Missing recovery partition

[Doc69]

If I make a clean install of El Capitan from a USB drive on a previously unused SSD, will the recovery partition be automatically created as well?

The reason I'm asking is that my Mac Pro (2012) does not seem to have a recovery partition, probably because I have switched the OS SSD and cloned the system many times in the past. A senior Apple advisor told me that if I wanted to get the recovery partition back, I would first have to install Snow Leopard (original OS of my Mac Pro) and then upgrade to El Capitan through the app store. Is this really necessary?

 

[CoastalOR]

If I make a clean install of El Capitan from a USB drive on a previously unused SSD, will the recovery partition be automatically created as well?
The reason I'm asking is that my Mac Pro (2012) does not seem to have a recovery partition, probably because I have switched the OS SSD and cloned the system many times in the past. A senior Apple advisor told me that if I wanted to get the recovery partition back, I would first have to install Snow Leopard (original OS of my Mac Pro) and then upgrade to El Capitan through the app store. Is this really necessary?

Assuming you are already running El Capitan with no problems - just download the full El Capitan installer from the App Store and run it. It will automatically create the Recovery Partition. You do not need to do a clean install of El Capitan to get the Recovery Partition back, just reinstall over your current El Capitan installation. I also recommend you do a full backup and verify it before doing a OS installation.

 

[Gochugogi]

If you're cloning an existing system disk, CarbonCopy Cloner gives you the option of creating a recovery partition. I've done it many times when testing new OS versions on external disks.

 

[NoBoMac]

You shouldn't have to go back to square one. When I've done this in the past (copy clone to new SSD using SuperDuper!), yes, no recovery partition. However, if you do an install over the top of the existing OS, the recovery partition will be created and will leave everything else as-is (documents, settings, etc).

 

[tywebb13]

There is a quicker way. Here is my thread on updating a recovery partition: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-update-the-recovery-partition.1931536/

It will also work to make a recovery partition where one is not previously present, as in your case.

 

[komatsu]

Assuming you are already running El Capitan with no problems - just download the full El Capitan installer from the App Store and run it. It will automatically create the Recovery Partition. You do not need to do a clean install of El Capitan to get the Recovery Partition back, just reinstall over your current El Capitan installation. I also recommend you do a full backup and verify it before doing a OS installation.

I never knew you could do this. Can this be performed, if for example, your copy of El Capitan has gone corrupt?

 

[tywebb13]

I guess it depends to what extent it is "corrupt".

If it is so corrupt it won't even boot up you might have to reinstall via a bootable usb or internet recovery.

If it still boots up and you are able to perform the steps in CoastalOR's instructions or in my other thread then it should work.

 

[Shirasaki]

I guess it depends to what extent it is "corrupt".

If it is so corrupt it won't even boot up you might have to reinstall via a bootable usb or internet recovery.

If it still boots up and you are able to perform the steps in CoastalOR's instructions or in my other thread then it should work.

Hi there.
Your link to CoastalOR's instruction is invalid. It brings an error saying "The controller XenForo_ControllerPublic_Thread does not define an action called MembersCoastalor.943478."
Regards.

 

[Riwam]

There is a quicker way. Here is my thread on updating a recovery partition: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-update-the-recovery-partition.1931536/

It will also work to make a recovery partition where one is not previously present, as in your case.

***********
A very useful set of instructions!

In the past I have followed with success tywebb13's quotation of those old instructions to create a missing Yosemite Recovery Partition.
It works truly fine and would deserve to make it a Wiki, since on many occasions, especially after cloning, one discovers the Recovery Partition is missing.
Not always CCC shows that, although it is true that in the vast majority of cases that is offered at the start when wanting to clone with that application.

In some special situations though, for instance if you used MCPF to upgrade an old OSX in a "unsupported" aged Mac, CCC tries to clone that partition as well.
However it does not "understand" the modded recovery partition created in such a special way and tells the user that the receiving drive for cloning has not "enough space".

Thank you very much tywebb13 for posting it again!
Ed