The new iMac Pro and MacBook Pro software would have prevented some repairs by unauthorized personnel – BGR

According to two reports published today, the quality of your computer does not matter: you will not be able to perform some repairs on the iMac Pro or MacBook Pro launched by Apple in July. If the documents reported by MacRumeurs and Motherboard are correct, Apple requires running a software diagnostic on computers after a major repair such as replacing a logic board or flash memory. If this diagnosis – which is only available to Apple personnel or authorized repair shops – is not performed, reports indicate that the repaired systems will not work.

An internal Apple document reaches MacRumeurs, which claims to reveal the existence of Apple's MacOS diagnostic application that must be executed after repair. If the diagnostics are not running, you may end up with a non-functional system and an incomplete patch.

For the 2018 MacBook Pro, this covers most repairs, including the display, the logic board, the Touch ID and the top case (battery, keyboard, touchpad, speakers). For the iMac Pro, only repairs to the logic board and flash storage must pass the diagnostics.

The diagnostics suite is not something you can download from the Internet. It is limited to internal use in Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers, MacRumeurs reports, as part of the Apple service toolbox.

A training presentation obtained by Motherboard also mentions that "Apple Service Toolkit and Apple Service Toolkit 2 are only available to people working at Apple-authorized service centers."

MacRumeurs says that the all-new T2 chip could be to blame:

This requirement results from the T2 chip, which incorporates several previously separate components, including the system management controller, the image signal processor, the audio controller, and the SSD controller. It also features a Secure Enclave coprocessor for secure boot, encrypted storage, and Touch ID authentication.

If you live near an Apple Store or an authorized repair shop, do not worry about the new layout. But if reports are accurate, local Mac repair shops will not be able to repair your computer, and it's obvious that fixing it yourself is no longer a solution.

Source of image: Apple