My FileVault encryption has been stuck on "Estimating Time Remaining" for the last 24 hrs - help!

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My FileVault encryption has been stuck on "Estimating Time Remaining" for the last 24 hrs - help!

Updated Yosemite - and for some reason, it just started encrypting the File Vault - which is fine, but it is hung on "estimating time remaining" for the last 24hrs. I'm freaking out a bit and have searched the forums for advice. I've tried pressing Option + Command + P + R but it just makes a flicking noise and doesn't do anything - HELP! 😟 😟

And there is no Apple Store in the UAE - where i am based...

Advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks!

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.1)

Posted on Jan 2, 2015 6:37 PM

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Answer 1

dot.com

Level 4

2,449 points

Jan 2, 2015 6:51 PM in response to lisasz

How big and how full is your disk?

Can you do anything at all while the encryption is in progress like run another app or bring up a Terminal window? If you can take a look a the file /var/log/system.log file (e.g. "more /var/log/system.log" in a Terminal window - don't type the double quotes).

Here is a link about a similar sounding problem:

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=12188

good luck...

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Answer 2

lisasz Author

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Jan 2, 2015 7:06 PM in response to dot.com

Thank you so much for replying!

I went to that window - and typed in what you said - what exactly am i looking for? And what can i do? So sorry - i am not "techy" at all..!

Really appreciate your help!

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Answer 3

dot.com

Level 4

2,449 points

Jan 2, 2015 7:31 PM in response to lisasz

No problem -

The web link above shows examples of what you might see (want to look what's near the end - but basically looking for some error messages that will give a hint as to what is going on - the time and date of the event should be compared with the messages that happened near that time - does that make sense?). Did you read that web page? They said what they did to abort the FileVault encryption and recover and start the encryption again (but it sounds like you didn't really want to do the FileVault in the first place - correct?)

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Answer 4

dot.com

Level 4

2,449 points

Jan 2, 2015 7:37 PM in response to lisasz

FileVault takes several steps to get it enabled - don't think there is a way to make a single mistake and get this encryption enabled. Take a look at this web page and note all the step involved in turning this on:

OS X: About FileVault 2 - Apple Support

Does this look familiar? Did you write down the long 24-digit complicated number somewhere?

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Answer 5

lisasz Author

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Jan 2, 2015 7:43 PM in response to lisasz

I Know this sounds ridiculous, but I have no idea how to reboot/verify etc as the first article suggested... :-/ - I think I'm a lost cause.

when updating Yosemite, I wasnt asked anything about FileVault, I just pressed "update"... I have the password, not recovery key.

tthough on the terminal screen it does say "basic earn DD_Warn: Corrupt NSEC RDATA size" - whatever that means?!

so frustrating!

and thank you!

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Answer 6

dot.com

Level 4

2,449 points

Jan 2, 2015 7:49 PM in response to lisasz

Was the FileVault already turned on when you did the Yosemite update? Did you get this computer new and so the way it's setup has been while you've had it? Please look at the link from OS X: About FileVault 2 - Apple Support -

Do you have a full backup of your system in case there are problems and you have to erase and reinstall?

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