> I also wasted far too much time trying to get the DFU restore to work before discovering that you cannot use a Thunderbolt cable — it has to be done using a plain USB-C cable, otherwise the Apple Configurator simply won't detect the other Mac.
I would have expected a Thunderbolt cable to be required, if either was. This is quite surprising to me. Usually, the more capable (higher bandwidth) cable works if one isn’t supported. I’ll hope to remember this is I ever find myself reviving a bricked Mac in the future.
I've used a Thunderbolt cable as well successfully, but one note is that they're very picky about which port you use. On my Mac mini, I had to use the exact port outlined here or it did not show up: https://support.apple.com/guide/apple-configurator-mac/reviv...
It's done over USB 2.0 largely because that's simpler than involving newer and faster specs, and partly because that's how the original iPhone did it.
My understanding is that all complaint USB USB-C cables should work for USB 2.0, even USB4/TB4 cables, but active TB3 cables might not hook up the USB 2.0 pins.
From Apple’s support page on how to revive or restore after a failed upgrade [1]:
> 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) or a supported USB-A to USB-C cable
> The USB-C cable must support both power and data. Thunderbolt 3 cables aren’t supported.
I would have expected a Thunderbolt cable to be required, if either was. This is quite surprising to me. Usually, the more capable (higher bandwidth) cable works if one isn’t supported. I’ll hope to remember this is I ever find myself reviving a bricked Mac in the future.