Internet recovery error for Macbook Pro late 2013

Hello,

Error 2002u… Router needs DNS setting...

I was getting pretty frustrated at this point, but I finally found a post on the Apple Support forums by someone who was having a similar problem to mine (different error code, -2002U if I’m remembering correctly). With only one reply, I didn’t have my hopes up for a way out of this mess. Nevertheless, I looked it over.

The sole solution suggested going into my router settings, changing my DNS to 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4 (Google’s public DNS server addresses,) and trying again.

https://medium.com/@lucchetto/2018-1-d4b628a2587e

2000F

If you see an exclamation point inside a triangle inside a globe, that’s an i turner recovery timeout. It means that either it wasn’t able to connect to the internet or the speed of the connection was inadequate.

Look at top of screen for Utilities menu...

In Disk Utility>View, select Show all Devices, highlight the top left entry.

Run Disk First Aid on all items in the left panel, from top down.

APFS won't work for Sierra or earlier, Sierra or earlier needs MacOS Extended Journaled. High Sierra won't work for APFS on earlier Macs.

More details...

Like many others, I ran into the dreaded “The recovery server could not be contacted” message when trying to do a restore of Mac OS High Sierra for a 2010 13 inch MBP that I was selling (yes I know it’s worth almost nothing, but someone wanted to buy it from me)…

How to recover a Deleted Hard Drive durin… - Apple Community

If all else fails...

https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-fix-the-recovery-server-could-not-be-contacted-error-high-sierra-recovery-is-still-online-but-broken/

High Sierra “The Recovery Server Could No… - Apple Community

Use http:// instead of https://

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouNQS36dIBw&t=95s

The formula for caos: APFS+macOS High+EFI… - Apple Community

That might have been me. I did have a couple of very detailed posts - one with pictures even - although finding it might be tricky without going back through all my posts over the last couple of weeks...I'll try to find the post - or at least post the http (not https) download link when I get to my other computer.

On a related note - I'd happily turn some of that into a User Tip for posterity, but I am not a high enough level for that...but if someone else wants to take that material and do it, have at it. I'm not concerned with getting any credit.

Command + Option + R is probably the best method if it works. Given some of the errors mentioned in the original post and also that the spinning globe just cuts to those errors, I do wonder if maybe the Wifi isn't connected to a network...

However, if a bootable installer is needed, then High Sierra is the oldest one currently available from the App Store. To get a direct download, you need to go back to Sierra and download here for teh http linked version: http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2019/cert/061-39476-20191023-48f365f4-0015-4c41-9f44-39d3d2aca067/InstallOS.dmg

The third method in the link BDAqua posted at this link: https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-fix-the-recovery-server-could-not-be-contacted-error-high-sierra-recovery-is-still-online-but-broken/, looks interesting for those confident to use the Terminal in Recovery Mode.

I've had a similar issues with El Capitan. It's entirely possible that the certificates in High Sierra are too out of date and now not accepted by the servers at Apple. In that case, you will need to create a bootable installer to reinstall High Sierra.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Hopefully you have another Mac you can do this from?

Why not try using Command + Option + R to attempt to access the online macOS Catalina/Big Sur installer (depends on whether you have the Early or Late 2013 model).

I thought someone posted another Terminal hack to provide a different/modified URL for the High Sierra installer to use (still to official Apple website), but I cannot find the forum post (it was posted on the Apple forums sometime in the few months.....six months at most IIRC).

If you have access to another working Mac from 2007 to mid-2020, then you can create a bootable macOS 10.11, 10.13, or 10.15 USB installer (depends on the exact model of the other Mac since you can only utilize an OS compatible with the other Mac):

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

g_wolfman wrote:

The third method in the link BDAqua posted at this link: https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-fix-the-recovery-server-could-not-be-contacted-error-high-sierra-recovery-is-still-online-but-broken/, looks interesting for those confident to use the Terminal in Recovery Mode.

I think this is what I was remembering.

Thanks for the follow up. I'm glad you were able to get it resolved.