Bob Novy
Level 1 (47 points)
Desktops

Q: Recovery Fails

I use an iMac, with El Capitan, Mac OS X v10.11.3,

 

On a-whim, I tried Recovery again.  (Depressing [Command]+R at start-up.)  I never get to a “desktop with an OS X menu bar & a Mac OS X Utilities window.”  [Here, I quoted text from About OS X Recovery.]

 

I waited 1-hour, fully.  [Don't worry, please:  I was not sitting by my iMac that long.  I went to eat lunch!  :-) ]  After that long, the Progress Bar looked full but-frozen. :-(

 

Thank goodness that I have a Power Supply Strip.  All I do to shut-off my iMac's power is to flip a switch, at-hand.  :-)

 

So Gurus of Macintosh, I ask you-all:  “What do you think I should do?”  Thank you, a-lot.  :-)

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 4 GB of RAM

Posted on Jan 26, 2016 10:52 AM

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Bob Novy

Q: Recovery Fails

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  • by KiltedTim,

    KiltedTim KiltedTim Jan 26, 2016 10:56 AM in response to Bob Novy
    Level 9 (55,487 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jan 26, 2016 10:56 AM in response to Bob Novy

    What you should do depends on what's wrong. Why are you trying to use Internet recovery to begin with?

     

    In order for a Mid 2011 iMac to use Internet recovery, you have to have installed a firmware update: Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - Apple Support.

    If Internet recovery isn't working, you may have to boot from OS X install media and re-install that way.

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Jan 26, 2016 10:59 AM in response to Bob Novy
    Level 10 (270,928 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 26, 2016 10:59 AM in response to Bob Novy

    Assuming your drive is OK:

     

    Install or Reinstall OS X from Scratch

     

    Be sure you have backed up your files because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.

     

    Boot to the Recovery HD:

     

    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears.

     

    Erase the hard drive:

     

      1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.

     

      2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the

          left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

     

      3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on

          the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on

          the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.

     

      4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.

     

    Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Install button.

     

    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible

               because it is three times faster than wireless.

     

    This should install the version of OS X that you had installed.

     

    Be sure you see: Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery. If you don't upgrade yours, then you have to start by a fresh install of Snow Leopard, upgrade to 10.6.8, download and install El Capitan from the App Store.

  • by babowa,Helpful

    babowa babowa Jan 28, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Bob Novy
    Level 7 (32,009 points)
    iPad
    Jan 28, 2016 1:28 PM in response to Bob Novy


    Thank goodness that I have a Power Supply Strip.  All I do to shut-off my iMac's power is to flip a switch, at-hand.  :-)

     

    Unless there is a major problem, you should use the regular way to shut down the Mac: go to the File Menu and choose shut down. If that is not available, you can use the power button in the rear, but should not use this all the time. Why? When you use the regular shut down command, the OS goes through certain sequences which include saving anything open - that will not happen if you force it with the power button.

     

    You might also want to consider something better than a plain power strip.