Snow Leopard - wipe and reinstall issues...

[moonlightsailor]

Hi.

I have a 17" macbook pro, early 2011. It came with Snow Leopard.

I want to wipe my HD clean and start fresh with newly installed OS and then update the OS to most current as possible.

I have the Snow Leopard install disk and also have Snow Leopard mounted to a flash drive. Neither of those sources for the OS will complete an install of the OS.

I boot the computer with option key pressed. I've tried with both the CD and the flash drive. Neither are working. Attempts to reinstall from both OS sources (CD and flash drive) leaves me hanging on the next screen with an Apple.

Am I being too impatient or does it take a very, very long time.

Also noted is that the laptop gets very warm on the left side of the trackpad. I have no idea whats going on.

Matt

 

[DeltaMac]

As you said, your 2011 MBPro came with Snow Leopard, but Early 2011 MBPro came with version 10.6.6.
If you want to install Snow Leopard, you need the original DVD that shipped with your 17-inch.
The commercial version of Snow Leopard installer never was updated beyond 10.6.3.
If THAT is the version you are trying to install, it won't install directly.

If you don't have your original DVD that came with your Mac, then the only way to install is to use a second Mac - old enough to work with the 10.6.3 installer. You can connect the two Macs with a Firewire cable, boot your 2011 to Target disk mode, and boot the installer on your older Mac, choosing the 2011 as the destination. Update to 10.6.8, and move on. That's, by far, the easier option to install from the commercial Snow Leopard installer.
If you don't have a second, older Mac, then I could suggest that you go with Lion, or some newer version of OS X.

 

[moonlightsailor]

Hi DeltaMac,

The install DVD that I found is version 10.6. I'm not 100% sure that it's the DVD that came with the MacBook. Is each disk proprietary to each laptop? I wouldn't think so.

All I'm after is a fresh install of the OS on a clean drive. I don't have to start with 10.6.6 if a later version of the OS install will work.

I don't have a second or older Mac.

So, you're essentially telling me that I can start the install with a newer version of the OS and not get hung up?

Where can I download any version that you suggest that I reinstall with?

Why does this have to be so hard? LOL

Matt

 

[BrianBaughn]

Is the system disk still a old mechanical spinner drive? You've got to put an SSD in there before you do anything. Also, you didn't say how much RAM is in it.

That model will run High Sierra at the most…which is a good thing.

I'm not sure if that model has any particular quirks that would prevent you from installing El Capitan, Sierra, or High Sierra directly from a USB thumbdrive properly written for the purpose.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, you do not have to start with Snow Leopard.
You can erase and install directly from a High Sierra bootable installer. (macOS 10.13.6), or any system between Snow Leopard and High Sierra. You absolutely do not have to do updates from one system to another in sequence. All you need is the installer that you want to use.
Is there ANY system on your MBpro now?

Even with NO system installed, you do have the possiblity of installing OS X from your Internet Recovery system.
Boot to that by holding Option-Command-R. You will see a rotating globe, instead of the normal Apple icon. (You do need an internet connection for this, as it boots through your internet connection). There should be a "Reinstall OS X" selection when you get to the main menu screen. It can take several minutes to get there, so be patient. Run the reinstall, and it will provide a system for you. I can't tell you which system version that you will get, but it will work for you.

Another option that I use, is from this page - https://applehint.com/t/download-macos-x-10-4-10-15-original-all-versions/376
I have used those downloads a number of times, and the only difficulty can be actually creating a usable, bootable installer from one of those downloads. Not too challenging, but you do need to do that on a Mac.

 

[moonlightsailor]

Is the system disk still a old mechanical spinner drive? You've got to put an SSD in there before you do anything. Also, you didn't say how much RAM is in it.

That model will run High Sierra at the most…which is a good thing.

I'm not sure if that model has any particular quirks that would prevent you from installing El Capitan, Sierra, or High Sierra directly from a USB thumbdrive properly written for the purpose.

Yes, the system disk is an old spinner.

I removed my CDROM bay and installed a back up SSD where it used to be. I'm using an external CD/DVD drive now.

I have at least 4GB of Ram.

 

[moonlightsailor]

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I was able to get to a good internet connection and download 10.7.5 to install fresh with the spinning globe as Delta

If I keep doing updates, will I eventually get to the most recent and capable OS for this laptop?

Brian states I can update to High Sierra...

High Sierra is not offered on the App Store. How should I go about High Sierra installed?
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Now I need to download and install Mountain Lion before I can go any further. I'm getting the message that I need to install 10.8 before going to any newer OS.

It's not in the App Store. Ideas? Sources?

 

[DeltaMac]

You have to get the installer app for the system that you want.

There's a link to the High Sierra installer - here (other macOS systems there, too)
There's also information at that link for creating a USB bootable installer from the downloaded installer app - very helpful, but requires that you take some time to understand terminal commands. Not too challenging

You may find that you need to download and install El Capitan, as an intermediate step to get to High Sierra.

 

[moonlightsailor]

Thanks DeltaMac.

I mistyped...I meant that my system is telling me that I need to install 10.8 before I can move to a newer OS.

So, now I'm looking for 10.8 OS to download....I'll check your link above...

 

[CoastalOR]

Thanks DeltaMac.

I mistyped...I meant that my system is telling me that I need to install 10.8 before I can move to a newer OS.

So, now I'm looking for 10.8 OS to download....I'll check your link above...

Mountain Lion (10.8) is a OS that has to be purchased from Apple:

Certified Refurbished Products

We test and certify all Apple refurbished products and include a one-year warranty.

www.apple.com

Another option;
Yosemite (10.10) is free from Apple and will meet the requirements to allow upgrade to High Sierra:

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

 

[moonlightsailor]

Update....
Downloaded 10.8.5 and didn't install...with error right away.

Will try Downloading 10.10 from Apple support now...

 

[moonlightsailor]

Update...
Dowloaded OS X Yosemite from the link above on apple support and all it did was run package scripts as seen in the photo.

What's next? I'd rather take advice from someone rather than running in circles with this. so very frustrating. UGH!

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ok...once again, I didn't keep reading the instructions on the apple support page. Stand by. UGH! LOL! Install looks like it's going ok once I launched it from the Applications folder. (fingers crossed)

 

[moonlightsailor]

Update...
10.10 installed ok....now have to get to High Sierra OS. I'll look around. Anyone have a good link?

 

[DeltaMac]

Use the link in post #8

 

[moonlightsailor]

Thanks everyone for the most helpful advice and help. I'm about to finish installing High Sierra and be done with this mess for a while. Until next time! Ah Hui Ho as we say in Hawaii!