MBP from mid-2009 fails to enter recovery mode
MBP from mid-2009 fails to enter recovery mode
I have a MacBook Pro from around 2009 (serial W89211EZ66E) that isn’t starting properly in recovery mode. I recently upgraded to OS X El Capitan 10.11.6 to check stability. My goal was to wipe the 500GB HDD and reinstall the operating system, but after trying to erase it and install via a bootable USB, the Mac restarted and showed a "Prohibitory" warning. After rebooting while holding Option or Command+, I got a question mark folder symbol. When I tried to restart with those keys, the screen went black after about 30 seconds. I’m not concerned about data recovery, but I want to know if I can get this Mac up again.
I used a patch for Mojave and it didn’t work well. Can you find a way to calm your Mac down?
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372. Once done, it should resolve the issue.
I don’t have another Mac nearby at the moment, but I managed to create a bootable El Capitan .dmg USB drive using my Windows computer (only the polycarbonate ‘09 MBP supports High Sierra). My current issue is that the Mac won’t boot into recovery mode and I can’t choose which drive to start from. I’m wondering if there’s any way to force a boot into recovery or if the system might be permanently damaged.
Press the option key during startup to access the boot menu. If you see only a white screen with a cursor, it suggests the Mac isn’t recognizing a boot device, likely because your USB isn’t working.
I'll head out next weekend and prepare another mac to create a boot disk. I'll check if it functions properly. Appreciate the help!