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Recovery Mode: FireVault psswd unrecognised and CoreStorage not found

Hello Everyone! Need some urgent help with my unruly Mac (faced with the prospect of erasing my hard drive after 150 days without backup...)


Here is the problem that I have. My Mac got quite slow and I restarted it and upon the restart I got a prohibitory sign, which is like a crossed out circle. I read that the solution to this would be reinstalling the OS in recovery mode (Cmnd+R) which I tried to do. The problem is that my hard drive is encrypted using Fire Vault so I need to unlock it before the OS can be reinstalled on it. Unfortunately, there is a known bug where the Fire Vault password is not recognized in recovery mode (I know a 100% it is the correct one, but the mac just rejects it). Again, upon googling I found that the solution to this problem would be to go to the Terminal from recovery mode and unlock the disk from the Terminal.

(here is the thread where I found the solution https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3348646 )


Now I tried to follow the directions in the thread which are:


- find the core storage UUID by doing diskutil coreStorage list


- using the UUID of the locked HD, type in "diskutil coreStorage unlockVolume <YOUR_UUID>"


Now the current problem that I cannot solve arises when I type in diskutil coreStorage list. I get the error "No CoreStorage logical volume groups found" which means that my CoreStorage has been removed.

This is where I am right now, and I could really use some help of someone who knows how to work with these things. As far as I understand, I either need to make my encrypted HD a core storage unit OR to find a way to unlock it without making it a core storage unit. I am scared to do either though because browsing through help files didn't give a simple answer and I am worried I will do something irreversibly bad.


Thank you very much!

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Mid 2014), iOS 11.2

Posted on Dec 12, 2017 11:56 AM

Reply
7 replies

Dec 15, 2017 12:55 PM in response to temino

I think you should reconsider the theory that there is a bug in FileVault, and that recovery mode will allow to to unlock without supplying the proper password. I have not heard any recent information about any such bug in FileVault.


that leaves...


... 'you are not able to remember your password', and the "solutions" (such as they are) are outlined here:


Use FileVault to encrypt the startup disk on your Mac - Apple Support

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Dec 15, 2017 5:45 AM in response to temino

The instructions you found are for systems that pre-date High Sierra.


You have High Sierra data structures on your drive, not Core Storage. You will need a more recent solution, or a visit to the genius bar.


The many many RAM disks are created by Internet recovery instead of using your actual disk, which is free to be cleaned up or modified.

Recovery Mode: FireVault psswd unrecognised and CoreStorage not found

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