[solved] Recovery server cannot be contacted on Laptop

[ImEmanuele]

Hello! I am trying to install Mojave on my Xiaomi laptop but without success with a Vanilla approach. I've been encountering a few problems but the hardest one is this error I get while trying to install through Terminal (my trackpad apparently doesn't work at all, even with VoodooI2C kext, so I am forced to install like that.), after launching "startosinstall --volume TargetPath --agreetolicense --nointeraction I instantly get the error "Recovery server cannot be contacted". Unfortunately, my laptop does not have a way to connect to the internet (Intel Dual Band wifi not supported and no ethernet port, and no hub with ethernet yet).
I tried changing date to every possible timezone Apple could like but with no luck, and I managed to get through the installer twice in the past just by using the same exact method so I totally do not know what could be causing this.
Also, now my screen is glitched up and split in half with text barely readable, and I don't know why and how to fix that.
I managed to successfully install macOS Mojave on this laptop once but had to format because it overwrote the windows partition (EFI too small so it messed up the whole partition table)
Since I didn't update my profile, I'll write my config here and provide my EFI Folder as attachment.
CPU: Intel m3-7y30 Kaby Lake
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615
Model of Laptop: Xiaomi Notebook Air 12''
Thanks for your help.

 

[RehabMan]

Hello! I am trying to install Mojave on my Xiaomi laptop but without success with a Vanilla approach. I've been encountering a few problems but the hardest one is this error I get while trying to install through Terminal (my trackpad apparently doesn't work at all, even with VoodooI2C kext, so I am forced to install like that.), after launching "startosinstall --volume TargetPath --agreetolicense --nointeraction I instantly get the error "Recovery server cannot be contacted". Unfortunately, my laptop does not have a way to connect to the internet (Intel Dual Band wifi not supported and no ethernet port, and no hub with ethernet yet).
I tried changing date to every possible timezone Apple could like but with no luck, and I managed to get through the installer twice in the past just by using the same exact method so I totally do not know what could be causing this.
Also, now my screen is glitched up and split in half with text barely readable, and I don't know why and how to fix that.
I managed to successfully install macOS Mojave on this laptop once but had to format because it overwrote the windows partition (EFI too small so it messed up the whole partition table)
Since I didn't update my profile, I'll write my config here and provide my EFI Folder as attachment.
CPU: Intel m3-7y30 Kaby Lake
RAM: 4 GB
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615
Model of Laptop: Xiaomi Notebook Air 12''
Thanks for your help.

Your profile has no hardware details... please fix as per FAQ:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/faq-read-first-laptop-frequent-questions.164990/

And if you have issue, you must clearly describe what you're trying to do and attach problem reporting files as requested in the FAQ.

 

[ImEmanuele]

@RehabMan I attached the EFI folder, I can't attach anything else because I am trying to install Mojave on my laptop but the installer through terminal (as I said my trackpad doesn't work, even if I put in kexts/other VoodoooI2C.kext) gets stuck at "Can't contact the recovery server"and I don't have an ethernet port.
Also, the installer's graphics are messed up like seen in the photo (the content of the photo is a kernel panic but it was a quick boot to see how graphics always show up). As I said in the main post, I already installed Mac on this laptop, exactly Mojave, so I don't know what is going wrong right now.
I fixed my profile by the way.

 

[RehabMan]

@RehabMan I attached the EFI folder, I can't attach anything else because I am trying to install Mojave on my laptop but the installer through terminal (as I said my trackpad doesn't work, even if I put in kexts/other VoodoooI2C.kext) gets stuck at "Can't contact the recovery server"and I don't have an ethernet port.
Also, the installer's graphics are messed up like seen in the photo (the content of the photo is a kernel panic but it was a quick boot to see how graphics always show up). As I said in the main post, I already installed Mac on this laptop, exactly Mojave, so I don't know what is going wrong right now.
I fixed my profile by the way.

Follow the guide:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/guide-booting-the-os-x-installer-on-laptops-with-clover.148093/

 

[ImEmanuele]

Hello @RehabMan
Used your guide, trackpad still not working and get the mouse/keyboard annoying message (the turn on your mouse thingy) and when I manage to get to terminal, I still get the error "The recovery server cannot be contacted." What should I do to fix that? The graphic now thanks to your HD615 config.plist is fixed, too bad I still can't install
Thanks for your help!

Edit: Managed to get through the installer using VoiceOver! I'll update the thread if I encounter more issues! I'd really love to get that trackpad working as my laptop only has 1 usb entry sadly

 

[ImEmanuele]

Okay so, the installer reached "2 minutes remaining" and crashed.
I rebooted into the ssd and it got stuck for a sec on "15 minutes remaining" and then crashed again.
Verbose was way too quick to be able to be read.
Could this be related to the fact that the target volume was HFS?
I am seriously confused.
Do I need to erase the entire ssd to then reinstall windows?

 

[ImEmanuele]

@RehabMan Okay! The installation works. Now the main problems are trackpad not working and smbios from your config detecting my Xiaomi as MacBook pro instead of MacBook 10,1. Which files do I need to provide to get these two sorted? Audio doesn't work either btw, and I fixed backlight through your fix

 

[RehabMan]

@RehabMan Okay! The installation works.

Marked solved.

Now the main problems are trackpad not working and smbios from your config detecting my Xiaomi as MacBook pro instead of MacBook 10,1. Which files do I need to provide to get these two sorted? Audio doesn't work either btw, and I fixed backlight through your fix

Regarding your trackpad, read the FAQ:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/faq-read-first-laptop-frequent-questions.164990/

SMBIOS is determined by your setting in config.plist/SMBIOS. Read Clover documentation.

 

[ImEmanuele]

Marked solved.



Regarding your trackpad, read the FAQ:
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/faq-read-first-laptop-frequent-questions.164990/

SMBIOS is determined by your setting in config.plist/SMBIOS. Read Clover documentation.

Looked at the thread (and I fixed everything except the trackpad for now, Video and Audio are working flawlessly thanks to VooodooHDA and your config.plist and now my SMBIOS is MacBook10,1.) Seems like my trackpad is VoodooI2C because your VoodooPS2 controller doesnt work at all.
My trackpad is a SYNA3105, any chance you could help me finally troubleshooting this so I can save the only usb port that my laptop has?
Thanks a lot!

 

[RehabMan]

Looked at the thread (and I fixed everything except the trackpad for now, Video and Audio are working flawlessly thanks to VooodooHDA and your config.plist and now my SMBIOS is MacBook10,1.) Seems like my trackpad is VoodooI2C because your VoodooPS2 controller doesnt work at all.
My trackpad is a SYNA3105, any chance you could help me finally troubleshooting this so I can save the only usb port that my laptop has?
Thanks a lot!

Off-topic.