Macbook Air stuck at Apple logo while booting

Question

Level 1

8 points

Macbook Air stuck at Apple logo while booting

Hi all!

Someone asked me to look at their non-booting Macbook Air 2012, while booting the device we'd get the never ending Apple logo with an empty bar beneath it.

I tried the following:

Get into recovery ( CMD + R after booting the device )
Getting into recovery by internet ( CMD + OPTION + R )
Resetting the PRAM ( CMD + OPTION + R + P, for 10s until second boot sound )
Resetting SMC ( SHIFT + CTRL + OPTION )
Booting into safe mode ( HOLDING SHIFT during boot )
Tried wiping the drive in another Macbook ( that worked ), I did not wipe the recovery part.
I created a bootable USB through my own Macbook, with the Mac OS version on the other device ( EL Capitan ), but didn't know how to get it booted from the USB.

What "worked":

With some luck I managed to get into the recovery panel twice ( not anymore )
Internet recovery started, but went on for about 24h on a wired connection ( so I stopped it )

Current state:

Macbook is turning on still
Apple logo is no longer showing up during boot
Can't get into recovery anymore

Anything I missed? I thought I was doing something wrong on the recovery thing, but I seem to get it working on my own Macbook Pro with zero effort so I guess the recovery is corrupted?

Thanks in advance,

Ciryk

MacBook Air

Posted on Nov 4, 2019 11:41 PM

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Answer 1

TheLittles

Level 10

204,161 points

Nov 7, 2019 3:55 PM in response to ciryk

ciryk Said:

"I have now no idea on how to solve it."

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Take it in for Service:

Having tried all of this, I now recommend you call Apple or take this in for service at your local AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider).

-----

Whom to Contact:

Apple: Call Apple and see if they can help you with this over the phone.

Apple Contact Info:

Contact Us - Choose Locations
USA: 1(800)MY-APPLE

Once connected to an Apple Rep, ask about schreensharing your iPhone's camera with them, that way the Apple Rep can see things from your perspective. So, while on the phone with Apple...

Enable: the Camera
Select: the Camera app
Select: Videos
Share: the iPhone's Screen

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An AASP:

Find your local AASP (Apple Authorized Service Provider). They'd look at it, and see where things can go from there. I am thinking that data recovery is a need be. They'd probably have data recovery service. Once recovered, ask about getting a new hard drive. Wherever you take it, ask if they offer services for:

data recovery;
hard drive replacement; and
data transfer

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New Mac?:

Or maybe its time for a new Mac, with every possible recovered data successfully transferred over.

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Answer 2

TheLittles

Level 10

204,161 points

Nov 5, 2019 12:00 AM in response to ciryk

ciryk Said:

"I created a bootable USB through my own Macbook, with the Mac OS version on the other device ( EL Capitan ), but didn't know how to get it booted from the USB. [...] Anything I missed?[...]"

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Use Startup Manager:

Seems you were trying to get into get into, and then use, Startup Manager. So, create the USB Bootable Installer, then install using the Startup Manager.

Go Here: How to Select a Different Startup Disk

Turn on: your Mac
Press and Hold: the Option key
Wait For: the Startup Manager window
Release: the Option key
Select: the USB Bootable Installer
Click: the arrow under its icon (or Press: Return)

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Answer 3

TheLittles

Level 10

204,161 points

Nov 6, 2019 2:32 PM in response to ciryk

ciryk Said:

"[...]Today I had the internet recovery come up though ( but I have no internet connected ) and also the screen that showed "Select wifi network", but the spinner next to it kept spinning and the pc stopped responding.[...]"

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Keep a Spinning Globe:

Keep using Internet Recovery Mode. Plugin a hardwire connection directly into the Mac from the router (use a USB C-to-Cat6 Connection, if necessary). That should keep the connection. Without a connection, the spinning globe is going to continue.

The Adapter To Use: Belkin USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter (USB Type-C)

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Answer 4

ciryk Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 6, 2019 12:28 PM in response to TheLittles

The external screen receives input but nothing comes up either. Today I had the internet recovery come up though ( but I have no internet connected ) and also the screen that showed "Select wifi network", but the spinner next to it kept spinning and the pc stopped responding. After a few tries, nothing's coming out of it again. Only the chime, the apple logo starting up, and the backlight of the screen (internal) waking up.

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Answer 5

ciryk Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 7, 2019 1:22 PM in response to TheLittles

Since I last wrote you, I have had zero success having it showing up anything. Just the chime and backlight turns on. ( And Apple logo glows on the back). I have had once or twice that it tried to show something, but then parts of the screen started flickering levels of white. Though I'm quite sure it's a software issue, I have now no idea on how to solve it.

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Answer 6

ciryk Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 5, 2019 9:27 AM in response to TheLittles

When starting the device and holding option there's nothing showing up on the screen. ( Screen is on though, but just black, same for recovery, normal boot, ... )

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Answer 7

TheLittles

Level 10

204,161 points

Nov 5, 2019 8:00 PM in response to ciryk

ciryk Said:

“When starting the device and holding option there's nothing showing up on the screen. ( Screen is on though, but just black, same for recovery, normal boot, ... )”

———-

Use Hardwired, External Devices:

Connect an External Monitor and External Keyboard via a cable (hardwired), boot into Startup Manager. To get an output, you might need to close the lid of the Mac while it books up. So, connect a mouse as well.

See if this is now accessible and usable.

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Macbook Air stuck at Apple logo while booting

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