Recovery still fails, on my iMac with Mac OS X v10.11.3. When I depress [Command]+R at start-up, my iMac starts slowly. Worse still, it Never finishes. :-( [I must throw a switch on a Power Supply that feeds my iMac.]
Does anyone else see this? What can I do, please? Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Robert A. Novy
iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 4 GB of RAM
Restarting into Recovery Mode (Command+R) and Internet Recovery (Command+Option+R) is always slow loading. If you're saying you have to wait over an hour and you NEVER see the OS X Utilities menu from Recovery, then there's a problem that might be the Recovery HD is corrupt. If it's not present or corrupt, then Internet Recovery takes over.
You can try re-downloading OS X El Capitan from the App Store/Purchases tab and reinstall it over itself to recreate or write over the Recovery HD. Do a back up first. Reinstalling OS X over itself will not harm your data, user accounts, settings or apps. It just affects the OS.
Yes, even after over-night (while I am asleep), my iMac hangs. Should I care to Freeze my iMac, [Command]+R is a way to-go. Thank you, keg55. :-)
Only after much-time, I _may_ try to re-install El Capitan, keg55. I _appreciate_ your help! :-)
But who's to say that Recovery is _fixed_ in the fresh copy of El Capitan? I just-might Wait until the next version of the Mac OS gets released?
Hello again, keg55. I _just_ depressed [Command]+[Option]+R at start-up.
But NOTHING SPECIAL HAPPENED. (Just the usual startup.) What might you suggest now, please?
I _could_ re-install El Capitan, but after a few hours, who can promise-me that _both_ Recovery _&_ Internet Recovery will be fixed? <Frustration?> Thank you.
You have a mid-2011 Mac. That should have come pre-installed with OS X Lion at a minimum so Internet Recovery should be possible. But if it's not, you could re-download El Capitan from the App Store / Purchases tab. After you download it, copy the Install OS X El Capitan.app file from /Applications before your start the reinstall. This way you don't have to keep downloading it. Try shutting down your iMac; then power it back on. And when you hear the startup tone, press Command+Option+R. It seems like the timing isn't hitting just right when you restart. I don't know if you have a wired keyboard or a wireless one. If it's wireless, you might have to keep trying until you time it just right.
Reinstalling will always create the Recovery HD for that OS X version (10.7 and above). I can't guarantee this will fix your specific issue.
See this…
Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - Apple Support
It lists models that support 'internet' recovery mode, double check that you have the model correct, it can be easy to mix them up…
Identify the model of your iMac - Apple Support
Internet recovery can take a long time to load - after all it is getting the recovery system from the internet. Have a good intent connection (avoid wifi if possible - use ethernet). You need to keep the keys held & retry if it boots normally, it can take a few attempts.
OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support
Frankly you may be better off creating your own bootable USB installer from an OS X installer downloaded from the store…
Create a bootable installer for OS X - Apple Support
Or use http://diskmakerx.com
That will allow you to repair the disk & do the same things that recovery mode does.
I can't say why your recovery mode is failing - a reinstall can fix these issues but it is impossible to tell why. Backup if you plan on reinstalling - normally it is fine, but a backup is a good idea.
Hey keg55, Internet Recovery _does_ work, well. [Especially nice is to use an iMac that is hard-wired to the Internet.]
By the-way should this matter, happily I use TechTool Pro 8 v8.0.3 _almost_ weekly to keep my Macintosh HD _well_ in-order. :-)
Why does recovery fail?
