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Cables, Cables, Cables
#45488 07/01/17 01:26 AM
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OK, so I called Applecare for my email problems. They pretty quickly went right to erase HD and redownload the OS. I didn't want to but they had no other answers.

So, we erased the HD and now I cannot connect to the internet to get to recovery. When I had to do this with my older MBP, I could do recovery after connecting to Ethernet. Of course, the MBP I have now doesn't have that port and I don't have that adapter.

I am wondering if I can connect my two computers to an HDMI cable (I would connect the HDMI to my new MBP and a thunderbolt HDMI adapter to the HDMI cable and then to my old MBP.) Then I would connect the old MBP to Ethernet.

Will this get me to the internet so I can get to recovery mode?

I can't believe all the problems I am having lately since I got my newer MBP.


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45489 07/01/17 01:42 AM
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AppleCare got you into this mess, so why don't you call them back and graciously allow them get you out of it? I can't believe they actually hung up on you without your Sierra d/l having begun. mad

(I know only a little about HDMI, but I'm pretty sure that what you propose to do won't work...not the right functionality.)

More: Have you tried resetting your router?

Last edited by artie505; 07/01/17 01:49 AM.

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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45490 07/01/17 01:51 AM
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I just found this so I guess I won't do that. Do not do this

If you're lucky, nothing will happen.

If you're unlucky, one or both laptops will short circuit, because an hdmi transmitter sends a 5V power signal. by plugging two transmitters into each other, you send +5V from both sides, which can damage one or both computers, if they aren't designed with protection circuitry.


Applecare didn't hang up on me. He promised to call me back because he needed to do some research. Now I have no OS in my computer. The only thing I can think to do is to get an ethernet adapter and do it that way. This is all b/c they took our ethernet ports away and OS CDs away and now everything is a big deal. Otherwise I have to make an hour trip to a genius bar or some authorized repair service. frown

I was told the mail probably was buggy because I downloaded the update from the App store, but if I did it through recovery there wouldn't be a bug! What? A bug from the App store?

What version do you have? It it's not Sierra or not the latest, count yourself lucky.


Originally Posted By: artie505
AppleCare got you into this mess, so why don't you call them back and graciously allow them get you out of it? I can't believe they actually hung up on you without your Sierra d/l having begun. mad

(I know only a little about HDMI, but I'm pretty sure that what you propose to do won't work...not the right functionality.)


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45491 07/01/17 02:16 AM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
I just found this so I guess I won't do that. Do not do this

If you're lucky, nothing will happen.

If you're unlucky, one or both laptops will short circuit, because an hdmi transmitter sends a 5V power signal. by plugging two transmitters into each other, you send +5V from both sides, which can damage one or both computers, if they aren't designed with protection circuitry.


Applecare didn't hang up on me. He promised to call me back because he needed to do some research.

I was told the mail probably was buggy because I downloaded the update from the App store, but if I did it through recovery there wouldn't be a bug! What? A bug from the App store?

What version do you have? It it's not Sierra or not the latest, count yourself lucky.

I was pretty sure that your HDMI idea wouldn't work because of functionality, but I should have thought of the power issue, too. frown Glad you didn't try it!

If AppleCare didn't call you back, get on their case...big time! Customer Service is Apple's thing.

I'm extremely skeptical about "buggy"; it sounds like what I get from Manilla when they've got no idea what the question, let alone the answer, is.

I'm running Sierra 10.12.5, and the assorted annoying, minor issues I'm working with are enough to have made me unhappy with it.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45492 07/01/17 02:35 AM
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The guy did call me back but he put me on hold for a long time so I hung up. He called back but I was cooking dinner and couldn't talk. He mentioned things like resetting PRAM, turning off wi-fi and then back on, and resetting power. None of this is going to help if I can't connect to the internet and also my OS is gone. So, tomorrow I am going to see if I can find an ethernet adapter or just a very long ethernet cable in town. If not, I will get one off Amazon and wait for it. If that doesn't do the trick, I will have to make an appt. at a "genius" bar.

I looked for locations near me from the Apple website and not one city I put in showed up, even the cities with genius bars that I already know about!!

You have the same OS version I have. You have annoyances but not mail ones like I have??


Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: plantsower
I just found this so I guess I won't do that. Do not do this

If you're lucky, nothing will happen.

If you're unlucky, one or both laptops will short circuit, because an hdmi transmitter sends a 5V power signal. by plugging two transmitters into each other, you send +5V from both sides, which can damage one or both computers, if they aren't designed with protection circuitry.


Applecare didn't hang up on me. He promised to call me back because he needed to do some research.

I was told the mail probably was buggy because I downloaded the update from the App store, but if I did it through recovery there wouldn't be a bug! What? A bug from the App store?

What version do you have? It it's not Sierra or not the latest, count yourself lucky.

I was pretty sure that your HDMI idea wouldn't work because of functionality, but I should have thought of the power issue, too. frown Glad you didn't try it!

If AppleCare didn't call you back, get on their case...big time! Customer Service is Apple's thing.

I'm extremely skeptical about "buggy"; it sounds like what I get from Manilla when they've got no idea what the question, let alone the answer, is.

I'm running Sierra 10.12.5, and the assorted annoying, minor issues I'm working with are enough to have made me unhappy with it.


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45496 07/01/17 06:46 AM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
The guy...mentioned things like resetting PRAM, turning off wi-fi and then back on, and resetting power. None of this is going to help if I can't connect to the internet and also my OS is gone.

I'm not sure exactly what you erased, i.e. whether you've still got a recovery partition, so try this:

First, reset your modem/router...probably by leaving it unplugged for...ahhh...give it 15 minutes. (I know it didn't work for you the last time you tried, but it has worked for me.)

Next, do a command-option-R boot, and hold the keys until the animated globe appears on the screen.

If the globe appears, give it time to do its thing...dunno how long that may be; have a cup of coffee.

If the globe fails to appear or appears but doesn't connect to the internet, proceed to...

Originally Posted By: plantsower
So, tomorrow I am going to see if I can find an ethernet adapter or just a very long ethernet cable in town. If not, I will get one off Amazon and wait for it. If that doesn't do the trick, I will have to make an appt. at a "genius" bar.

I looked for locations near me from the Apple website and not one city I put in showed up, even the cities with genius bars that I already know about!!

You have the same OS version I have. You have annoyances but not mail ones like I have??

You can't just move your MBP instead of buying a new cable?

That's strange about Apple Stores you know are there not being there.

I've got Mail annoyances, but nothing like either you or V1 has described...nothing that's inspired me to do anything more than wait for Apple to get their act straight. tongue


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45504 07/01/17 03:41 PM
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OK, I did what you said. Same result. Globe shows up, there is a drop down box asking me to pick my network but there is no network to pick, it's just 3 dots. After some researching, when the apple guy called me back, and said it meant I could not get connected to the internet for some reason. This happened before with my old MBP a few weeks back and I learned on the forum to connect it to Ethernet and then I could do recovery. It worked. I think Apple Tech needs to know this is a possibility before they blithely ask people to erase their HD.

They had me erase my whole HD so, nothing much left. I wonder why they didn't say to try Disk Utility or PRAM. I don't think that would have worked but maybe. I never think to do PRAM myself.

As far as moving my computer rather than getting a long ethernet cable goes, I was thinking I could connect my computers via Ethernet on my old MBP and some other cable to connect them together and then get my new MBP hooked to the Ethernet that way. That would have meant going into the room where the modem and router are located and there's not much room in there. My idea was to hook up from the ethernet cable there and then go into my office with both computers. Remember, my new MBP has no ethernet port.

So, now I feel my only option is to get an Ethernet adapter and go from there. It should take a few days at least because our local stores don't have any and I would have to drive a half an hour to get to a Walmart. Our local Radio Shack bit the dust. If I didn't have a backup, I would make the drive.

I'd be interested to know if you tried to use their retailer locater if anything showed up from the apple site. If it does, please send me the link to that page.

Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: plantsower
The guy...mentioned things like resetting PRAM, turning off wi-fi and then back on, and resetting power. None of this is going to help if I can't connect to the internet and also my OS is gone.

I'm not sure exactly what you erased, i.e. whether you've still got a recovery partition, so try this:

First, reset your modem/router...probably by leaving it unplugged for...ahhh...give it 15 minutes. (I know it didn't work for you the last time you tried, but it has worked for me.)

Next, do a command-option-R boot, and hold the keys until the animated globe appears on the screen.

If the globe appears, give it time to do its thing...dunno how long that may be; have a cup of coffee.

If the globe fails to appear or appears but doesn't connect to the internet, proceed to...

Originally Posted By: plantsower
So, tomorrow I am going to see if I can find an ethernet adapter or just a very long ethernet cable in town. If not, I will get one off Amazon and wait for it. If that doesn't do the trick, I will have to make an appt. at a "genius" bar.

I looked for locations near me from the Apple website and not one city I put in showed up, even the cities with genius bars that I already know about!!

You have the same OS version I have. You have annoyances but not mail ones like I have??

You can't just move your MBP instead of buying a new cable?

That's strange about Apple Stores you know are there not being there.

I've got Mail annoyances, but nothing like either you or V1 has described...nothing that's inspired me to do anything more than wait for Apple to get their act straight. tongue


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45505 07/01/17 03:48 PM
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The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45506 07/01/17 04:52 PM
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Yes, thanks. I also found that page after I couldn't find any stores when I typed them into their store locator. I can't find a way to tell them except thru their feedback form and maybe when I talk to Applecare again.


Originally Posted By: artie505
Does this help?

Store List - Apple Store


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45524 07/02/17 05:23 AM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
OK, I did what you said. Same result. Globe shows up, there is a drop down box asking me to pick my network but there is no network to pick, it's just 3 dots. After some researching, when the apple guy called me back, and said it meant I could not get connected to the internet for some reason.

...moving my computer...would have meant going into the room where the modem and router are located....

Quoting joemike, ":light bulb:"

This probably should have been obvious all along, but your "3 dots" slapped me across the face with a dead flounder, and I wonder if your inability to connect to the internet for recovery has been because your MBPs have been out of range of your router? (My AirPort menu bar drop-down doesn't always show the same list of networks that my /Apps/System Prefs > Network > Network Name drop-down shows, and that makes me wonder about the robustness of the utility that's accessed during recovery. More: Thinking about it, I remember having been surprised by how few network options I was offered when I booted into recovery recently, and my MBP is less than three feet from my AirPort Express Base Station.)

Dead easy experiment: Move your MBP as close to your router as you can conveniently get it, try the command-option-R boot again, and see if you maybe get lucky.

Originally Posted By: plantsower
They had me erase my whole HD so, nothing much left. I wonder why they didn't say to try Disk Utility or PRAM. I don't think that would have worked but maybe. I never think to do PRAM myself.

Our local Radio Shack bit the dust.

It doesn't sound like you spoke to the brightest star at AppleCare. I don't know why he didn't have you simply reinstall Sierra over your original installation rather than erase your SSD.

The entire Radio Shack chain closed its doors a few years back; I got to my local store's going out sale after the shelves had been picked pretty much bare, but I still did a little bit of OK. smile

Last edited by artie505; 07/02/17 08:36 AM. Reason: More & Cleanup

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45526 07/02/17 05:05 PM
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OK, tried it. Put notebook right next to router and modem. The same result.
Can't wait until my ethernet adapter gets here. If that doesn't work, I guess I will have to go to the Apple store far, far away. Well, an hour. smile

Our Radio Shack closed before all the final closings. It's a small town and the owner was a jerk with an attitude. He lost it on his own.


Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: plantsower
OK, I did what you said. Same result. Globe shows up, there is a drop down box asking me to pick my network but there is no network to pick, it's just 3 dots. After some researching, when the apple guy called me back, and said it meant I could not get connected to the internet for some reason.

...moving my computer...would have meant going into the room where the modem and router are located....

Quoting joemike, ":light bulb:"

This probably should have been obvious all along, but your "3 dots" slapped me across the face with a dead flounder, and I wonder if your inability to connect to the internet for recovery has been because your MBPs have been out of range of your router? (My AirPort menu bar drop-down doesn't always show the same list of networks that my /Apps/System Prefs > Network > Network Name drop-down shows, and that makes me wonder about the robustness of the utility that's accessed during recovery. More: Thinking about it, I remember having been surprised by how few network options I was offered when I booted into recovery recently, and my MBP is less than three feet from my AirPort Express Base Station.)

Dead easy experiment: Move your MBP as close to your router as you can conveniently get it, try the command-option-R boot again, and see if you maybe get lucky.

Originally Posted By: plantsower
They had me erase my whole HD so, nothing much left. I wonder why they didn't say to try Disk Utility or PRAM. I don't think that would have worked but maybe. I never think to do PRAM myself.

Our local Radio Shack bit the dust.

It doesn't sound like you spoke to the brightest star at AppleCare. I don't know why he didn't have you simply reinstall Sierra over your original installation rather than erase your SSD.

The entire Radio Shack chain closed its doors a few years back; I got to my local store's going out sale after the shelves had been picked pretty much bare, but I still did a little bit of OK. smile


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45527 07/02/17 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted By: plantsower
OK, tried it. Put notebook right next to router and modem. The same result.

DAMN! frown mad

It just doesn't make sense that the same thing happens with two different MBPs. confused


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45529 07/02/17 05:28 PM
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I know. frown


Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: plantsower
OK, tried it. Put notebook right next to router and modem. The same result.

DAMN! frown mad

It just doesn't make sense that the same thing happens with two different MBPs. confused


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45530 07/02/17 07:45 PM
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PMFJI but the ellipse (…) means there is no available WiFi network to join and therefore you cannot reach the internet. I know it is nitpicking but conflating the two can distract from the actual problem. Not seeing a WiFi network can be caused by...
  1. the list of networks can take a while to populate — some times a good while. Patience really can be a virtue smile
  2. If the only available network is configured to be Silent you would have to click on the Other… prompt and entering the network name and password
  3. A very strong Silent network in the environment might block or delay lower strength networks from displaying
No guarantee any of these are true, but they are possibilities.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
joemikeb #45531 07/02/17 09:08 PM
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I let it try for 30 minutes. Maybe that wasn't long enough.

I tried the network name in the box with the wi-fi sign next to it, and it didn't work so I typed in the router password. Then went to the box beneath that which had a closed padlock next to it but it wouldn't let me type anything in it. No blinking cursor.

As far as the network being too slow, that would be a possibility. I have a microwave setup for my wi-fi because satellite is the only other alternative here and I don't like it. I maybe get 1 mb up and less down through it according to the speed test.

I could type in the
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
PMFJI but the ellipse (…) means there is no available WiFi network to join and therefore you cannot reach the internet. I know it is nitpicking but conflating the two can distract from the actual problem. Not seeing a WiFi network can be caused by...
  1. the list of networks can take a while to populate — some times a good while. Patience really can be a virtue smile
  2. If the only available network is configured to be Silent you would have to click on the Other… prompt and entering the network name and password
  3. A very strong Silent network in the environment might block or delay lower strength networks from displaying
No guarantee any of these are true, but they are possibilities.


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
joemikeb #45532 07/03/17 01:10 AM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
PMFJI but the ellipse (…) means there is no available WiFi network to join and therefore you cannot reach the internet. I know it is nitpicking but conflating the two can distract from the actual problem. Not seeing a WiFi network can be caused by...
  1. the list of networks can take a while to populate — some times a good while. Patience really can be a virtue smile
  2. If the only available network is configured to be Silent you would have to click on the Other… prompt and entering the network name and password
  3. A very strong Silent network in the environment might block or delay lower strength networks from displaying
No guarantee any of these are true, but they are possibilities.

But that begs the question of why are two different MBPs that have absolutely no trouble joining a network and connecting to the internet from their boot volumes unable to even locate a network when booted into recovery mode?

I'm beginning to wonder if we're maybe dealing with some sort of bug here.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45533 07/03/17 03:18 AM
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Where would that bug be?

When I turn on my new MBP now (I use it to charge my speaker, remember?), I get that flashing question mark. I looked it up online and it said to do Command - R. What's the different between that and Command-Option-R? Anyway, I will do one of those when I get my ethernet adapter.

Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
PMFJI but the ellipse (…) means there is no available WiFi network to join and therefore you cannot reach the internet. I know it is nitpicking but conflating the two can distract from the actual problem. Not seeing a WiFi network can be caused by...
  1. the list of networks can take a while to populate — some times a good while. Patience really can be a virtue smile
  2. If the only available network is configured to be Silent you would have to click on the Other… prompt and entering the network name and password
  3. A very strong Silent network in the environment might block or delay lower strength networks from displaying
No guarantee any of these are true, but they are possibilities.

But that begs the question of why are two different MBPs that have absolutely no trouble joining a network and connecting to the internet from their boot volumes unable to even locate a network when booted into recovery mode?

I'm beginning to wonder if we're maybe dealing with some sort of bug here.


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45534 07/03/17 03:34 AM
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Does this make any sense? I found it on the internet regarding connecting to wi-fi in recovery mode: You could also resolve it by changing the router setup to hand out addresses via DHCP, but that requires admin access to the router, find the router manual & see how you enable DHCP on it.

The ethernet adaptor will also fail if the router is not giving out addresses on the wired LAN.


I don't really get how to do this, but I wonder if it would work.


Originally Posted By: artie505
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
PMFJI but the ellipse (…) means there is no available WiFi network to join and therefore you cannot reach the internet. I know it is nitpicking but conflating the two can distract from the actual problem. Not seeing a WiFi network can be caused by...
  1. the list of networks can take a while to populate — some times a good while. Patience really can be a virtue smile
  2. If the only available network is configured to be Silent you would have to click on the Other… prompt and entering the network name and password
  3. A very strong Silent network in the environment might block or delay lower strength networks from displaying
No guarantee any of these are true, but they are possibilities.

But that begs the question of why are two different MBPs that have absolutely no trouble joining a network and connecting to the internet from their boot volumes unable to even locate a network when booted into recovery mode?

I'm beginning to wonder if we're maybe dealing with some sort of bug here.


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45539 07/03/17 02:53 PM
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Originally Posted By: Plantsower
When I turn on my new MBP now (I use it to charge my speaker, remember?), I get that flashing question mark.
The flashing question mark is telling you that a bootable volume cannot be found on any drive attached to the computer. You have two options at that point..
  1. Attach an external USB or Thunderbolt or Fireware drive that has a bootable volume installed on it (note it must be for your particular MBP model or a Recovery Drive image) or
  2. You have to boot from the internet recovery drive
Originally Posted By: Plantsower
What's the different between that and Command-Option-R? Anyway, I will do one of those when I get my ethernet adapter.
The similar startup commands are...
  • ⌘R (Command+R) — Boot from the Recovery Drive (this could be a hidden physical volume on your MBP or if that isn't available then from the internet. In either case you need an internet connection to effect reinstallation — preferably a high speed internet connection)
  • ⌥ (Option boot) — Select a startup disk from tho bootable volumes on your MBP (which could include a Recovery Drive)
  • ⌥⌘PR (Option+Command+P+R) — Reset Parameter RAM
  • ⌥⌘R (Option+Command+R) — ❓❓❓
    Not documented in Apple Help although I seem to recall seeing posts recommending this combination to boot from the Recovery Drive back when the Recovery drive was new. It doesn't work, at least not in Sierra and High Sierra


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
joemikeb #45540 07/03/17 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: Plantsower
When I turn on my new MBP now (I use it to charge my speaker, remember?), I get that flashing question mark.
The flashing question mark is telling you that a bootable volume cannot be found on any drive attached to the computer. You have two options at that point.
  1. Attach an external USB or Thunderbolt or Fireware drive that has a bootable volume installed on it (note it must be for your particular MBP model or a Recovery Drive image) or
  2. You have to boot from the internet recovery drive

Shouldn't the question mark ultimately resolve to Internet Recovery for Macs with no bootable options?

Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: Plantsower
What's the different between that and Command-Option-R? Anyway, I will do one of those when I get my ethernet adapter.
The similar startup commands are...
  • ⌘R (Command+R) — Boot from the Recovery Drive (this could be a hidden physical volume on your MBP or if that isn't available then from the internet. In either case you need an internet connection to effect reinstallation — preferably a high speed internet connection)
  • ⌥ (Option boot) — Select a startup disk from tho bootable volumes on your MBP (which could include a Recovery Drive)
  • ⌥⌘PR (Option+Command+P+R) — Reset Parameter RAM
  • ⌥⌘R (Option+Command+R) — ❓❓❓
    Not documented in Apple Help although I seem to recall seeing posts recommending this combination to boot from the Recovery Drive back when the Recovery drive was new. It doesn't work, at least not in Sierra and High Sierra

Nope! See How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
artie505 #45543 07/03/17 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted By: artie505
Shouldn't the question mark ultimately resolve to Internet Recovery for Macs with no bootable options?
I don't know. The situation has never arisen. confused


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
joemikeb #45546 07/03/17 03:35 PM
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Well, the external drive wouldn't be for my particular model because I've never used an external drive on it yet.

I am not sure what you mean by or a Recovery Drive image.






Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: Plantsower
When I turn on my new MBP now (I use it to charge my speaker, remember?), I get that flashing question mark.
The flashing question mark is telling you that a bootable volume cannot be found on any drive attached to the computer. You have two options at that point..
  1. Attach an external USB or Thunderbolt or Fireware drive that has a bootable volume installed on it (note it must be for your particular MBP model or a Recovery Drive image) or
  2. You have to boot from the internet recovery drive
Originally Posted By: Plantsower
What's the different between that and Command-Option-R? Anyway, I will do one of those when I get my ethernet adapter.
The similar startup commands are...
  • ⌘R (Command+R) — Boot from the Recovery Drive (this could be a hidden physical volume on your MBP or if that isn't available then from the internet. In either case you need an internet connection to effect reinstallation — preferably a high speed internet connection)
  • ⌥ (Option boot) — Select a startup disk from tho bootable volumes on your MBP (which could include a Recovery Drive)
  • ⌥⌘PR (Option+Command+P+R) — Reset Parameter RAM
  • ⌥⌘R (Option+Command+R) — ❓❓❓
    Not documented in Apple Help although I seem to recall seeing posts recommending this combination to boot from the Recovery Drive back when the Recovery drive was new. It doesn't work, at least not in Sierra and High Sierra


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Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
joemikeb #45547 07/03/17 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: artie505
Shouldn't the question mark ultimately resolve to Internet Recovery for Macs with no bootable options?
I don't know. The situation has never arisen. confused

If you can't start up from macOS Recovery

Newer Mac computers and some older Mac computers automatically try to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet when unable to start up from the built-in recovery system. When that happens, you see a spinning globe instead of an Apple logo during startup. To manually start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet, hold down Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R at startup.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
plantsower #45548 07/03/17 04:26 PM
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Originally Posted By: Plantsower
I am not sure what you mean by or a Recovery Drive image.

This is a long answer to a short question, but some background is necessary for this to make sense.

There are utilities, such as TechTool Pro's ProToGo that can create bootable subsets of MacOS so you can run TechTool Pro or other troubleshooting and/or repair utilities from say a thumb drive. As you can imagine this can be a useful troubleshooting tool. The gotcha in this is the bootable subset is created from a particular machine and because the MacOS installer installs a system that is unique to a particular Mac model those ProToGo subsets will only work with Mac of the same model it was created on. For example a ProToGo drive created on my late 2012 Mac Mini will only boot a late 2012 Mac Mini and maybe not even every late 2012 Mac Mini because mine has been relatively heavily modified over the years.

The only bootable image (a.k.a. volume or drive) that will boot every Mac compatible with the particular release of MacOS is the "Recovery Drive". The use of the term image refers to the fact it is like a photograph or other "image" that is the same everywhere it occurs.

One of the ProToGo options is a Recovery Drive.

Did I clarify or obscure?


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Cables, Cables, Cables
joemikeb #45549 07/03/17 04:50 PM
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Yes, you clarified it. I don't completely understand the lingo and the complicated steps but I do get most of it. So, this may be way off base as Artie would say, but does this mean that the external drive I have for my old MBP cannot be used to boot up my new MBP even though it won't have Sierra on it?

After I get this all settled, I want to have an external drive backup for both of my MBP's. I just don't know if I can use the same one for both machines. It is a terabyte though. I'll never use all that space, at least for now.


Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: Plantsower
I am not sure what you mean by or a Recovery Drive image.

This is a long answer to a short question, but some background is necessary for this to make sense.

There are utilities, such as TechTool Pro's ProToGo that can create bootable subsets of MacOS so you can run TechTool Pro or other troubleshooting and/or repair utilities from say a thumb drive. As you can imagine this can be a useful troubleshooting tool. The gotcha in this is the bootable subset is created from a particular machine and because the MacOS installer installs a system that is unique to a particular Mac model those ProToGo subsets will only work with Mac of the same model it was created on. For example a ProToGo drive created on my late 2012 Mac Mini will only boot a late 2012 Mac Mini and maybe not even every late 2012 Mac Mini because mine has been relatively heavily modified over the years.

The only bootable image (a.k.a. volume or drive) that will boot every Mac compatible with the particular release of MacOS is the "Recovery Drive". The use of the term image refers to the fact it is like a photograph or other "image" that is the same everywhere it occurs.

One of the ProToGo options is a Recovery Drive.

Did I clarify or obscure?


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