Can’t type password in text field to reinstall macOS

Question

Can’t type password in text field to reinstall macOS

Apple iMac 27-Inch "Core i5" 3.3 (5K, Late 2015

Previous owner wiped computer clean and erased everything including the operating system. When starting in recovery mode using a wired keyboard, I get to the WIFI password text field but I can NOT type anything in that text box. I saw there was another person in 2019 who had this same issue here on this forum, but no one had an answer to solve this issue.

So, I can not access Apple's online OS disk utility to format the SSD drive and reinstall an OS because I can NOT type into the WIFI password field. I press keys and the cursor doesn't move and no characters are displayed. There is nothing wrong with the keyboard, it functions on all other areas, just not in the password text field.

Has anyone solved this issue?

Posted on Feb 4, 2022 1:54 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Daniella Cross Author

Level 1

9 points

Feb 6, 2022 11:13 PM in response to Mal-S

THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED! Since there was absolutely NO operating system at all, it really couldn't connect to the internet. I plugged it into a hardwire---no wifi, and it worked just fine. I have never had this happen before, but once it was hard-wired into my internet it connected just fine.

There was NO, "Press Tab" and the mouse was wired. The problem was that the IMAC system was erased so far that it had NO WIFI capabilities. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen. So if you can't type in the password field, just plug it in directly to the internet without wifi and it will work just fine to connect to apple, via command/R and get your operating system installed.

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Answer 2

Mal-S

Level 5

4,990 points

Feb 4, 2022 1:59 PM in response to Daniella Cross

Two things to try.

Press Tab to see if it will jump to the password input box
Attach a wired mouse and see if you can click on the password box

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Answer 3

Feb 4, 2022 3:47 PM in response to Daniella Cross

SOLVED! Something wacky with the DNS on my wireless mesh system. So I simply hardwired the computer into the internet and bypassed the WIFI completely and BAM, got into recovery mode/disk utilities and all is good. Now to deal with my screwed up mesh wifi system.

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Answer 4

Feb 6, 2022 11:15 PM in response to Daniella Cross

SOLVED! DON'T USE WIFI! HARDWIRE TO INTERNET AND IT WILL WORK.

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Can’t type password in text field to reinstall macOS

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