Unable to connect to Wi-Fi

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vulcaneer


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My MacBook Pro recently crashed and displayed the endless flashing folder prompting me to start a recovery, which prompts connecting to Wi-Fi. I am unable to connect, even though my other devices are.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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MacInWin

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Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like you are trying a wireless recovery, which should connect to your WiFi router an then download the OS that came on the machine originally. How are you booting the machine into Recovery mode? We need more information before we can help. What MBP, what version OS X?

Are you getting any messages about why it won't connect?
 
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vulcaneer


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MacInWin said:
Welcome to the forum.

It sounds like you are trying a wireless recovery, which should connect to your WiFi router an then download the OS that came on the machine originally. How are you booting the machine into Recovery mode? We need more information before we can help. What MBP, what version OS X?

Are you getting any messages about why it won't connect?
Click to expand...

I am booting it into Recovery by holding Command and R during startup. I believe my version of OS X was Yosemite but it may be El Capitan. The year MBC is I believe a 2010.
 
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MacInWin

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Well, El Capitan is in beta test, so if you didn't install it, you're on Yosemite, or Mavericks. Either way, CMD-R boots to a recovery partition on the hard drive. It SHOULD connect to WiFi, but if not, you still should see the WiFi "fan" on the top bar and be able to click on it to get the WiFi status. Make sure it's turned on and that you have selected your network. From the recovery partition you can also run Disk Utility and repair (if possible) the main boot partition of the drive. You may not need to reinstall, but if you do, you can follow the prompts to format that partition and reinstall the OS that originally came with the machine. (Note: Doing that install will wipe out all of your own files, so I hope you have a backup.)
 
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MacInWin said:
Well, El Capitan is in beta test, so if you didn't install it, you're on Yosemite, or Mavericks. Either way, CMD-R boots to a recovery partition on the hard drive. It SHOULD connect to WiFi, but if not, you still should see the WiFi "fan" on the top bar and be able to click on it to get the WiFi status. Make sure it's turned on and that you have selected your network. From the recovery partition you can also run Disk Utility and repair (if possible) the main boot partition of the drive. You may not need to reinstall, but if you do, you can follow the prompts to format that partition and reinstall the OS that originally came with the machine. (Note: Doing that install will wipe out all of your own files, so I hope you have a backup.)
Click to expand...

The only thing displayed on my screen is a spinning globe and a Wi-Fi dropdown with all of the networks, which prompts a password which is not working. The only option I have is one to connect to a network. There is nothing else.
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chscag

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As Jake pointed out, you're attempting an Internet Recovery - hence, the spinning globe. Do you see your Network's name from the drop down menu? If you do, by entering the correct password that will connect and start the Internet Recovery. You'll recover your original version of OS X, nothing later than that.

You stated above that the password you entered is not working. Are you sure that you're connecting to the correct network and that the password you're entering is valid for it?
 
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vulcaneer


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chscag said:
As Jake pointed out, you're attempting an Internet Recovery - hence, the spinning globe. Do you see your Network's name from the drop down menu? If you do, by entering the correct password that will connect and start the Internet Recovery. You'll recover your original version of OS X, nothing later than that.

You stated above that the password you entered is not working. Are you sure that you're connecting to the correct network and that the password you're entering is valid for it?
Click to expand...

Yes. I am 100% sure that this is both the right network and password as my other devices are all connected, and I have checked various times to make sure it was the right password. Later I will be attempting to connect to a different Network, and eventually if this isn't sorted out to a shop.
 
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chas_m

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Was going to suggest trying another network (where you will not be kicked out/reviled for trying to do a major download on a public access point!).
 
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MacInWin

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I don't think you've said what MBP, but if you have an Ethernet port, it might be worth trying a hard wire solution to your router to see if that works.
 
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MacInWin said:
I don't think you've said what MBP, but if you have an Ethernet port, it might be worth trying a hard wire solution to your router to see if that works.
Click to expand...

THANK YOU SO MUCH
this let it connect.
So the next move is disk utility?
 
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MacInWin

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If it won't repair, your only option is to reformat and see if that works. The drive may be dead/dying.
 
M

MacInWin

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Not necessarily. If it's dead, it's dead. If it's dying, it might last a while, but you're going to have problems with it. If it repairs, or reformats without problems, it should be ok. But if it won't, or it reports problems with the reformat, you should look into getting it replaced.
 

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