Black screen, Macintosh HD encrypted, FireVault issues

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Black screen, Macintosh HD encrypted, FireVault issues

I have a series of problems with my Macbook Pro.

It started off with this: when I opened my laptop, it didn't wake up. First I thought my battery must have died (it was a possibility as I hadn't used it for 2 weeks) but once I was certain it couldn't have been the battery, I started my laptop again. I heard the power but had a black screen.

I tried rebooting the system: nothing. I came across someone saying "press the power button + s" then *press the power button until shut down* - wait for 15 seconds and press the power button again.

Progress! After waiting a while, a grey screen appears with apple logo and a gray loading bar. Once that's finished I immediately received the "forgot password" screen - which I haven't forgotten (at least, I know my account password and log in). No matter what I try, I get this screen. I tried to use the "forgot password" option eventually because I've been desperate and then it tells me that my FireVault key isn't enough for the volume on my laptop (huh??) so I have to use my recovery key I was given by apple...and I have to use this in the log in screen.

Thing is, I don't have a log in screen. I can't even go back with the arrows. And when I press "reboot" - the whole black screen issue starts all over again.

Second option:

I can click on the apple icon in the left corner after I have fixed the black screen issue but then it asks me to select a start up system (Macintosh HD in my case) so I select that, and it asks for my password because it's encrypted. OF COURSE, I've forgotten my password for THAT particular encrypted version. And there is no option as to say "forgot password, let's use recovery code" - which I have.

So...any ideas on what's going on and how I might be able to fix this issue? I'm breaking my head over my password for the encrypted macintosh hd but I do have my recovery code, just no where where I might be able to put it. Also, if you do enter this code, do you need to add the "-" between the series of letters and numbers or can I simply type in all the random things without the - as breaks?

All help would be welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2011)

Posted on Nov 27, 2015 11:54 AM

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Answer 1

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Nov 27, 2015 12:20 PM in response to Autumn11

It might be asking for your Apple Id and password. Normally, unless you did something else, file vault password should be the same as your administrator password. See if any of this is helpful. https://support.apple.com/kb/PH13971?locale=en_US https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202649

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Answer 2

Autumn11 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 27, 2015 2:09 PM in response to my ginger

Thank you! I have figured it out!

I wanted to reply that the whole problem started with the fact I didn't have a log in screen but after some research, apparently, if you don't enter your password to your account immediately, you get the "forgot password" screen and that was the screen that always appeared and was the only one I could see so I thought I didn't have it. It was very difficult to enter my file vault passwords in a log in screen that I strongly believed wasn't there.

But just now, I had my laptop in a random angle after yet another reboot and I noticed a slight change in darkness on my screen. It helped me notice that I was in fact, in my log in screen (even though I couldn't see it) and then I blindly selected my account and added my password (like you normally do)

I had to wait for a while, as I couldn't see anything at all but saw (read: noticed a difference in darkness) a bar appearing underneath my account that was loading and then TADAA, I was back on my computer with a full working bright screen.

I don't know why my log in screen is dark when once I get past all that it is its normal brightness again. :/
Something tells me that's not normal...and I tried increasing the brightness but that didn't work either.

I hope, now that I've finally managed to log in again, that the dark screen doesn't return!

But thank you so much for your reply!

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Answer 3

my ginger

Level 5

4,904 points

Nov 27, 2015 3:44 PM in response to Autumn11

For the dark login screen try doing a pram reset.Command/Option/P/R key while holding the power button for three chimes. Also you could do a SMC reset. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

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