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gandih
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

MacBook Pro (2018) Internet Recovery fails with network errors

I'm trying to reinstall the OS and firmware on a 2018 Macbook Pro (A1990, T2).


  • Initially I wanted to use the 'Erase All Contents And Settings Assistant', but it would get stuck due to it being logged into 'Find My' with an account that I no longer had the password to and that was not a 'Valid Account' when trying to reset the password via the 'Reset Password' service on apple.support.
  • I used the Recovery Startup mode to circumvent this and managed to delete the hardrive using the Disc Utility.
  • Now I'm trying to start macOS recovery over the internet and getting stuck in a loop of network errors, 2003F, 2004F, 2005F.
  • I've tried using the DFU mode to 'Restore' the mac and then retrying the Internet Recovery.
    • Using Cmd + R to start Internet Recovery I get a 2003F (when using a phone hotspot for Wi-Fi) or 2004F error (when using my home Wi-Fi)
    • Using Option + Cmd + R to start Internet Recovery for an older image i get a 2005F error.


Any suggestions to what I could try next?

Posted on Oct 23, 2026 12:39 AM

2 replies

Owl-53
User level: Level 10 (123,805 points)

Oct 23, 2026 1:34 AM in response to gandih

MacBook Pro (2018, A1990) Internet Recovery errors — what to try next


Given what you have already tried, I would focus on ruling out network issues first, then move to a USB installer rather than repeatedly trying Internet Recovery.


The errors 2003F, 2004F and 2005F generally point to problems establishing an Internet Recovery connection. Seeing different errors on your home Wi-Fi and phone hotspot doesn't necessarily mean there's a hardware fault.


Here is what I would try next, in order.


1. Try Ethernet instead of Wi-Fi


If you can get hold of a USB-C Ethernet adapter, connect the MacBook directly to your router and try Internet Recovery again.


  • Connect the MacBook to power.
  • Use a network with normal DHCP access and no captive portal, VPN or proxy.
  • Start the Mac while holding Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + R to load the latest compatible Recovery environment.


Since you have already tried your home Wi-Fi and a phone hotspot, I would avoid spending much more time repeating wireless tests. Ethernet is a useful way to rule out Wi-Fi compatibility and router issues.


2. Confirm that the DFU Restore completed successfully


On a T2-equipped Mac, a DFU Restore reinstalls the firmware and recovery environment, but it does not necessarily install macOS itself. You still need to install macOS afterward.


If Finder reported that the Restore completed successfully, I would not repeat it just yet.


Apple's instructions are here: How to revive or restore Mac firmware.


3. Try installing macOS from a bootable USB drive


If Ethernet does not help, this would be my next move.


You will need another working Mac and a USB flash drive (32 GB is a good choice).


  1. Download a full macOS installer compatible with your 2018 MacBook Pro from Apple's macOS download page.
  2. Follow Apple's guide to creating a bootable installer.
  3. Connect the USB drive to the MacBook Pro.
  4. Power it on while holding Option (⌥) and select the installer.
  5. Open Disk Utility if needed, select View >> Show All Devices, and check that the internal SSD is present. If the drive is already correctly formatted, you should not need to erase it again.


A USB installer avoids having to download the entire Recovery environment over the network.


However, some installation steps may still require Internet access.


If the USB installer does not appear, the T2 chip's external-boot security settings could be a factor. Changing those settings normally requires access to Recovery, so that may be difficult until Recovery is working again.


4. Check the internal SSD if installation still fails


If you get into Disk Utility, make sure the physical internal SSD is visible, not just an individual volume.


If the SSD is missing, cannot be erased, or reports errors, that points towards a possible storage or logic-board issue. If it appears healthy and a USB installer works, there's less reason to suspect hardware at this stage.


I wouldn't keep erasing the drive unless you find a specific problem with its partition layout or formatting.


5. Keep Activation Lock in mind


One important point: neither erasing the SSD nor restoring the firmware removes Activation Lock.


If Setup Assistant eventually asks for the Apple Account previously linked to the Mac, you'll need to recover that account, have the previous owner remove the Mac from their account, or contact Apple about Activation Lock with valid proof of purchase.


You can start with Apple's account recovery service or read Apple's Activation Lock guidance.

Grant Bennet-Alder
User level: Level 10 (148,617 points)

Oct 23, 2026 8:31 AM in response to gandih

In Internet Recovery, these low negative thousands error messages indicate that your provided Wi-Fi Network is inadequate in some fashion, and cannot be used (for this purpose) in its current state. We have seen -1000 to -6000 reported, often with a letter appended.


Common problems include:

Hidden Network-name

required use of a proxy server to get Internet access

required use of a login page to get Internet access

Use of a login server or certificate to get Internet access

Use of PPPoE in the Mac to get Internet access (typically only applies to DSL)

Use of Fixed IP address rather than good old DHCP

Variance of the time by more than five minutes

Failure of Router to provide workable DNS server addresses, or providing 0.0.0.0 [may produce -2002f]


If you have an Ethernet port, you may in some cases be able to move your Mac close to the Router and connect to the Router using Ethernet.


The higher the number, the more obscure the problem.

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256381367