Random Shutdown in Big Sur (ThunderboltNHI) driver problem

App & System Services Core OS
redmetz OP
Created Nov ’20
Replies 66
Boosts 0
Views 37k
Participants 54
Hey guys,
I have the problem that my 2013 MacBook crashes frequently since upgrading to Big Sur. This means that all of a sudden the screen freezes, the fans turn up and all of a sudden the MacBook is off. In Catalina, through research I found out that it's because of the Thunderbolt driver (AppleThunderboltNHI.Kext etc.), which I had always renamed in Catalina using recovery mode (... .kext.BAK). This solved the problem. But now since Big Sur I can't rename the Kext files anymore because I'm only in read-only mode. So I wanted to ask here if there is a possibility to rename the files again? Otherwise the MacBook still runs really well!

Replies  66
Boosts  0
Views  37k
Participants  54
Olav73 OP
May ’21
Same problem here: Using a MBP retina late 2013, 16Gb/512Gb/2.3Ghz Quad core i7.

  • screen turns black, with backlight still on, fans start to spin, system crashes

  • note: after startup, some interesting processes appear, like MRT, using al lot of CPU power for a short wile. Apple's standard procedure after something indefinite happened?

Suspicious actions (some time) before the problem appeared:

  1. using a corroded power-connector (just replaced)

  2. upgrade to Big Sur

  3. putting in a new battery

  4. using a 45W power adapter.

(in this order)

Attaching ethernet via thunderbolt + power adapter works for me. Not tested without power adapter yet. No further actions like python script etc. Next step is to connect something useful via thunderbolt, like a portable hdd (and attach it to the lid with velcro tape, like my phone). Luckily, I have a macbook air 13" mid 2011 that is still running without problems!

k.r. Olav
0
ddownn OP
May ’21
@Olav73 the least expensive/obtrusive hardware solution that worked for me was a "dummy" HDMI plug. Currently they are less than $10.
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Olav73 OP
May ’21
Update: at end of the day I disconnected the ethernet cable from the ethernet adapter, leaving just the pity adapter attached to my thunderbolt port (since I have two TB-ports: I use the port next to the power connector). Also, I disconnected the power cord. Unless reporting otherwise in the next few days, this may be enough for you too.

@ddownn
Thanks for the tip! Guessing you mean a 'dummy display emulator': it is €8,- in the Netherlands and they come in al sorts of colours, even gold finish, which is great! ;-)
0
ddownn OP
May ’21
@Olav73 that's the one. It kept my computer from crashing for many months until I finally found out about disabling the driver
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luke101 OP
Jun ’21

I just updated to Big Sur and have been following sf98723's guidance. I'm having trouble on step 5 when I attempt to mount MacOS (mine is called Macintosh HD).

Typing:

mount -uw /Volumes/Macintosh HD

Resulted in:

mount: unknown special file or file system /Volumes/Macintosh.

I saw someone added a space between '-' and 'uw' so I tried that:

mount - uw /Volumes/Macintosh HD

Resulted in:

usage: mount [-dfruvw] [-o options] [-t external_type] special mount_point
       mount [-adfruvw] [-t external_type]
       mount [-dfruvw] special | mount_point

Am I doing something wrong here?

Using Macbook Pro 15 Late 2013

0
Malkayah OP
Aug ’21

I'm running into the same issue as @luke101 when I attempt to mount Macintosh HD in my 15" MBP (Late 2014). I've been unable to mount the drive to continue with the procedure.

Any guidance on how I might work around this?

I've tried all of the suggestions regarding " ", , _, and others to try to identify the name of the drive, but the issue still seems to exist because of the space between "Macintosh" & "HD".

Any help would be appreciated, and until I get this figured out my MBP is essentially a brick...that works great on Windows 10 on Bootcamp :(

0
jrrdavies OP
Sep ’21

Is anyone able to verify if the steps mentioned in @sf98723 post work for Macbook Pro late 2013?

0
bzfxn6 OP
Oct ’21

So these steps used to work until the latest update. (11.6.1 (20G224))

Before this version these steps would stop the Thunderbolt from starting. But with the latest update it not working for me anymore. I am still getting the reboots.

Has anyone managed to use the steps listed to work on this version?

kextstat | grep NHI

Executing: /usr/bin/kmutil showloaded No variant specified, falling back to release    74    0 0xffffff8001a27000 0x30000    0x30000    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI (7.2.8) 7032BF7B-7F15-3533-A27B-06F4BBFB99E0 <73 14 13 7 6 5 3 1>

1
Joelpn OP
Dec ’21

Hello, did anybody figure a fix for this? My 2014 Macbook Pro sporadically restart. It does NOT do that when I have it plugged to Cinema Display. This started happening when I updated to BigSur. Thanks

0
rmcdona2 OP
Dec ’21

I can confirm the fixes listed in this thread work for Big Sur 11.6.1 Macbook Pro Mid 2014.

0
bahmed501 OP
Jan ’22

Hi can someone please help im getting stuck on the last command i keep getting unknown option '--bootefi'

0
mediclips OP
Jan ’22

I had the same problem in my MBP Late 2013. I can't get pass the step mount -uw/Volumes/Macintosh HD with or without quotes. Does anybody with the Macintosh HD hard disk name have solved this? Also, somebody suggested a HDMI Dummy Plug; any luck with this simple solution? Thanks

0
tinnu OP
Mar ’22

Hello All, I have followed the steps and able to delete AppleThunderboltNHI.kext but still I have random shut down of my macbook pro mid 2014 model. Any other NHI.kext do I need to remove? Any suggestions would really helpful.

0
dstnrgrs OP
Apr ’22

I had been putting off updating my mid-2014 because I didn't want to go through this process again, but I updated without thinking. I now have Big Sur 11.6.5 and the steps for this no longer work because the drive can't be mounted as writeable. I've tried a myriad of things after scouring the web and haven't found anything that works. When I try to delete/rename the AppleThunderboltNHI.kext, it keeps telling me it's a read only file system. I have verified that csrutil and authenticated-root is disabled.

Any suggestions by anyone?

0
guterhund OP
Apr ’22

Big Sur 11.6.5 now working on my Macbook Pro late-2013. The procedure outlined by @sf98723 worked for my 11.1 upgrade, but not 11.6.5. Similar procedure that worked for me - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/big-sur-and-applethunderboltnhi-kext.2267818/page-4?post=30708345#post-30708345. Key items:

		1. Look for "rebuilding" output from this command:
         bash-3.2# kmutil install -u --force --volume-root /Volumes/Mac*HD
		checking collections...
		Warning: com.apple.driver.KextExcludeList was not found!
		considering release out-of-date because of --force
		rebuilding release collections: boot, system
		rebuilding release collections:
			boot kernel collection
			system kext collection
		rebuilding local auxiliary collection
		

2. Added this step missing from original procedure:
		$ kextcache -i /

Post #64 (open core legacy patcher) from the above link may be easier, but I read it too late.

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Random Shutdown in Big Sur (ThunderboltNHI) driver problem
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