2012 15inch MBP | Trouble Performing Clean Install

[AveryWrubleski]

An old MacBook Pro that I am trying to repair had White Screen upon startup symptoms. (No Apple Logo) Possibly a beep or two.

I replaced the internal SSD with a new SSD. Formatted it before hand on another Mac.

Created a bootable el cap USB installer.

When selecting COMMAND R at startup of the refurb mbp: Loads with the apple logo then takes me right to the installer.
I follow through with the accepting of agreements then the install fails. Like so.

Any tips here would be greatly appreciated. I know there are tons of clean install videos to watch and I have been. But I must be missing something!

 

[diego.caraballo]

Hi there!
2012 MBP supports Catalina, since you have an SSD it should work OK speed-wise.
Try with a Catalina installer and see what happens.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Use an external drive or secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install macOS.

support.apple.com

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

Also, try a diagnostic first (press and hold D immediately after power on).

 

[DeltaMac]

El Cap?
If you want to try the El Cap installer again, boot to the menu screen in the installer, then open the Terminal (it's available in the Utilities menu), then type

date 1116211618

and press enter.
El Cap has often been the subject of date "manipulation", and that command will change the sytem date to one that should let El Cap install now (assuming that the date is still an issue.)

 

[AveryWrubleski]

El Cap?
If you want to try the El Cap installer again, boot to the menu screen in the installer, then open the Terminal (it's available in the Utilities menu), then type

date 1116211618

and press enter.
El Cap has often been the subject of date "manipulation", and that command will change the sytem date to one that should let El Cap install now (assuming that the date is still an issue.)

I entered --> date 1116211618

This almost seemed to work, but unfortunately went back to the same screen "Unable to unmount volume for repair".

I might be wrong about this computers age. Could very Well be a 2011. In the past I have given this computer a new SSD from HDD. Made a bootable el cap installer and everything went well.

My stepfather has been using if for basic computing for 2 years and eventually had the white screen problem.

I am wondering now if I formatted the new SSD incorrectly OR messed up the partition on the USB. Going to try those procedures out again.

Will also try a Catalina installer!

 

[diego.caraballo]

Check the exact year here:

Check Your Service and Support Coverage - Apple Support

Check your Apple warranty status. Enter a serial number to review your eligibility for support and extended coverage.

checkcoverage.apple.com

since if it’s 2011 it only support High Sierra.

 

[Audit13]

Try installing the OS to an external drive and booting off the external drive to see what happens.

Is it possible the internal sata cable is bad, assuming the MacBook uses a 2.5" sata drive?

 

[maflynn]

Will also try a Catalina installer!

I would start off with high sierra or older

 

[Fishrrman]

I'd suggest trying the following.

Boot to INTERNET recovery:
Command-OPTION-R
at boot.

You'll need your wifi password.
The internet utilities take a while to load, be patient "as the globe spins".

When you get to the utilities...
Open disk utility.
VERY IMPORTANT STEP -- go to the "view" menu and choose "show all devices".
(if there isn't a "view" menu, skip and keep going)

Look at the list on the left.
The topmost item should be the physical drive inside.
Click on it and ERASE IT to "Mac OS extended, journaling enabled, GUID partition format".

When the erase is done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.
I would accept whatever version of the OS the installer offers. An OS that boots is better than one that doesn't.
Start clicking through.
The Mac will reboot one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no other indication of activity. Be patient.

When done, you should see the initial startup screen (choose your language).
From here, either create a new account, OR, plug in your backup drive so setup assistant can find and use it when prompted.

 

[AveryWrubleski]

I finally found this Macs serial number. Turns out this mbp is a lot older than I remembered!

I am not able to open traditional internet recovery mode. I get the (folder question mark) icon.

No matter which command I enter upon startup, the folder question mark icon appears.

However, entering Command-R / Command-Option-R / D does surpass the bad icon when the OSX dongle is attached. "To set up the instillation of OS X, click continue" screen appears.

Since the installation process does not work, I open Utilites instead.

In utilities I have tried to erase my internal SSD. That fails! But I did format the SSD externally before hand.

I think making a bootable USB with High Sierra will be my next step.

 

[diego.caraballo]

View attachment 2140034 I finally found this Macs serial number. Turns out this mbp is a lot older than I remembered!

I am not able to open traditional internet recovery mode. I get the (folder question mark) icon.

No matter which command I enter upon startup, the folder question mark icon appears.

However, entering Command-R / Command-Option-R / D does surpass the bad icon when the OSX dongle is attached. "To set up the instillation of OS X, click continue" screen appears.

Since the installation process does not work, I open Utilites instead.

In utilities I have tried to erase my internal SSD. That fails! But I did format the SSD externally before hand.

I think making a bootable USB with High Sierra will be my next step.

You need to make an El Capitan installer, it's the latest macOS version supported by your Mac.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

If you have an older conventional HDD (not SDD), try to swap the one inside and formatting again before doing anything else.

 

[AveryWrubleski]

You need to make an El Capitan installer, it's the latest macOS version supported by your Mac.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

El Cap is the installer I had already made. Unfortunately doesn't work. Tried from scratch twice.

 

[diego.caraballo]

El Cap is the installer I had already made. Unfortunately doesn't work. Tried from scratch twice.

High Sierra isn't supported by your Mac. Will never work.
Use another disk to troubleshoot why you cannot format the SSD.

 

[MBAir2010]

if you have a snow leopard era MacBook you need a copy of snow leopard to start from scratch.
my 2010 MacBook Air needs a snow leopard usb drive to start up a new ssd card.

Macs were more protected back then.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Oh man, I had forgotten about that USB stick! Turns out I still have mine though.

 

[Fishrrman]

A 2009 Mac cannot do "internet recovery".

You'll have to use some other method.