Cant reinstall MacOs

[SirCabbage]

Hey I have a 2016 MacBook air which I wiped using recovery mode and now I can't reinstall the MacOs.

I have tried CMD + R which gives an error after install
CMD+option+R gives 5101f error.
I have cleared the bios thingy and even tried booting of a USB but the usb doesn't show up in the boot menu.

Is there any way to get it working, please help.

 

[TonyAguila]

Hey I have a 2016 MacBook air which I wiped using recovery mode and now I can't reinstall the MacOs.

I have tried CMD + R which gives an error after install
CMD+option+R gives 5101f error.
I have cleared the bios thingy and even tried booting of a USB but the usb doesn't show up in the boot menu.

Is there any way to get it working, please help.

Looks like you’re in a quandary. I presume you have already reset the SMC and PRAM. If not, try it. SMC reset is done by shutting down, pressing the control-shift-option keys on the lower left of the keyboard and then pressing the power button for about 30 seconds. Zapping the PRAM involves pulling all external connections and the restarting and immediately pressing down Command-Option-P-R until you hear the startup chime twice. Let go and see if it will come to life.

But you said you wiped, I assume, the drive, so this time try going into Recovery again, now that you have done the resets. Try Command-R first. If that fails, do Command-Option-R. Come back if none of those worked. You may have to find a friend with a Mac to help you create an installer drive. Let us know.

 

[SirCabbage]

Sadly it only gives 2003f error for cmd + R and 5101f error for cmd + option + R.
Is there any way to make it boot thorough a USB drive, currently when i press the option key during boot only internet recovery shows up.

 

[TonyAguila]

Sadly it only gives 2003f error for cmd + R and 5101f error for cmd + option + R.
Is there any way to make it boot thorough a USB drive, currently when i press the option key during boot only internet recovery shows up.

That’s the idea, but we have to find a way to make you a macOS installer drive (USB stick, SD card, et al.) but it has to be created on another Mac. The Recovery idea I suggested was in the hope that the SMC and PRAM reset helped get you in good enough shape to boot into Recovery, but unfortunately, not.

 

[MacsBug]

Not sure which MacBook Air that you have, Apple did not release one in 2016.

Anyway, what you need to do is reinstall the original software that came with the MacBook Air.

You do this by holding down Command Option Shift R at boot. This will boot into Apple's server and install the earliest version that is available for your Mac based on the firmware that is installed.

 

[SirCabbage]

its the 2015-2017 intel based MacBook air, installing it over the internet gives the following error; "an error occurred while preparing the installation try running this application again".
I have seen few tutorials on making a bootable drive using windows but they aren't being recognized in the bootloader but its showing up in the disk utilities.

 

[TonyAguila]

its the 2015-2017 intel based MacBook air, installing it over the internet gives the following error; "an error occurred while preparing the installation try running this application again".
I have seen few tutorials on making a bootable drive using windows but they aren't being recognized in the bootloader but its showing up in the disk utilities.

The installer that I have in mind needs to be created on a Mac. It can be on a USB stick, SD card, even an external SATA drive. Anything that can boot a Mac as an external drive. I have created so many of those for my clients. They work 99% of the time, as long as the Mac is in working order. That’s why I suggested finding someone who has a working Mac from which we can create the installer for you. As long as it will boot from USB or SD reader, we can make this work.

 

[SirCabbage]

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who uses a Mac. Going to a repair shop might be my only option then.

 

[TonyAguila]

Unfortunately I don't know anyone who uses a Mac. Going to a repair shop might be my only option then.

Too bad. If you run out of options, I can mail you a USB stick. I don’t have access to the really old versions of macOS, but it looks like your Air can run Monterey, but I probably have files as old as Mojave. Not sure if Sonoma or Ventura can handle the process, but I can try.

 

[SirCabbage]

The os on my device in recovery is Sierra, I have tried booting of a USB drive but the system isn't recognising the drive or the internal SSD. Maybe it could be due to the fact that I made the drive over windows (using transmac).

I live in the UAE, mailing it here would be too much trouble.

 

[MacsBug]

its the 2015-2017 intel based MacBook air, installing it over the internet gives the following error; "an error occurred while preparing the installation try running this application again".
I have seen few tutorials on making a bootable drive using windows but they aren't being recognized in the bootloader but its showing up in the disk utilities.

Last time that I had that error, it was due to a weak wifi connection. Have you ried connecting the MacBook Air to your network via ethernet?

 

[MacsBug]

I don’t have access to the really old versions of macOS, but it looks like your Air can run Monterey, but I probably have files as old as Mojave.

Tony,

if you ever need an installer, I have copies of everything from System 1 all the way through Ventura.

 

[TonyAguila]

Tony,

if you ever need an installer, I have copies of everything from System 1 all the way through Ventura.

Thanks, buddy. I did keep the latest versions from Sierra on up. I don’t think anyone will need a bootable installer for anything older. My Mac can only go as far back as Monterey all the way up to Sonoma beta. I do test myself the installers I create if it’s Monterey or higher.

By the way, the release candidate for Sonoma just became available. DON’T do it. It’s still very bad. Downgrading macOS can be traumatic, from personal experience.

 

[SirCabbage]

Hey,
There is an update, i was able to update it using a USB bootable drive. I followed the following video:

and to get the OS i used this link : https://support.apple.com/en_US/downloads/macos.