Prohibitory symbol - internet recovery failed

[Wei]

Dear all,

My macbook pro A1278 was installed dual boot system (windows 7).
It can only boot into Windows. I thought is the windows issue therefore I erased all hard drive partition thinking to re-install Macos only.

But after that my Macbook only show prohibitory symbol on startup:

1. I tried Cmd+R show prohibitory symbol;
2. I tried Option+Cmd+R show globe and download filling, but show prohibitory symbol after download completed;
3. I tried made a USB bootable (Lion) and press Option when power on, but shows prohibitory symbol;
4. I tried to go in Verbose Mode and Single-user mode but the screen hang on and eventually goes into Prohibitory symbol.
5. I tried all commands below but eventually all went to prohibitory symbol.

Startup Manager: Option (⌥)
Single-User Mode: Command (⌘)—S
Target Disk Mode: T
Verbose Mode: Command (⌘)—V
Safe Mode: Shift (⇧)
Recovery OS: Command (⌘)—R
Internet Recovery OS: Command (⌘)—Option (⌥)—R


Anything I can do now? It is frustrating...

Regards,
Wei

 

[harryb2448]

An A1278 is a 2010 model MBP. What operating system was it running? If Snow Leopard OS X.6, Recovery does not work with such an old OS.

 

[Wei]

I don't what was the OS running. But I do remember I could boot to the Recovery HD before I erased all the partitions. I also able to boot into Internet Recovery (however it shows Prohibitory symbol when finished downloading).

Continue waiting solutions~~~

 

[pm-r]

Continue waiting solutions~~~

It would help to know what specific MBPro model it is that you have as according to everymac.co, there are 12 different "macbook pro A1278" models ranging from late 2008 to mid-2012.
https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=a1278

And I suppose you probably don't have a bootable clone or backup you could boot from???

But do you have the original Apple OS X Install disks if it's an early macbook pro A1278 model???






- Patrick
======

 

[ferrarr]

I don't what was the OS running. But I do remember I could boot to the Recovery HD before I erased all the partitions. I also able to boot into Internet Recovery (however it shows Prohibitory symbol when finished downloading).

Continue waiting solutions~~~

When you erase all the partitions, you erase the recovery partition. If that MBP was built before late 2011, it does not have the capability for Internet Recovery.

 

[IWT]

Great point, Bob. Yes, of course "erase" means everything; all partitions. Good catch. And the remark about pre-2011 MBPs.

Ian

 

[pm-r]

Great point, Bob. Yes, of course "erase" means everything; all partitions. Good catch. And the remark about pre-2011 MBPs.

Ian

+1!!!

And I wonder how Wei is doing as they haven't posted back for a bit.

I'm also a bit fascinated as to how they managed to erase ALL partitions as mentioned??






- Patrick
======

 

[Wei]

It would help to know what specific MBPro model it is that you have as according to everymac.co, there are 12 different "macbook pro A1278" models ranging from late 2008 to mid-2012.
https://everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=a1278

And I suppose you probably don't have a bootable clone or backup you could boot from???

But do you have the original Apple OS X Install disks if it's an early macbook pro A1278 model???






- Patrick
======

Hi Patrick, I lost the install disk already. I do have a USB bootable and hard drive bootable. When I press Option during startup, it shows nothing but prohibitory symbol.

**
just checked from the "everymac" website with my macbook serial number, it shows this:
Apple MacBook Pro "Core i5" 2.3 13" Early 2011

 

[Wei]

When you erase all the partitions, you erase the recovery partition. If that MBP was built before late 2011, it does not have the capability for Internet Recovery.

Hi Bob, but when i press Option+Cmd+R, I able to go into the internet recovery page and it starts downloading when I plug in the Internet LAN cable. However Prohibitory Symbol shows up when downloading is finished.

 

[pm-r]

Hi Patrick, I lost the install disk already. I do have a USB bootable and hard drive bootable. When I press Option during startup, it shows nothing but prohibitory symbol.

I guess you don't have any backup or working bootable clone that I've asked about, so I'd check with any Apple Store or Authorized Apple Service shop close by who should be able to get your problem sorted out and fixed.

Not much else you can do it seems with your current non-working situation.





- Patrick
======

 

[Wei]

Great point, Bob. Yes, of course "erase" means everything; all partitions. Good catch. And the remark about pre-2011 MBPs.

Ian

I erased the partitions by using Recovery HD (startup press Cmd+R) function, by right it won't erase the partition with basic operating function right? (Sorry I don't know the proper name but it should be hidden from the erase option).

 

[Wei]

+1!!!

And I wonder how Wei is doing as they haven't posted back for a bit.

I'm also a bit fascinated as to how they managed to erase ALL partitions as mentioned??






- Patrick
======

Hi Patrick, as I mentioned above, I erased all partition in Recovery HD. My macbook shows prohibitory symbol after I erased partition in Recovery HD and restart my Macbook.

 

[ferrarr]

Hi Bob, but when i press Option+Cmd+R, I able to go into the internet recovery page and it starts downloading when I plug in the Internet LAN cable. However Prohibitory Symbol shows up when downloading is finished.

If it was a late 2011 MBP, it would start downloading Mac OS X Lion (10.7). But, because it is the early 2011 model, it won't allow it, because that model/year, came with Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6).

What are the bootable disks you have? Can you log in to the Mac OS X/OS X/macOS App Store and download High Sierra? Or are they installer versions?

 

[Wei]

I guess you don't have any backup or working bootable clone that I've asked about, so I'd check with any Apple Store or Authorized Apple Service shop close by who should be able to get your problem sorted out and fixed.

Not much else you can do it seems with your current non-working situation.





- Patrick
======

Hi Patrick, I brought it to Apple authorized service center yesterday. They tried their bootable disk on my Macbook and the result is same.

 

[ferrarr]

Hi Patrick, I brought it to Apple authorized service center yesterday. They tried their bootable disk on my Macbook and the result is same.

Did they offer to install a new hard drive?

Then either the drive is dead, or the SATA cable has died.

 

[Wei]

If it was a late 2011 MBP, it would start downloading Mac OS X Lion (10.7). But, because it is the early 2011 model, it won't allow it, because that model/year, came with Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6).

What are the bootable disks you have? Can you log in to the Mac OS X/OS X/macOS App Store and download High Sierra? Or are they installer versions?

Hi Ferrarr,

Thanks for your explanation, ok now I know the reason of failed downloading.
Does that means that I need to make a Snow Leopard USB Bootable as well(or High Sierra)? Currently I have a USB Bootable with Lion OS another with EI Capitan.
However the main issue is that I am not able to boot into the Start-up Manager (press Option during startup)...

Besides I don't have access to App store, currently I downloaded the DMG file from windows system and create the USB bootable by using Transmac.

 

[Wei]

Did they offer to install a new hard drive?

Then either the drive is dead, or the SATA cable has died.

Yes they did mention maybe the drive is dead and said they don't have stock for my vintage Macbook...
However, my Macbook was just fine before I erased the partition. You think is the hard drive or cable issue?

 

[ferrarr]

I've never known Transmac to be able to make a bootable Mac installer on Windows. We've had many people try, but none have done it yet.

You can get Snow Leopard right from Apple, https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard, for $19.99. you will get it in 1-2 days.

 

[pm-r]

Hi Patrick, I brought it to Apple authorized service center yesterday. They tried their bootable disk on my Macbook and the result is same.

Did they offer to install a new hard drive?

Then either the drive is dead, or the SATA cable has died.

Assuming they used a compatible OS X bootable external drive, I'd suggest that a new drive would be a waste at this point and the MBPro may just be kaput.

The suggestion of using a SL Install disk may be the last option and would probably guarantee a dead MBPro if it didn't work. Probably worth $20.00 just to test and still useful if the OP was to purchase another old MBPro.

Just my two bits worth…





- Patrick
======

 

[MacInWin]

Or is is the GPU? I think that model was susceptible to the GPU failure.