Upgrade to high Sierra failed, now can't start up or even boot in safe or recovery mode or anything. I get the start up chime & woosh but then nothing

Possible Fixes for High Sierra

You should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.

Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible.

1. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer.
2. Resetting your Mac’s PRAM and NVRAM
3. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
4. Start the computer in Safe Mode, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup.
5. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu.
6. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add [+] button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it - Transferring files from one User Account to another.
7. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button.
8. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the CommandandRkeys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:

1. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button.
2. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list.
3. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
4. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
5. Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it.
6. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
7. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.

Possible Fixes for High Sierra

You should try each, one at a time, then test to see if the problem is fixed before going on to the next.

Be sure to backup your files before proceeding if possible.

1. Shutdown the computer, wait 30 seconds, restart the computer.
2. Resetting your Mac’s PRAM and NVRAM
3. Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
4. Start the computer in Safe Mode, then restart normally. This is slower than a standard startup.
5. Repair the disk by booting from the Recovery HD. Immediately after the chime hold down the Command and R keys until the Utility Menu appears. Choose Disk Utility and click on the Continue button. Select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar. Wait for the Done button to appear. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu. Restart the computer from the Apple Menu.
6. Create a New User Account Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and enter your Admin password when prompted. On the left under Current User click on the Add [+] button below Login Options. Setup a new Admin user account. Upon completion log out of your current account then log into the new account. If your problems cease, then consider switching to the new account and transferring your files to it - Transferring files from one User Account to another.
7. Reinstall OS X by booting from the Recovery HD using the Command and R keys. When the Utility Menu appears select Reinstall OS X then click on the Continue button.
8. Erase and Install OS X Restart the computer. Immediately after the chime hold down the CommandandRkeys until the Apple logo appears. When the Utility Menu appears:

1. Select Disk Utility from the Utility Menu and click on Continue button.
2. When Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry) from the Device list.
3. Click on the Erase icon in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
4. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
5. Click on the Apply button, then wait for the Done button to activate and click on it.
6. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
7. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.

With situations like this, make you want to reconsider Apple products and OS. In my PC life if an install got corrupt, all I have to do is reformat and start over. Not so with my early 2011MBP. Upgraded many versions of the High Sierra under the beta program until last one in early January killed all of my joy. MBP downloaded the upgrade, went through the installation said had 40 minutes to go and poof dreaded white screen of death. Tried every possible option and solution for a failed install with no success. It appears that my install files are locked. Next option is replacing the hard drive and do a fresh install. Who makes an OS that you can't do a recovery from when booting from a USB or DVD?

Job well done Apple.

Same issue here. Ran on 2011 MacBook Pro. Unable to get into recovery mode at all. Even went in and disconnected hard drive and battery. No luck. Tried different hard drive... nothing. My guess is Apple jacked up the firmware. As you should be able to get to recovery without hard drive. Like the bios on PC. Now I am on blocks... need Mr Jobs back. Seriously considering going back to PC. Which makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up!!

I have MacBook Pro early 2011. After weeks of pulling hair only had one slight success that I hesitate to even call a success.

I have been able to successfully install Snow Leopard, using the original dvd that cam with MacBook.

I am unable to upgrade to anything else without ending up in same white screen ****.

Going to sound weird but to install Snow Leopard did the following:

Boot holding option key

You should see hard drive and dvd items

I held down Shift and selected dvd (installing without holding Shift...failed...I don’t know why this worked)

Was able to successfully install snow leopard.

In another effort, I used a friends MacBook to do a clean install if High Sierra to an external drive. Took that drive and installed it in his laptop, no problems noted. Installed that working install in my MacBook. Boom, same white screen of death. Ggrrrr.

It’s crap...I know, but only thing that has enforced my hardware is fine. Though I suspect in High Sierra, Apple screwed up the firmware.

Hi jamigo2014,

Any luck? Were you able to get your Mac running again?

I had a similar issue. My 2015 MacBook was running Yosemite perfectly fine until I tried to install High Sierra a couple of days ago. I regret this so much. After a series of unsuccessful attempts to revive the computer, I brought it to an Apple store. They removed the HD flash drive to save my data and tried Internet recovery to no avail. Eventually they said there's something wrong with the mother board and it would cost $475 to fix it. ***?! High Sierra is killing my MacBook!!!! I'm so mad. Apple is responsible for this!!!!!

I faced the same problem and ended up sending my Mac to service center. Ridiculously they charge me blooding high service charge for thing which is not my mistake. If I never upgrade MacOS, I won't be having this problem. Can we ask for compensation from Apple?

Update: Spent the weekend at the apple store and on calls with apple support. We got my mac up and running again, for 1 day. Now back to same problem. Mac wont start up and I can‘t boot in safe mode. Have another appointment at apple store this evening. It‘s been 7 days since I was prompted to update my OS and 7 days since my mac has worked.

I was told at the Apple store that‘s its best with this OS update to plug your mac into the internet and not rely on wifi.

If your wifi is interrupted during update this problem occurs.

1) why don't the OS update instructions CLEARLY say that?

2) my mac air doesn't even have plug for the internet

I had the same issue after upgrading to macOS High Sierra.

while going through this discussion, I tried the first 5 steps with no use.

the 7th step was a life saver.

now just had the osx installed and all data are still available and my macbook air is working properly.

thanks a lot man

Looks like I'm in the same boat here. Did the upgrade and update. Had a strange "striped" screen effect over the login screen, and when I logged in, it would hang up and go pure gray. Using all of the above methods, I can't even get to the Disk Utility menu. I've gone through each step as far as I can. Looks like the Genius Bar is in my future.

Two of my macbooks had the same issue. This seems like Apple intentionally ruining machines like they did with iPhone 6. They blamed on my ssd on my first machine. Don’t know what they will blame on my second. If they don’t take care of my machine. They will loose me.

HOW I FIXED THE STARTUP DISK NOT VISIBLE PROBLEM after a failed Sierra to High Sierra Upgrade :

1. Made a bootable USB pen with High Sierra

2. Startet the Mac with ALT pressed until the Apple Logo

3. Choose The USB pen to boot from

4. The Mac Utility Box appeared and run Disk Doctor

5. I saw my not mounted internal "Macintosh HD" drive. Run First Aid on this drive

6. First Aid (after 15min) shoed me some Filesystem errors but made the drive visible again

7. Choose Startvolume menu at the upper left and boot from ""Macintosh HD"

8. OS X Sierra bootet sucessfully

9. Made a latest Time Machine backup

Final solution might be: Use the USB pen and make a clean (with reformatting the HD) of High Sierra.

Then use Time Machine to restore your data

hi jamigo2014, did any of these procedures worked for you? its the same for me. thanks

I’ve also tried all the options and still get the prohibited symbol. Help!

Same issue here my installation failed as i didn't had enough free space on my HD and now I can't choose to restart my computer from Macintosh HD.

Did any of those options work for you?

I got the “prohibited” symbol. Not sure what I would do.