Apple Macbook air
Howdy,
I have a 2012 MacBook Air that I tried to get boot camp going on an external hard drive.
It’s failed completely and have reset the external hard drive back to factory, but now my MacBook can’t get back to macOS, I’ve tried all the key combinations but it just doesn’t want to work and comes up with.... unable to start. Please try another bootable device and try again or similar..
Pls help
I have a 2012 MacBook Air that I tried to get boot camp going on an external hard drive.
It’s failed completely and have reset the external hard drive back to factory, but now my MacBook can’t get back to macOS, I’ve tried all the key combinations but it just doesn’t want to work and comes up with.... unable to start. Please try another bootable device and try again or similar..
Pls help
Eoin OSullivan
The normal option to change the startup volume is
- Turn on or restart your Mac.
- Immediately press and hold the OPTION key.
- After a few seconds, the Startup Manager should appear (If you don’t see the volume you want to use, wait a few moments for Startup Manager to finish scanning connected drives)
- Use your trackpad, or left and right arrow keys to select the volume you want to use.
- Press the Return key to start up your Mac from the volume you selected.
ASKER
I've tried that. but I don't even get the apple symbol on the screen
OK .. that's not good as the OPTION key thing should work every time.
Any chance your keyboard is damaged? Do you have a USB Keyboard you could plugin to the laptop and try power up with that OPTION key held down.
Was the MacBook Air working fine before you started the external drive BootCamp experiment?
Any chance your keyboard is damaged? Do you have a USB Keyboard you could plugin to the laptop and try power up with that OPTION key held down.
Was the MacBook Air working fine before you started the external drive BootCamp experiment?
ASKER
yes the Mac was working perfectly fine. just wanted to have Windows 10 aswell as Mac OS.
what's the option key on a standard Windows keyboard
what's the option key on a standard Windows keyboard
ALT key == OPTION Key
The Alt key as the key immediately to the left of the Spacebar. So if you plug a PC keyboard into a Mac, pressing the Alt key has the same effect as pressing the Option key.
The Alt key as the key immediately to the left of the Spacebar. So if you plug a PC keyboard into a Mac, pressing the Alt key has the same effect as pressing the Option key.
ASKER
unfortunately that didnt work either.
I've also tried the pram reset and other reset and still nothing. I just goes black and says... No bootable device -- -- insert boot disk and press any key.
now this is where the Mac also freezes. when I press a key nothinh happens
I've also tried the pram reset and other reset and still nothing. I just goes black and says... No bootable device -- -- insert boot disk and press any key.
now this is where the Mac also freezes. when I press a key nothinh happens
Have you tried RECOVERY mode??
Boot into Internet Recovery by pressing Command+Opt+R.
If that works you can select the startup disk in the OS X Recovery System
Boot into Internet Recovery by pressing Command+Opt+R.
If that works you can select the startup disk in the OS X Recovery System
ASKER
the mac seems to disregard all key commands and does nothing :( :(
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Alright. Thanks for your help anyway Eoin.
Have a good one :)
Have a good one :)
in most situations, macOS Recovery Mode should work, but be aware that you may need to use different key combinations. e.g. Shift-Option-Command-R at startup (immediately hold the keys after powering on the Mac)
https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201314
better give it a few more tries as per the methods given in the above official guide.
https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT201314
better give it a few more tries as per the methods given in the above official guide.
ASKER
but I don't get the apple logo.
the screen goes white and after 30 sec or so it takes me to a black screen telling that No bootable device is found.. That's it.. nothing happens..
the screen goes white and after 30 sec or so it takes me to a black screen telling that No bootable device is found.. That's it.. nothing happens..
> That's it.. nothing happens..
sorry, forgot to mention, you need to have a bootable macOS installer on a USB, then the recovery mode can detect it and load OS from there...
sorry, forgot to mention, you need to have a bootable macOS installer on a USB, then the recovery mode can detect it and load OS from there...
ASKER
nope sorry, nothing works. the Mac seems to disregard all key combinations :(
i am now wondering if there is any hardware issue your MBA's built-in keyboard. please try the keys again using an external Mac keyboard over USB.