Several customers who bought a new Mac with M1 Apple silicone I found a problem when the app tried to restore the machine. This causes the machine to stop working Stack on error screen The message “An error occurred while preparing the update. Failed to personalize the software update.” Is displayed.

There is at least Top 3 threads MacRumors forum Problem overview Warning about restoring one of the new machines. MacRumors reader Ryan Flynn Explain the problem:

I received an M1 MacBook Pro and a Macbook Air. Restoring the operating system without using GarageBand, iMovie, etc. is always my procedure, as I don’t need the included software.

During the installation process, I get an error related to “Customize System Update”

After spending a few hours on the phone taking care of Apple, they called me about the problem with 75 other people and told me there was no workaround. I was instructed to return the system or wait for a fix. These computers are effectively bricked because there is no way to install future updates without running the operating system.

Apple Support failed to provide Ryan Flynn with a reliable fix for the problem, but others MacRumors The reader has found a solution that seems to work.

Apple I have instructions How to use Configurator 2 and a secondary Mac to revive or restore a non-responsive “Apple Silicon” Mac. This method requires the latest version of Apple Configurator 2, a working Mac, and the appropriate cable to connect the two Macs.

Restoring this way restores the firmware, updates the recoveryOS to the latest version, erases the latest version of macOS and installs it in internal storage, erasing all data.This way Succeeded For two people MacRumors Readers who had recovery problems.

Apple may fix this issue in the future, but for now it’s best to avoid restoring the “Apple Silicon” Mac. For those who have already done so and are having problems, it may be worth trying the Apple Configurator solution.