Why won’t my 2017 iMac Pro power on after reinstalling SSDs?

Question

Why won’t my 2017 iMac Pro power on after reinstalling SSDs?

Hey all, I could use your input. I got a couple iMac Pros 2017 that had their SSDs removed. I have been trying to test and see if any of their components work. I bought a couple apple ssds and added them but I can't seem to power it up. I push the power button on for 10 seconds and the fans spin about 180 degrees and stop. There are no lights on the logic board. The wired mouse doesn't light up as well as the wired keyboard doesn't show any power. It seems the power isn't making it through the system. I am not sure how to see if the power is distributing properly. Like other Macs, should these power up to the blinking folder without a ssd? Is it all connected as an all in one? Thanks for any help!

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Posted on May 28, 2025 7:30 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 3, 2025 10:00 PM in response to iPad User2345

The iMac Pro is one of the Mac computers with the Apple T2 Security Chip.

All Macs with T2 security chips or Apple Silicon processors encrypt and decrypt the contents of their SSDs in real time, using keys held within the T2 chip or the Apple Silicon chip.

If the contents of the flash modules are not cryptographically "in sync" with the keys held in the T2 chip or in the Apple Silicon chip, the Mac will not work. If you replace the flash modules in a M2 Ultra Mac Pro (desktop or rack mount computer), the only way to get that Mac working again is with the help of a second Mac that is running the Apple Configurator 2 application.

Sure enough, you have to do the same thing for the iMac Pro. A December 15, 2017 article on the MacRumors site, "Restoring a Bricked iMac Pro Requires a Second Mac and Configurator 2" confirms it. Its basis for this is an Apple Configurator 2 help page: Apple – Apple Configurator 2 Help – Restore iMac Pro .

Maybe those iMac Pros are dead … or maybe they "just" need to be restored using Apple Configurator 2.

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