If your MacBook Pro M4 shows a corrupted recovery partition, follow these detailed steps to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:
1. Backup Your Data
Before attempting any repairs, ensure that all your important data is backed up. You can use Time Machine or an external drive to create a backup. If your disk is accessible, this is crucial to prevent data loss during repairs.2. Restart in Recovery Mode
To access recovery tools, restart your Mac in Recovery Mode:- For Apple Silicon (M1/M2) Macs: Shut down your Mac, then press and hold the power button until you see "Loading Options." Select "Options" and click "Continue."
- For Intel-based Macs: Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold `Command (â) + R` until the Apple logo appears.
3. Use Disk Utility
Once in Recovery Mode:- Select Disk Utility from the macOS Utilities window and click Continue.
- In Disk Utility, choose the affected disk or volume from the sidebar.
- Click on First Aid and then select Run. This will check for errors on the disk and attempt to repair them. If it finds issues that it cannot fix, take note of any error messages.
4. Reinstall macOS
If Disk Utility does not resolve the corruption, you may need to reinstall macOS:- In Recovery Mode, select Reinstall macOS from the Utilities menu.
- Follow the prompts to reinstall macOS. This process will replace system files without erasing your data. However, if your recovery partition is severely corrupted, you may need to erase your disk first (which will delete all data).
5. Create a Bootable USB Installer
If reinstalling from Recovery Mode fails, consider creating a bootable USB installer using another Mac:- Download the macOS installer from the App Store.
- Use a USB drive (at least 16GB) and format it as APFS using Disk Utility.
- Open Terminal and run the following command (replace "MyVolume" with your USB drive name):
bash
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume
- Once created, insert the USB into your MacBook Pro, restart while holding down the `Option` key, and select the USB drive to boot from it.
6. Use DFU Mode (if necessary)
If all else fails and you cannot access Recovery Mode or reinstall macOS:- Connect your Mac to another Mac using a USB-C cable.
- Put your Mac into DFU mode:
- For Apple Silicon: Shut down your Mac, then press and hold the power button until you see "Loading Options." While holding it, connect to another Mac.
- For Intel-based Macs: Restart while holding `Command + R`, then connect to another Mac.
- Use Apple Configurator on the second Mac to restore your device.
7. Consider Professional Help
If you are still unable to resolve the issue after trying these steps, it may be time to seek professional assistance from Apple Support or an authorized service provider. They can provide advanced diagnostics and repair options that may not be available through standard user methods.By following these steps systematically, you can address issues related to a corrupted recovery partition on your MacBook Pro M4.
Citations:[1] https://support.apple.com/en-us/102611
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/AsahiLinux/comments/1de10po/macos_recovery_partition_deleted/
[3] https://www.donemax.com/mac-tips/fix-first-aid-found-corruption-that-needs-to-be-repaired.html
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/mac/comments/165c7h1/question_how_to_reinstall_os_when_everything_is/
[5] https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-macos-recovery-on-an-intel-based-mac-mchl338cf9a8/mac
[6] https://www.cleverfiles.com/howto/fix-corrupted-hard-drive-mac.html
[7] https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/601056/Mac+partition+corrupt+and+can't+boot+into+Recovery+Mode
[8] https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253022267
[9] https://www.reddit.com/r/macsysadmin/comments/yd2qxy/update_recovery_partition/