Using external bootable installer to reboot 2018 MacBook Pro - beset with problems

HWTech wrote:

Try a different USB-C port for the Ethernet connection especially on the other side of the laptop especially if you have the four port model.

I do have the four port model. Sadly ethernet cable adaptor is delayed getting here, so I'm a bit stuffed. Am trying alternatives posted below.

Also try using a different brand of USB-C to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter. You may even want to try using an Apple USB-C to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter combined with an Apple Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter since I know these Apple laptops don't get along with many of the third party adapters.

I am currently attempting Target Disk Mode using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Thunderbolt 2 adaptor and a Thunderbolt 2 cable.

The easiest way to deal with local network issues may be to try it using another Internet connection with someone else's ISP especially if they use a different ISP than you do. The simpler the home network configuration the better.

Sadly everyone around here is Sky. There are very few options. I have high-speed fibre broadband, so it should be pretty solid.

You can also try "Reviving" the T2 firmware:

https://support.apple.com/guide/apple-configurator-2/revive-or-restore-an-intel-based-mac-apdebea5be51/mac

Eeep... That's quite a few hoops to leap through!

• I don't have Apple Configurator 2
• Internet access - each time I try to connect using the wifi network, I get 100f error.
• You may need to configure your web proxy or firewall ports to allow all network traffic from Apple devices to Apple’s network 17.0.0.0/8. Absolutely no idea how to do this, given I can't even boot it!
• 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. Yes, have several types of these of these but seems pointless if I haven't got the above 3 sorted out.
• The USB-C cable must support both power and data. Thunderbolt 3 cables aren’t supported.

Or maybe the issues you are having with the laptop are hardware issues.

Yes, I'm thinking it's possibly the Logic Board - hooray... 🙃

This is a great example why I will not recommend any USB-C Mac to anyone because it is impossible to boot to any external media when something goes wrong.

It's also possibly an access problem such as Firevault or AFPS password? (See update below...)

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

If your Mac starts up to error -1008F - Apple Support

Hi Grant

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I’ve already visited that page, and followed the advice there:

Started reboot with external drive Cmd+Opt and all seemed to be going well, then still got error 1008f.

Googled this, discovered it's possibly to do with the 'Find My... XYZ' function in the Mac.

Managed to remotely disable Activation Lock via Find My iPhone in case that was causing problems.

But even having done that and tried again this morning, now with Shift + Opt + Cmd + R , I now am back to the 1008f error once more.

Today, I've been trying to boot the failing 2018 MBP from the 2011 iMac using Target Disk Mode.

The External MBP 2018 Macintosh HD - Data is appearing in Disk Utility, but I can't mount it.

It's also visible via the 'Update' Drive (which I think is possibly Big Sur or Big Sur beta.

I've tried to perform First Aid on Data, but I can't because part is mounted and part is unmounted.

Have unmounted both external elements, still cannot perform First Aid, as now it is saying Permission Denied...

Tried to repair via Terminal diskutil command, but also saying permission denied.

Have moved on to iBoysoft to try and view the data available, and see what's going on...

It is now asking for the password of my encrypted AFPS Partition in order to run the programme.

Where on earth do I find that?!

Googling gives zero clues as to where to find that password. It seems Firevault is now switched on by default - is that right?

Here are the AFPS volumes I can see from Terminal, with the one I want to access (I think) in the red square.

Are these green underlined keys useful in any way - is that what the AFPS password will look like? And if so, is it the green key above or below - it's unclear which volume each key belongs to. I also have no idea what I'm looking for to give to iBoysoft...

iBoysoft can see the data, but I need a password to be able to run it... Helpfully, nowhere online seems to offer up ideas as to where this password might be held, or how to access it.

It mentions running in macOS Recovery Mode, but I'm concerned as to whether the External Drive will even show up in Recovery Mode on a 2011 iMac in Target Disk Mode......

Suggestions please!

For various complicated reasons, getting it to an Apple Store will not be an option for some time, hence my persisting.

Hi there HW, and thanks for replying...

Yes, that's odd as I tried both of those - this iMac and the MacBook Pro's admin passwords, but iBoysoft said they were incorrect, so I assumed it must be something more sophisticated or more complicated, like a long product key...

I'll have another go to see if I can get iBoysoft to work with my admin password. Not sure how I can enter a password just in Disk Utility (without any recovery software, I mean) as there's been no prompt to enter a password so far - any idea? 🤔

Reviving sounds a good idea - it requires the Apple Configurator 2 app unfortunately, and this iMac is just too old to download it - I've just tried. I'm on High Sierra 10.13.6.

I've got another 2019 MBP (my Dad's) just sitting here that won't even turn on, ffs... That's in warranty even, but it'll need sending away, and I fear they'll wipe that too - it's the additional back up for the 2018 MBP.

*extended long sigh...*

Oooft... That's not good. Thing is I'm not even being prompted to enter a password - other than by iBoySoft.

Interesting you mention the update issue. I'm now able to right-click on the Update volume and Get Info, it shows it was last updated at precisely the moment my MBP stopped working... 🧐

Someone is lending me their newish MBA later this week, so it's possible that I may be able to access the Drive as the borrowed MBA is – like my MBP – running Big Sur. Also, it will mean that I might be able to use the Revive mode you mention above, as I'll be able to download Configurator 2.

Have read that there are APFS compatibility problems if attempting Target Disk Mode from a much older iMac to a newer MBP.

I fiddled around a little the other night and the disk is showing slightly more information than before - I'm not sure if this is good news or not...

But still not letting me run First Aid as permission denied – (presumably) due to wretched password?

Hi Grant

Thanks for this info.

Yes, I’ve seen mention of these things in other threads. I’m not quite sure how to fix them though!

Anyhoo, I've also read comments elsewhere about using an ethernet cable, tethering to a mobile to avoid the DNS causing a problem, and doing various things to the router.

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

In Internet Recovery, these low negative thousands error messages indicate that your provided Wi-Fi Network is inadequate in some fashion, and cannot be used (for this purpose) in its current state.

Common problems include:

Hidden Network-name

required use of a proxy server to get Internet access

required use of a login page to get Internet access

Use of a login server or certificate to get Internet access

Use of PPPoE in the Mac to get Internet access (typically only applies to DSL)

Use of Fixed IP address rather than good old DHCP

Variance of the time by more than five minutes

Failure of Router to provide workable DNS server addresses, or providing 0.0.0.0 [may produce -2002f]

Other than testing with an Ethernet cable, can you direct me towards how I might remedy the things on your list above?

Thanks for your help.