Fix: The Recovery Server Could Not Be Contacted – Mac OS Sierra
If you are trying to install Mac OS X (while in mac os recovery mode) onto a new volume on your Mac over your LAN network or Wi-Fi, you may receive an error.
The recovery server could not be contacted.
A solution provided by a user (Brano) on our site:
1. Launch Terminal and type:
ntpdate -u time.apple.com
Note: If you receive "operation not permitted" put sudo in front of the command.
sudo ntpdate -u time.apple.com
2. Proceed normally.
The problem is, SYSTEM DATE is wrong, and CERT validation is failing (https)
First, ensure your Mac is connected to a wired or wireless network. To connect wired network, plug an Ethernet cable in. To connect to a wireless network, go to the top right corner of the screen and choose the wireless icon and connect to a network.
If you are still experiencing the issue, it is very likely that the Apple servers are busy processing download requests for other users. You may also see your installation time rise significantly but come down suddenly over time.
If you are currently experiencing this issue, use the comment form below to let us now.
Comments 105
I cannot update my mac to Sierra too. It showed the server could not be contacted.
Tried the above way by logging into terminal but following error message appeared "Can't adjust the time of day: Operation not permitted". (
Won't work, re-connected to internet, tried the terminal fix almost 20 times. Help? I'm just trying to update to 10 or higher from old mac to connect my ps4...
This fix worked. Thanks!
Fixed the date, connected to the internet. Still not working. Been going at this for two days.
I have an IP address so I know I'm connected to the internet.
Worked like a charm. Communication was just right. Thank you.
This fix worked great. Thank you!
yep - it worked (plus reconnecting to WiFi - otherwise no go) Thanks!
LITERALLY THIS! I just had to reconnect to internet. Upper right corner had list of internet connections. Had to login. I didn't even see it was greyed out. Thank you Shakey Jake!
Date thing didn’t work for me, but found I just had to reconnect to internet. Upper right corner had list of internet connections. Had to login.
Weird, because clicking ‘Find answer online’ had connected me to Safari. Something about the installation screen.
"can't find host time at time.apple.com, no servers can be used" no fix here
senior advisors at Apple didn't suggest his solution ...Thanks for the fix!
Afte I put in
ntpdate - u time.apple.com
I'm getting an error saying "no server suitable for synchronization found"
Any ideas?
I JUST had this problem ...bought a new SSD and followed set up unplugged battery as instructed installed hard drive to have it say can't connect to recovery server...since I have had clock issues before with other computers I was suspicious.. 7 HOURS of trying to figure out what was wrong..granted if clock showed with new hard drive I would of checked it out there but no access to clock...I decided to put the old hard drive back since it was still working shut it off did not unplug battery this time ..turned it on ...and clock was wrong ...reset it and powered off leaving battery plugged in and reinstalled new hard drive and it worked ...update worked and OSX installed w/o a hitch...wish I saw this resolution before installation
Worked like a charm.
Terminal can be found in the Top Menu bar Under Utilities
still same crap doesnt work.... any other suggestions
A BIG Thank You
ntpdate -u time.apple.com
this works.....
Try adding "sudo" in front of the command...
Is not a solution. After terminal appears the following message: Can't adjust the time of day: Operation not permitted
Bruno your tip also worked.. here, however does any know how to stop . Does anyone know how to fix "too many corpses being created" , this is my problems, I have already installed MACOS High Serra once which took over 12 hours, but I still have the same issue, boot page with Apple loads very slowly and does not start up the system. I do not have a backup to restore from..