I have dealt with M1 Max and M4 Max MacBook Pros DFU mode many times[1], and the documentation is accurate. The primary DFU port is definitely what Apple says. I don't know, other ports may or may not exhibit DFU-like capabilities also; if so that would be unsupported and does not change correctness of Apple documentation.

UPDATE: nevermind--removed a paragraph as it does not appear the root cause is which port is DFU, but a misunderstanding of the DFU process by the blogpost.

[1]: at least once per every iOS/macOS device I have purchased to protect against software supply chain attacks when you receive a laptop in mail. DFU-restoring Apple software ensures that the OS you run is not tampered with as long as there is no bootrom exploit or hardware modification.

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altairprime 32 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

Isn't the OS untampered so long as booting into rescue mode > startup security shows it to be in sealed/verified mode?

	▲	tgma 15 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Not sure, maybe there are other ways to achieve that, but DFU would be easiest/safest/fastest and less error-prone for me. My ritual is to just plug in another Mac running Apple Configurator to my newly arrived iOS/macOS device and restore the OS image (actually faster than using a USB disk to install macOS). I think your approach may validate the system disk, but not whether configuration in data partition is loading a separate key logger binary on boot.

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Kwpolska 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

The author followed the "all other MacBooks" case, but it appears that their Mac (a 16-inch model) also has it on the other side than the instructions claim.

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tgma 2 hours ago | parent [-]

I am reading the post again. It does appear the author is not fully aware what DFU is supposed to do. They are talking about "storage devices" in that context, which is a total misread--their interpretation of DFU seems to be something close to "default boot device."

The DFU port is definitely not the singular one on the right side of the device. The documentation debate is about which port on the left side of the device (closer or farther from MagSafe.)

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klausa 2 hours ago | parent [-]

Genuinely curious — did you use an LLM to write this post; or do you have this tone naturally?

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tgma 2 hours ago | parent [-]

No LLM entirely organic. (If you are talking about referring to the author as "they," that is impact to my head from working at woke workplaces.)

	▲	klausa 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I can't really put my finger what (falsely!) tipped me off here. I think the short, single clause, internal-monologue-ish sentences is what did it? > I am reading the post again. It does appear the author is not fully aware what DFU is supposed to do. That especially came off like an LLM being called out on being wrong about something?