Decrypting File Vault & Firmware password

[Dawnabee]

Just wondering if anyone experienced this. I tried to turn off the file vault on my macbook pro 2012. Usually it will ask a password to turn it off. I was playing around with terminal and when i tried to turn off the file vault started decrypting.

My question is when it’s done decrypting will i still be able to use my macbook? (Although i have backed up everything already) and for some reason my macbook has a firmware password which i dont even know how it was locked. I dont usually dwell on these things. Just recently knew when i tried to do recovery it showed a lock key asking for a password.

will i still be able to use after decrypting my macbook? Or will it the firmware password affect my usage?

need feedback thanks!

 

[chscag]

Without knowing the firmware password your MacBook Pro will be useless to you. You won't be able to enter Recovery or anything else that requires the password.

Where did you buy your MacBook Pro? Assuming it was pre-owned.

 

[Dawnabee]

I bought it online cause my other mac wasn’t working anymore. I did contact the owner tho and he told me he can’t even remember putting one. Do you know anything about decrypting the file vault cause it’s actually decrypting now

 

[adrianlondon]

I don't think disabling FileVault has any impact on the firmware password. I suspect the firmware password is only needed when booting up from a different disk/partition which is why you saw the prompt when attempting to boot from the Recovery partition.

I'd be nervous using a Mac without knowing the firmware (or any!) password though. Apple can remove firmware passwords with full proof of purchase. I don't know whether that means the seller will need to do it themselves, or they can send you all their documentation as proof that you're the new owner.

 

[JonaM]

The decryption will just leave your hard drive unprotected. You can then re-enable FileVault and choose a recovery key at that point which you do know.
The Firmware password won't affect anything until you need to restart in Recovery mode, so not knowing it is quite risky as if you ever had a problem that needed Recovery mode to reinstall the software you would be unable to do so.
It would be worth getting proof of ownership for the Mac sorted so you can contact Apple to request the Firmware password is removed ahead of a problem

 

[Dawnabee]

The decryption will just leave your hard drive unprotected. You can then re-enable FileVault and choose a recovery key at that point which you do know.
The Firmware password won't affect anything until you need to restart in Recovery mode, so not knowing it is quite risky as if you ever had a problem that needed Recovery mode to reinstall the software you would be unable to do so.
It would be worth getting proof of ownership for the Mac sorted so you can contact Apple to request the Firmware password is removed ahead of a problem

So after decrypting i can still use the macbook ? Because the firmware wont be affected.

Apple will be such a hassle tho but i’ll get a new one macbook next week so this one will be just an extra. This is too old already

 

[JonaM]

So after decrypting i can still use the macbook ? Because the firmware wont be affected.

Apple will be such a hassle tho but i’ll get a new one macbook next week so this one will be just an extra. This is too old already

Yes - you should be fine to use the computer as now. It doesn't affect the way the computer works, just reduces the security of the data should someone steal the laptop and access the drive

 

[chscag]

I bought it online cause my other mac wasn’t working anymore. I did contact the owner tho and he told me he can’t even remember putting one

In the future, be careful about buying a used MacBook Pro on line. The very fact that the previous owner says he doesn't remember entering a firmware password is suspicious. That machine might have been stolen and it was found to have a firmware password on it so it was decided to sell it.

The best place to buy a used or refurbished Mac is from Apple. More expensive perhaps, but you get a like new machine with a full Apple warranty.