Recovery loop

hllyrock
New Contributor

My 2017 MacBook Pro was remotely wiped through JAMF by my former employer so I could keep it.
It's now seems to be stuck in a Recovery loop.

Here's what it's doing:
-Firmware pw on start up(which I have)
-after Network selection goes right to Internet Recovery
-after completion...“Your computer is disabled. Try again in 60 min”
-after 60 min... “Wrong password.Try again.”
-only option is restart... repeat loop

During this process no menus available except network & language
If the Mac is being wiped I should not be prompted for a Firmware pw Yes?

8 REPLIES 8

tjhall
Contributor III

Sounds like it's locked via Jamf in JSS.
Probably an DEP Mac which hasn't been taken out of JSS. So as soon as it's rebuilt it will install the necessary components and lock the Mac.

hllyrock
New Contributor

Thanks TJHall, So what can we do in Jamf to reverse this?

PaulHazelden
Valued Contributor

If the Macbook serial number is listed in a prestage Enrollment in JAMF, uncheck it. This will stop your JAMF from sending any policies etc to it.
If it is in DEP, you need to get a DEP administrator from your employer to find the serial number in there and either set it to remove, or to unassigned. If they remove it from DEP, it will be totally removed, and they can't put it back. If they set it to unassigned, it can be put back into an assignment at a later date.

hllyrock
New Contributor

TY Paul & TJ, Unfortunately; the above items were tried by our Jamf admin and I am still caught in this loop.
Any suggestions?

PaulHazelden
Valued Contributor

If it is removed from the prestage enrolment. and DEP. Get a bootable Pen drive with the OS you want on and then Boot the Laptop and Hold Cmd, Option P and R down as it boots. Wait for the second set of chimes, they are usually quieter. Then Hold down the alt key as it boots. It should find the Pen drive and give you the option of booting from it. Use Disk utility on there to totally format the HD. Then let the OS install from the Pen drive.
This should clear anything in the PRAM, and anything lurking on the HD. Including the file that Apple drops to say it is under remote management. The one it doesnt refresh everytime you erase the Mac.

hllyrock
New Contributor

Hey PH, Not responding to any key combos, not PRam nor Single user mode nor anything but that FW PW and then right into recovery loop.
Very frustrating!

larry_barrett
Valued Contributor

If you can't do the key combos, you're stuck behind an EFI password. Hold option at boot and put in the EFI password and then in the Recovery Menu you have to choose Utilities -> Startup Security Utility -> Turn off Firmware Password. Now you can do the key combos to clear PRAM etc.

Your only recourse is to go back the company that issued you the device. Full stop.

hllyrock
New Contributor

TY LB, When I do that it does go straight to recovery with the globe with WiFi options but no other menu.
(Frustrated... my ex-employer gave me b/c 4 yrs old and no proof of purchase)