MacOS – Install OS X recovery mode. Can’t log in

apple-storeauthenticationinstallmacosrecovery

Dusting off an old iMac and it was hanging at 50% progress bar during start up. Since I don't need anything on it I'm trying to reformat.

I've booted into recovery mode and erased the drive. Then selected to install new OS. Chose the drive (it's also showing a locked recovery drive). By then it asks me to log into Apple Store. I do and it's saying wrong password. But then my phone asks for permission for login with my account. I approve and it still doesn't let me in on the iMac. Phone is giving an auth code but no where to enter it on iMac.

Best Answer

The version of the operating system of the recovery partition is probably lower than 10.11.0.

According to Apple you have to append the auth code to the password then:

What if I use two-factor authentication on a device running older software? If you use two-factor authentication with devices running older OS versions, you might be asked to add your six-digit verification code to the end of your password when signing in. Get your verification code from a trusted device running iOS 9 and later or OS X El Capitan and later, or have it sent to your trusted phone number. Then type your password followed by the six-digit verification code directly into the password field.

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MacOS – How to install Mountain Lion on a disk that cannot be formatted in recovery mode

You should be able to use dd to destroy the partition's header. You can then format (erase) it and run the install.

From the installer run Terminal and type the following:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/disk0s2 bs=1024 count=1024

Do be warned, this will irrecoverably destroy all data on that partition. But it looks like that's what you're expecting. Make sure you don't accidentally target the wrong thing.

Also note that I haven't done this, exactly. I've used this technique to destroy the entire partition table, not just a single partition. But I think it should work.

When you're done quit Terminal and run Disk Utility. You won't get any complaints about Core Storage.

MacOS – Trying to re-format via internet recovery, no entry sign

The fastest method around a sticky recovery partition is to just boot your Mac in target disk mode and connect it to another Mac and have that OS run Disk Utility to erase / zero the drive.

At that point, you should have far less issues reinstalling the OS in recovery mode. Depending on the agreement you had with the buyer, you could just send the Mac to them with a wiped drive and let them sort out the reinstall since then their Apple ID will be associated with the upgrade / app store instead of yours.

To diagnose why your Mac isn't starting will likely require access to the install logs and/or system logs.

Can you boot the Mac into single user mode and get a usable prompt?
Can you boot holding the option key and then select your Recovery HD to get Disk Utility to run and zero the main partition/volume?

Best Answer

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MacOS – How to install Mountain Lion on a disk that cannot be formatted in recovery mode

MacOS – Trying to re-format via internet recovery, no entry sign

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