i did something really stupid....

[maco55]

I've upgraded to Sierra but it was too buggy for me I decided to downgrade. I went through the process of creating a bootable USB El Capitan drive. I formatted Mactintosh HD and all of the sudden the copy of El Capitan cannot be verified. :|

So I used Time Machine to restore the original OS X 10.10.5 on my 2015 MBP. However, i cannot login to my account and I tried to reset password via Terminal but I cannot connect to wifi.

I tried to download El Capitan to re-do the USB in Guest account but when it reaches 80% it gives me an error. I tried several times.

Going into Recovery, I see "re-install macOS Sierra", can that be changed?

 

[fisherking]

one question: what was so buggy in sierra? maybe something you could sort out, rather than jumping thru all these hoops? otherwise... someone here should be able to walk you thru a restore to el cap...

 

[blackdogaudio]

Going into Recovery, I see "re-install macOS Sierra", can that be changed?

Yes, if you follow my steps below precisely making sure you don't skip the reboot between Step 2 and 3.

Step 1: establish a wifi connection or ethernet connection and reboot into OS X Recovery (cmd+R)

Step 2: Erase your Macintosh HD

Step 3: Reboot your MBP into Internet Recovery (cmd + option +R) and you should now be able to install your original version of OS X.

 

[maco55]

Yes, if you follow my steps below precisely making sure you don't skip the reboot between Step 2 and 3.

Step 1: establish a wifi connection or ethernet connection and reboot into OS X Recovery (cmd+R)

Step 2: Erase your Macintosh HD

Step 3: Reboot your MBP into Internet Recovery (cmd + option +R) and you should now be able to install your original version of OS X.

I get this error:

apple.com/spport
-3001F

 

[blackdogaudio]

I get this error:

apple.com/spport
-3001F

That error message appears to indicate a networking issue. Have you tried a hardwired ethernet connection or rebooted your modem and router with a 90 second delay between each device reboot?

 

[maco55]

That error message appears to indicate a networking issue. Have you tried a hardwired ethernet connection or rebooted your modem and router with a 90 second delay between each device reboot?

Yes and I don't have hardwired ethernet.

As I said before, when I try to reset my login password, i cannot established an internet connection at all, when I put it my credentials I immediately receive an error saying "No Connection, Get Close to Wifi modem".

 

[blackdogaudio]

Assuming you can connect another device to your wireless network so we can rule out an issue with the network itself or your MBP's proximity to your router, you might want to try connecting to a friend's network or stop by your nearest Apple Store and use their network to download a copy of OSX.

It's entirely possible you have a hardware problem with your MBP's network interface card but I would say odds are against it.... especially if just started immediately after erasing the hard drive.

 

[maco55]

Assuming you can connect another device to your wireless network so we can rule out an issue with your network, you might want to try connecting to a friend's network or stop by your nearest Apple Store and use their network to download a copy of OSX.

It's entirely possible you have a hardware problem with your MBP's network interface card but I would say odds are against it.... especially if just started immediately after erasing the hard drive.

I can login to El Capitan now after a time machine backup and connect to the internet with no problems.

Now that macOS is in the purchased item in the apple store, I cannot download El Capitan to create a fresh, bootable USB drive.

 

[blackdogaudio]

I can login to El Capitan now after a time machine backup and connect to the internet with no problems.

Now that macOS is in the purchased item in the apple store, I cannot download El Capitan to create a fresh, bootable USB drive.

Are you using the original Apple ID that's tied to this MBP or is this a used MBP you purchased and started using without the machine being properly prepped for resale by the previous owner by disassociating it from his Apple account? (see my link below)



https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065

 

[maco55]

Are you using the original Apple ID that's tied to this MBP or is this a used MBP you purchased and started using without the HD being erased by you or the previous owner?

Yes, using the original apple ID, i'm the owner.

 

[blackdogaudio]

Yes, using the original apple ID, i'm the owner.

That's good news then...so, if I understand you correctly, you've rolled back to a working El Cap image using a TM backup so you're OK for the moment. If that's the case you might want to stick with El Cap until the final release of Sierra rolls out. There are several ways to perform a clean install of Sierra PB but why fix something that isn't broken ;-)

 

[maco55]

That's good news then...so, if I understand you correctly, you've rolled back to a working El Cap image using a TM backup so you're OK for the moment. If that's the case you might want to stick with El Cap until the final release of Sierra rolls out. There are several ways to perform a clean install of Sierra PB but why fix something that isn't broken ;-)

Because I have macOS 10.12 as the recovery....and I want to do a clean install of 10.11.

I thought if I did a clean install of 10.11, the recovery partition would revert to 10.11 as well. Should I format the recovery partition and then install 10.11?

 

[flowrider]

look at this thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/downgrade-to-el-capitan.1989724/

Lou

 

[blackdogaudio]

Because I have macOS 10.12 as the recovery....and I want to do a clean install of 10.11.

Then my steps above I first posted will guarantee the original factory-supplied OS will download and install *if* you overcome that networking issue.

EDIT: Thinking about your issue more... I had your problem with my late 2014 iMac 5K a year ago when testing Internet Recovery (cmd-option-R) after initial purchase. Wifi refused to connect but only when in Internet Recovery mode and no matter how many attempts I made. I connected via ethernet and had zero issues completing an Internet recovery from Apple's servers. I suspect it was a bug in that version of Yosemite, the firmware and/or my model iMac. I bet that's your issue as well. After a few OS X updates the problem disappeared. I can perform an Internet Recovery now without issue bringing back my original OS, Yosemite, if the need arises.

Sorry I didn't remember that fact several posts earlier!

P.S> the important bit after you solve the Internet connection is erasing the HD followed with a reboot before attempting to download the original OS using Internet Recovery. If you skip the reboot, the version of OSX Utilities that loads direct from Apple's server still sees a Sierra partition and won't over-write it with an older version of OS X like Yosemite even though it will complete the Yosemite download.

 

[maco55]

Then my steps above I first posted will guarantee the original factory-supplied OS will download and install *if* you overcome that networking issue.

EDIT: Thinking about your issue more... I had your problem with my late 2014 iMac 5K a year ago when testing Internet Recovery (cmd-option-R) after initial purchase. Wifi refused to connect but only when in Internet Recovery mode and no matter how many attempts I made. I connected via ethernet and had zero issues completing an Internet recovery from Apple's servers. I suspect it was a bug in that version of Yosemite, the firmware and/or my model iMac. I bet that's your issue as well. After a few OS X upgrades the problem disappeared. I can perform an Internet Recovery now without issue bringing back my original OS, Yosemite, if the need arises.

Sorry I didn't remember that fact several posts earlier!

P.S> the important bit after you solve the Internet connection is erasing the HD and following up with a reboot before attempting to download the original OS using Internet Recovery. If you skip the reboot, the version of OSX Utilities that loads direct from Apple's server still sees a Sierra partition and won't over-write it with an older version of OS X like Yosemite even though it will complete the Yosemite download.

So I should:
1. wipe Mactintosh HD.
2. install OSX
3. boot to OSX
4. then reboot?
5. boot into Internet Recovery?

 

[blackdogaudio]

So I should:
1. wipe Mactintosh HD.
2. install OSX
3. boot to OSX
4. then reboot?
5. boot into Internet Recovery?

You should:

1. Reboot into OS X Recovery (cmd+R) and establish an Internet connection preferably with ethernet since wifi isn't working for you in this mode.

2. Erase your Macintosh HD while in OS X Recovery then reboot your MBP into Internet Recovery (cmd + option +R) and you should now be able to install your original version of OS X direct from Apple's servers using the "Reinstall OS X" option.
[doublepost=1472179591][/doublepost]No more edits I promise...LOL... 'been a long day here.

 

[maco55]

You should:

1. Reboot into OS X Recovery (cmd+R) and establish an Internet connection preferably with ethernet since wifi isn't working for you in this mode.

2. Erase your Macintosh HD while in OS X Recovery then reboot your MBP into Internet Recovery (cmd + option +R) and you should now be able to install your original version of OS X direct from Apple's servers using the "Reinstall OS X" option.
[doublepost=1472179591][/doublepost]No more edits I promise...LOL... 'been a long day here.

not possible. :/
I'll just wipe and reinstall el capitan and see what happens.

 

[triptolemus]

not possible. :/

Would you satisfy my curiosity?

Why is this not possible?

 

[blackdogaudio]

not possible. :/
I'll just wipe and reinstall el capitan and see what happens.

I understand...if circumstances change and you can get access to an ethernet connection, try my last posted two-step method and it will work.

Your recovery partition and installed version of OS X will then be Yosemite. Then install all pending updates while running Yosemite before jumping to El Cap or Sierra and it will solve your wifi issue when in recovery mode in the future (one of those pending updates fixed the same issue for me. That's why Apple stresses installing all pending OS updates in the App Store before upgrading to a newer OS ;-)

 

[maco55]

Would you satisfy my curiosity?

Why is this not possible?

sure. I don't have an ethernet adapter. Internet is via access point, no ethernet connection even if I wanted. But other than Internet Recovery, internet works fine.

 

[triptolemus]

Thanks. I'm not a MBP user, so I guess I forget those do not have a ethernet port. Might be worth the $14 to throw in the bag though...

 

[blackdogaudio]

Thanks. I'm not a MBP user, so I guess I forget those do not have a ethernet port. Might be worth the $14 to throw in the bag though...

I'll be damned... not a MBP user myself..I'd be investing 14 bucks real quick if I owned a MBP that came with Yosemite just for recovery purposes.

 

[maco55]

I'll be damned... not a MBP user myself..I'd be investing 14 bucks real quick if I owned a MBP that came with Yosemite just for recovery purposes.

Ha, it's definitely not $14!!

Anyways, I managed to clean install 10.11.6 and the recovery drive has 10.11.6 as well. I cannot, whatsoever, connect to wifi via Internet Recovery, even after updating the OS.

 

[fisherking]

one question: what was so buggy in sierra? maybe something you could sort out, rather than jumping thru all these hoops? otherwise... someone here should be able to walk you thru a restore to el cap...

just wondering, again, what was so buggy in sierra? just seems that might have been easier to work thru..

EDIT: not trying to be difficult, just seems it might make sense to sort out the issue IN sierra, so you can move forward... but what is the issue?

 

[grahamperrin]

… Internet is via access point, …

… I cannot, whatsoever, connect to wifi via Internet Recovery, …

You probably know this already, for other readers:

… If the connection is using a captive network, such as a network that displays a login or agreement page before you can access the Internet, you can use OS X Recovery but not OS X Internet Recovery. …

– How to reinstall OS X - Apple Support​