

Apple Configurator 1 For Mac Pro

  • Apple TV (HD or 4K) connected to a monitor

  • Apple TV and the Mac on the same Wi-Fi or Ethernet network (with Bonjour enabled across subnets if necessary)

Prepare Apple TV HD or Apple TV 4K using Wi-Fi or Ethernet

  1. Make sure your Apple TV is connected to the same network your Mac is connected to.

  2. Make sure the Apple TV is at the first screen of the Setup Assistant that says Pair Your Remote.

  3. Launch Apple Configurator 2.

  4. From the Apple Configurator 2 menu, choose Paired Devices.

  5. Select your Apple TV in the Paired Devices list and click Pair.

  6. Enter the 6-digit personal identification number (PIN) that appears on the screen of your Apple TV.

  7. Select your Apple TV in the device window of the Apple Configurator 2.

  8. Click Prepare and follow the onscreen instructions to set up your Apple TV.

See alsoApple TV managementApple TV MDM payloadsApple TV MDM restrictionsAppleCare support article: Identify your Apple TV model