Macbook not entering internet recover

[magicarpetchris]

Hi

I have a Macbook Pro A1990 emc 3215 mid 2018 15" model. It has had its OS removed so I need to reinstall MacOS. No matter what keys I press it always boots to internet recovery (I've tried to do PRAM clear, CMD+R for recovery mode, Option key for boot options, D for diagnostics). When I enter my WIFI password it accepts it, starts loading into internet recovery but after around 30-60mins it fails showing error code 2100F. I have tried a power drain by disconnecting the battery and mais power but that has not changed anything. Does anyone have any ideas what is going on?
Thanks

 

[JPack]

If it’s not the MacBook then it’s probably your Internet connection. Try connecting to a known good network, such as your closest Apple Store.

Otherwise, just make a bootable USB installer.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

You can use a USB flash drive or other secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install the Mac operating system. These steps are primarily for system administrators and other experienced users who are familiar with entering commands in Terminal.

support.apple.com

 

[magicarpetchris]

Hi

Thanks for the response.

The network is fine (I have used it for over 100 other macbooks this week without too many issues).

Also it will not allow me to boot to boot options by holding down the option key. Also, all of those other Macbooks had USB booting disabled, given that this has come from the same place it's probably safe to assume that this also has USB booting disabled.

 

[januarydrive7]

Hi

Thanks for the response.

The network is fine (I have used it for over 100 other macbooks this week without too many issues).

Also it will not allow me to boot to boot options by holding down the option key. Also, all of those other Macbooks had USB booting disabled, given that this has come from the same place it's probably safe to assume that this also has USB booting disabled.

It still might be worth checking out network, as this seems to be typically related to the network. Try a direct ethernet connection, if possible.

 

[DeltaMac]

Is this the same MBPro model as those "over 100 other macbooks", or are any of the others identical to this one?
As others have pointed out, that 2100f error is usually network related.
If an NVRAM/SMC reset doesn't get you going, then I think it may be safe to assume that you can't connect to internet because the wifi card is faulty, or simply failed.
(The wifi card is on the logic board, soldered in place, not replaceable.)
Another alternative will be to boot to an external bootable installer. If you are working with more than 100 similar Macs, having a bootable installer is probably going to be useful to you. You won't need to connect to the internet, just to reinstall the macOS system, as everything that you need is part of the installer app.
But, without a working wifi card, you will need to use a dongle of some kind to give you wifi or ethernet.

 

[magicarpetchris]

It still might be worth checking out network, as this seems to be typically related to the network. Try a direct ethernet connection, if possible.

I've tried plugging in a type-C to ethernet adapter (this model has no native ethernet port) but it isn't picking up network through that. Having said that is is not picking up network with the adapter on any others until it gets into a proper OS so I think that may just be due to limited drivers in the pre boot menus.

Other than that I have had other macbooks of various models between 2016-2020 loading into Internet Recovery just fine at literally the same time as this one. I've also tried doing it through my 5g but with the same result unfortunately.

 

[magicarpetchris]

Is this the same MBPro model as those "over 100 other macbooks", or are any of the others identical to this one?

As others have pointed out, that 2100f error is usually network related.

If an NVRAM/SMC reset doesn't get you going, then I think it may be safe to assume that you can't connect to internet because the wifi card is faulty, or simply failed.

(The wifi card is on the logic board, soldered in place, not replaceable.)

Another alternative will be to boot to an external bootable installer. If you are working with more than 100 similar Macs, having a bootable installer is probably going to be useful to you. You won't need to connect to the internet, just to reinstall the macOS system, as everything that you need is part of the installer app.

But, without a working wifi card, you will need to use a dongle of some kind to give you wifi or ethernet.

Not all of them are the same model, I have a range of models released between 2016-2020 but I would say I have done at least a few without issue. The device will not allow me to do a NVRAM reset, when I try it just boots back into Internet Recovery.I have done smc reset (which I believe I do by disconnecting the battery and holding down the power button to power drain, then plugging the mains back in after 10 seconds whilst continuing to hold the power button down for another 10 seconds).

Is this the same MBPro model as those "over 100 other macbooks", or are any of the others identical to this one?
As others have pointed out, that 2100f error is usually network related.
If an NVRAM/SMC reset doesn't get you going, then I think it may be safe to assume that you can't connect to internet because the wifi card is faulty, or simply failed.
(The wifi card is on the logic board, soldered in place, not replaceable.)
Another alternative will be to boot to an external bootable installer. If you are working with more than 100 similar Macs, having a bootable installer is probably going to be useful to you. You won't need to connect to the internet, just to reinstall the macOS system, as everything that you need is part of the installer app.
But, without a working wifi card, you will need to use a dongle of some kind to give you wifi or ethernet.

Not all of them are the same model, I have a range of models released between 2016-2020 but I would say I have done at least a few without issue.

The device will not allow me to do a NVRAM reset, when I try it just boots back into Internet Recovery.I have done smc reset (which I believe I do by disconnecting the battery and holding down the power button to power drain, then plugging the mains back in after 10 seconds whilst continuing to hold the power button down for another 10 seconds).

I have done smc reset (which I believe I do by disconnecting the battery and holding down the power button to power drain, then plugging the mains back in after 10 seconds whilst continuing to hold the power button down for another 10 seconds). However I have no real way of telling if this has done anything as it boots straight back to Internet Recovery thereafter without any intervention from me and there is no power light to change colour on the type-C macbook chargers.

The only response I can get from this device is for it to boot to Internet recovery, I can not get to USB booting, when I press option it just goes straight to Internet Recovery. Also the other devices all have USB booting disabled in startup security settings so even of I could get it to the boot menu I doubt it will get me far. I have various copies of MacOS ready for use after I get USB booting back on.

I have tried an ethernet dongle but that doesn't seem to work in any of the boot menus of other type-C devices I have, I imagine it hasn't loaded the USB drivers fully yet. I guess I can try disconnecting the WiFi antennas and try a USB WiFi dongle and see if I can get a thing out of it

 

[Fishrrman]

Sounds like it's time to take it to an Apple Store genius bar...