How to boot a Mac (OSX) into Recovery mode

If you need to do any diagnostics or your Mac will not boot up properly you can use recovery mode to investigate the issue.

  1. With the Mac shutdown hold down the Command Button and R on the keyboard then press the power button.
  2. Release the keys once the Apple logo appears.
  3. Recovery mode should then load
  4. From this screen you have access to restore files from Time Machine, Re-install the Operating System, access the Disk Utility and even go online and look for solutions.
    NOTE: Re-installing OS X in Recovery mode requires a Internet connection using a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection.

Additional information

Recovery mode also gives you access to the following programs

  • Network Utility – which allows you to see information about the Macs network adapters such as IP and Hardware address as well use Ping to test connection to other computers.
  • Terminal – is for advanced users who know how to use the Unix commands for a Mac.
  • Firmware Password Utility – This is recommend for Mac’s which are used in public areas, but you MUST not forget the pass code you set. Keep a copy in a safe.

 

 

 

Reviewed on 02/03/2018

How useful was this article?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Similar Posts

  • In Mac OS X, how can I check to see if a computer is on the network?

    In Mac OS X, to see if a computer is on the network, use the Network Utility to ping the remote host. A ping is a small packet of data sent to the remote host and then sent back by the recipient computer. If the computer is not on the network, it will not be…

  • Mac will not access the App Store and secure websites

    If you are not able to access App Store, iTunes or any HTTPS websites on your Mac while in school but you are able to open normal (HTTP) websites its likely you will need to set the proxy for Secure Web Sites: Open System Preferences Click on Network Preferences Select your active network connection on the left panel…

  • How to get a Google Chromebook’s MAC Address

    Some managed networks require that your wireless device’s MAC Address ( a unique identifying code) be added to a list of devices that have permission to join the network. To obtain the MAC address of your Google Chromebook…  1:  Start the Chromebook up.  2:  Click on the Network Icon in the corner of the screen….

  • Finding your iPad’s MAC Address

    If your the wireless network you are connecting to is a Managed Network, then you will need to provide your Network Administrator with the iPad’s MAC Address. To obtain this first Tap on the Settings Icon… Once in the settings application, you will be in the General Screen as shown below: Tapping on About will…

  • How to tell what version of OS X is on your Apple Mac Computer.

      The Apple Operating System, called OS X, is regularly updated incrementally, rather than by a few major releases like Microsoft Windows. The most recent versions are: 10.6.x = Snow Leopard 10.7.x = Lion 10.8.x  = Mountain Lion   To tell which version you have: 1: Click on the Apple Icon in the top left…