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Mac mini screen went blank during internet restore.
- Thread starter Toltepeceno
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Well, I went from that to getting an error while trying an internet restore. It doesn't appear to have a restore partition. I hooked up direct by ethernet and no longer get the error, but the spinning globe has been here for hours without actually starting anything (I think) as there is no status indicator.
There has to be a better way to do this.
There has to be a better way to do this.
Toltepceno wrote above:
[[ There has to be a better way to do this...]]
You're not the only one who thinks that.
Rant follows:
Indeed there WAS a "better way to do it" for years -- something called the system software install DVDs that came with every Mac.
No need for fooling with a "recovery partition".
No need for an internet connection.
No need for an Apple Store account.
Just insert the DVD and go to it.
Completely self-contained, a user could do it running off battery power or an old fashioned AC generator with no other connection to the outside world.
But in their infinite wisdom, Apple has changed the paradigm of simply installing a copy of the Mac OS onto a drive into an exercise in frustration for many users.
There's a reason for this, of course:
Apple is slowly, gradually -- but inevitably -- building the Mac OS into a walled garden like the iOS. The end goal is to control WHO can install the OS, and HOW they will install it, along with which Macs it can be installed onto.
They don't want the end user to continue to have the ability to simply insert a boot DVD and go, without having their hooks into it.
Yes, I realize no Macs come with a DVD drive anymore -- you were going to point that out, but don't bother. Again, it's a case of Apple dictating what they think the Mac user should have or should not have access to.
For a short while, Apple offered the option of buying a copy of the Mac OS on a USB flash drive for a nominal fee. This was a good idea, and I believe there's still a market for that today, but again, I sense that Apple discontinued this because they don't want completely "free standing and bootable" copies of the Mac OS "out there" any longer.
Thank heaven for the "unofficial channels" through which to obtain such things!
/Rant off
[[ There has to be a better way to do this...]]
You're not the only one who thinks that.
Rant follows:
Indeed there WAS a "better way to do it" for years -- something called the system software install DVDs that came with every Mac.
No need for fooling with a "recovery partition".
No need for an internet connection.
No need for an Apple Store account.
Just insert the DVD and go to it.
Completely self-contained, a user could do it running off battery power or an old fashioned AC generator with no other connection to the outside world.
But in their infinite wisdom, Apple has changed the paradigm of simply installing a copy of the Mac OS onto a drive into an exercise in frustration for many users.
There's a reason for this, of course:
Apple is slowly, gradually -- but inevitably -- building the Mac OS into a walled garden like the iOS. The end goal is to control WHO can install the OS, and HOW they will install it, along with which Macs it can be installed onto.
They don't want the end user to continue to have the ability to simply insert a boot DVD and go, without having their hooks into it.
Yes, I realize no Macs come with a DVD drive anymore -- you were going to point that out, but don't bother. Again, it's a case of Apple dictating what they think the Mac user should have or should not have access to.
For a short while, Apple offered the option of buying a copy of the Mac OS on a USB flash drive for a nominal fee. This was a good idea, and I believe there's still a market for that today, but again, I sense that Apple discontinued this because they don't want completely "free standing and bootable" copies of the Mac OS "out there" any longer.
Thank heaven for the "unofficial channels" through which to obtain such things!
/Rant off
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The "unofficial channel" seems to be my only hope. I spoke to 3 tech's at apple yesterday, the last being a "mac senior advisor". This was after being on hold 30 minutes before each one listening to horrible music.
There appears to be no restore partition. That is out. Trying to do an internet restore through wifi gets me an error. Doing it connected through ethernet the globe spun all night and it never started downloading. Nothing, zip.
It appears now the only thing left to try is downloading a dmg of mavericks and putting it on a usb drive. You can't even legitimately create a bootable usb unless you have access to the computer, from what I understand.
This is a really lousy way to do this, I'm beginning to regret this.
Any suggestions fishrrman?
There appears to be no restore partition. That is out. Trying to do an internet restore through wifi gets me an error. Doing it connected through ethernet the globe spun all night and it never started downloading. Nothing, zip.
It appears now the only thing left to try is downloading a dmg of mavericks and putting it on a usb drive. You can't even legitimately create a bootable usb unless you have access to the computer, from what I understand.
This is a really lousy way to do this, I'm beginning to regret this.
Any suggestions fishrrman?
[[ It appears now the only thing left to try is downloading a dmg of mavericks and putting it on a usb drive. You can't even legitimately create a bootable usb unless you have access to the computer, from what I understand. ]]
If you have any way to do the above, that's the course I'd recommend you try first.
Be aware that as you browse around the "unofficial" channels, to be careful as to exactly which type of "dmg" file you're looking at.
Some are tweaked to create bootable drives (such as on a USB flashdrive) that are intended to boot generic PC hardware into the Mac OS -- and NOT for a Mac.
You probably need access to another Mac to get a fully-bootable USB flashdrive up and running.
This is why I recommend that ALL Mac users EVERYWHERE keep at least one external drive with a bootable copy of the Mac OS on it. If you had one of those, recovery would probably be MUCH easier....
If you have any way to do the above, that's the course I'd recommend you try first.
Be aware that as you browse around the "unofficial" channels, to be careful as to exactly which type of "dmg" file you're looking at.
Some are tweaked to create bootable drives (such as on a USB flashdrive) that are intended to boot generic PC hardware into the Mac OS -- and NOT for a Mac.
You probably need access to another Mac to get a fully-bootable USB flashdrive up and running.
This is why I recommend that ALL Mac users EVERYWHERE keep at least one external drive with a bootable copy of the Mac OS on it. If you had one of those, recovery would probably be MUCH easier....
Well, I don't have access to another mac as I don't know anyone that has one. I don't even know anyone that has an iphone other than my wife.
You mean like this?:
I have transmac trial and I have macdrive (works like paid for 15 days) putting it on usb. I hope it works.
I wouldn't download it if I had another choice.
Last try would be trying to use my wd passport as a bootable drive, it's even formatted to mac, but I would think it would be the same as the usb.
I'm so pissed I keep messing this up, posting. I'm even typing half english and half spanish (had to edit). You can bet I will make a legitimate bootable usb off the mini if I ever get it up and running.
You mean like this?:
I have transmac trial and I have macdrive (works like paid for 15 days) putting it on usb. I hope it works.
I wouldn't download it if I had another choice.
Last try would be trying to use my wd passport as a bootable drive, it's even formatted to mac, but I would think it would be the same as the usb.
I'm so pissed I keep messing this up, posting. I'm even typing half english and half spanish (had to edit). You can bet I will make a legitimate bootable usb off the mini if I ever get it up and running.
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Can you tell me why you needed to do a restore in the first place? Was something acting up? Describe that something if so.
Has anything been changed with the hard drive? Was this machine new or used when you got it?
Internet recovery has its faults, but all CD reinstalls I've ever helped with or witnessed required downloading an ISO because the cd went missing about two minutes after the machine was unboxed. Definitely a good idea to have a bootable usb drive though.
New machine and nothing has changed with the hard drive. The reason is unimportant unless one wants to blame me for doing something that is supposed to work. Nothing was messed up about the drive or acting up, that is all that is important.
I don't have a lot of rescue disks as I always built my own desktops, but the laptop I am posting this from is 5 years old (my first laptop) and I still have the disks for it.
I don't have a lot of rescue disks as I always built my own desktops, but the laptop I am posting this from is 5 years old (my first laptop) and I still have the disks for it.
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Ok good deal. Just wanted to see if we can rule out a hardware problem as the reason for restore and failure. Sometimes little details can stir a memory in a forum reader, and that may be of help to you.
Tis ok.
Nothing is more frustrating than a new computer going sideways on you, especially when a big part of the problem seems to relate to a something the manufacturer decided to change.
While Internet Recovery is great in a lot of ways, (great for helping that non-tech relative 500mi away) the simple inclusion of a $2 thumb drive with a backup installer os would be a great backup of a backup. Maybe they could even tuck it into the bottom removable cover. #
Oh wait...
Nothing is more frustrating than a new computer going sideways on you, especially when a big part of the problem seems to relate to a something the manufacturer decided to change.
While Internet Recovery is great in a lot of ways, (great for helping that non-tech relative 500mi away) the simple inclusion of a $2 thumb drive with a backup installer os would be a great backup of a backup. Maybe they could even tuck it into the bottom removable cover. #
Oh wait...
The install disks were terrible. You'd always have to bring them around with your Mac, and they'd get scratched and damaged and eventually get lost. Most Macs that came with install disks have lost the install disks. I think this new way is so much better. With internet speeds becoming faster and cheaper, it is more practical to download an OS wherever you are, than to order a disk or USB stick and wait years for it to arrive in your mailbox. These are the days when the operating systems are FREE, so it is not practical to buy a stick or disk with the OS on it anymore. If you want an install stick, you can create one with your own USB stick; you can also make a disk.
Having an Apple ID is no hassle. The thing I like about Apple IDs is that they don't require so much info about you, unlike Google and Microsoft. Google and Microsoft requires you give them your birth date, gender, location, bla bla bla, and they won't let you have an account if you are too young so you always have to lie about your age (always hated having to do that). Microsoft's Windows 10 is the WORST, because you HAVE TO create a Microsoft account and enter all your personal crap TO USE YOUR OWN COMPUTER! You login to your offline account on your PC using your online account. Ahh, the stupidity just amazes me.
You are assuming everyone lives where there are first world internet speeds and connecctions. It took me 17 hours to download the restore I'll take a restore disk any day, I still have the one for my 5 year old laptop.
On the bright side I wound up getting the internet restore working. I would like to thank those that replied.
I found the answer buried on this forum from 2011 and the answer was to change the dns settings to google's dns settings and it started immediately. This is obviously not widely known as I came across a lot of instances of the error, 2002f, and no answers.
So thanks to the poster and to those that gave suggestions.
The bad part is that it took 17 hours to download and if I want to make a restore usb I will have to download it again. A simply horrible way to do it. Give me a restore disk any day.
On the bright side I wound up getting the internet restore working. I would like to thank those that replied.
I found the answer buried on this forum from 2011 and the answer was to change the dns settings to google's dns settings and it started immediately. This is obviously not widely known as I came across a lot of instances of the error, 2002f, and no answers.
So thanks to the poster and to those that gave suggestions.
The bad part is that it took 17 hours to download and if I want to make a restore usb I will have to download it again. A simply horrible way to do it. Give me a restore disk any day.
One more question, hopefully it will get noticed here without an new post.
Mavericks shipped on this mini so I can't download manually mavericks. I did download yosemite last night (much quicker this way than internet restore, between 7 and 8 hours) and I did a time machine backup on my passport. I am now doing a usb restore as I post this. I moved a copy to my passport to use in case it would mess up the install dmg.
My question is: If I install yosemite and do not like it can I use time machine to go back to mavericks?
Mavericks shipped on this mini so I can't download manually mavericks. I did download yosemite last night (much quicker this way than internet restore, between 7 and 8 hours) and I did a time machine backup on my passport. I am now doing a usb restore as I post this. I moved a copy to my passport to use in case it would mess up the install dmg.
My question is: If I install yosemite and do not like it can I use time machine to go back to mavericks?
Would you mind posting the link to the page where you found your solution? It would help others who might come across this thread in the future and/or have a similar problem to yours.
I'm not taking any chances now. I have yosemite installed, have a copy of the image downloaded (before install) on my passport, have a bootable usb, a restore partition was created when yosemite was installed and I am right now backing up with carbon copy cloner to a partition on my passport.