Macbook Air won't boot after installing El Capitan

Question

Level 1

8 points

Macbook Air won't boot after installing El Capitan

Hello all,

This weekend i have updated my Macbook Air(2011) to El Capitan. Somehow after the update the macbook is super slow. I was able to start up in safe mode. I have tried to reinstall El Capitan. Worked, although the Macbook still was super slow. I've checked the activity monitor and the task kernel_task was using 300+% of the CPU.

Next step was to reboot in recovery mode, erase the HDD and instal from an external USB drive. Using terminal, on another old macbook(2008), i have created a Yosemite install USB Drive.

Now the problem is that the Macbook does not have a OSX installed and i can't reach the alternative USB instal drive. During start up i press the option key, select the USB drive to start up, BUT it takes longer then an hour to get past the Apple sign and progress bar... At the moment i have not been able to start the installation process...

Who can help?? I'm getting frustrated right at the moment, since it already took me 2 days trying to fix the issue. Please help!! Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!!

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jun 27, 2016 1:44 AM

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Answer 1

leroydouglas

Level 10

200,016 points

Jun 27, 2016 7:42 AM in response to PArnts

From Recovery Utilities menu> Disk Utility>run the Disk First Aid on your Macintosh HD

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Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Jun 27, 2016 8:36 AM in response to PArnts

After doing the above, try making a bootable USB Flash Drive using this program.

Bootable USB Flash Drive – Diskmaker X

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Answer 3

PArnts Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 28, 2016 1:28 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks guys!

So far i did run the disk first aid. Nothing special, it said the disk is okay. So i tried to reinstall Yosemite, the download took about 12hours to download, although the internet connection is fine. I am able to stream Netflix with the same internet connection (not at the same time 😉).

Right now i restarted my macbook and try to enter recovery mode. Same as before, it takes a long time.. I did hear the question to use English as the installation language. BUT the screen only shows the shows the attached image. The Apple sign and the process bar.

Any suggestions on what i can do?

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Answer 4

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Jun 28, 2016 9:58 AM in response to PArnts

If you made a bootable USB drive using the application in my last post, try booting from it. If I remember correctly (note if), there is a Disk Utility option available.

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Answer 5

PArnts Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 30, 2016 5:43 AM in response to Eric Root

Hi Eric,

I have no idea if you are still able to help me, but i'm just going ask to see if you are able.

I tried the steps you suggested, but that did not help... I did manage to get my Macbook working following some other steps.

1. Start internet recovery mode

2. Download and install Lion

3. After the installation, the macbook still was super slow, but i was able to find out the Kernel_task was using a lot of the CPU again.. Manage to fix that and after the rebooting the machine was working fine using OSX Lion.

4. Downloaded the El Capitan installer file from the app store and tried to install El Capitan once again.

Now, i'm back to square one.. The installation stops, or at least is super slow.... And does not finish. So I repeated steps 1 to 3 once again. Do you have any suggestions what might be the problem?? I'm lost at the moment..

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Answer 6

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Jun 30, 2016 9:49 AM in response to PArnts

The next time the El Capitan installation stops, try shutting down the computer using the power button and then restart.

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Answer 7

PArnts Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 30, 2016 9:59 AM in response to Eric Root

Just now i reinstalled OSX Lion again. Next step i want to try is to start up the El Capitan installation sequence using a bootable usb stick. So i just restarted the macbook, holding the option key, selected the usb as startup drive. So far so good. But... The process bar gets stuck at 3/4... So i can't even reach the usb drive... Any suggestions?

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Answer 8

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Jul 1, 2016 10:57 AM in response to PArnts

Since you have Lion installed, just download El Capitan from the App Store and install from there.

Since you have access to another Mac, if the 2 computers have the correct cable connections, try the Target Disk Mode. Run the installation from there.

Target Disk Mode - Mavericks

Target Disc Mode

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