the recovery server could not be contacted - final solution

the recovery server could not be contacted
It appears that this has to do with the time on the machine not being synchronized, so when the MacBook tries to reach out to the recovery server the certificates do not validate and we get this useless error message.

To fix this.
Open up a Terminal from the utilities menu

Enter 'time' then enter

How do I open the terminal on my Mac
What is recovery mode
How do I open terminal in recovery mode
What is Internet Recovery Mac
How do I start my Mac in recovery mode

[ProfessorAdi]

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and restless to say thank you 😊
to me then
go to google play store
see my app, If you find it good and useful then support me by downloading it.

[jesswhited]

I solved this problem by clicking on the WIFI icon in the upper right corner and reentering my WIFI password. It didn't remember the PW from when I had previously entered it. Then I had to run the recovery install twice before it worked.

[heroesnpatriots]

I wana throw this macbook out the window

[lourdes]

Crazy - this worked even though all I did was ... type “date” in the terminal window and then try again. Not expected, but certainly most welcome! Thanks.

[itstrickzi]

Bro the counfuison why are you clicking on random thinks

[ksxljut]

i have a question after i clicked quit terminal, the same pop up came out . what am i doing wrong ?

[mrdhksan]

All you did was type "date" in Terminal. With all the scrolling you do in the Terminal menus, at no time did you select any command except for Quit Terminal. So typing date in Terminal alone solved the problem?

[MicBergsma]

Oh man I realized my wifi was not connected haha now it works!

[nynetre]

I have the Wi-Fi connection, I even went to terminal and entered date with the same results as the video and went to reinstall my Mac and still received the same error message

[piprolls]

Hello my error says macOS Sierra failed to download . How do fix that please help

[spotdog]

My WiFi is connected and I can't get High Sierra to reinstall. I've even tried booting into internet install mode (command+option+R) and the globe just spins for hours. I reset the RAM (cmd+option+R&P), nothing. I'm at a loss here. I even went as far as to manually change the time in Terminal. Even switched WiFi networks.

[johnnajeong]

I've tried these steps a few times. Other how to videos show these same steps and it seems to be work well for them....BUT...I'm still getting the "recovery server could not be contacted" response. What's the solution???

[gabgx]

all the disk says “this disk is locked” what do I do?

[Mooshimoca]

just check your wifi connection top right corner, thats why

[alessandromingoia]

Why I can’t see Mac OS utilities but only ask me to inser Apple ID

[alexkhrapko]

You should check your wifi connection in a top-right corner. As it turned out internet recovery does not remember you wifi setup as you started it. There is no point to mess with terminal/menu - just make sure mac is connected to the network. Hope this helps. Cheers.

[noelialopeznavarro]

the date was good for me but still doesn't work. The connection to server won't go

[idkjaehyy]

2023: I have a MacBook Early 2011, so I did anything I can do and I did this thing. It also dont work till I search on Apple Supports till I see that "If you are on Recovery Mode, All you did from the Disk or in the Software will not be remembered". So I re-entered my WiFi Password and also Make my MacBook Close to the Router and Erase my Disk and That fixed my Problem! I see that you need a better WiFi Connection so Apple Servers will see that you are requesting for an Software Install or Update! Hope this helps!

[lardijasisic]

It’s not working for me I did everything and I still get the same error messages

[djstudio]

I tried time fixing but this issue not solve