Clean install of High Sierra after HD replacement

Dervari Said:

”It has no OS on the HD to boot to get to the system preferences.[...]”

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Use a USB Bootable Installer:

With this now being the case, install the macOS from a USB Bootable Installer. Get it from none other than Apple. Use a USB stick of 16GB for this.

Go Here: How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

1. Connect: to WiFi on the top-right of the page.
2. Go to: Utilities menu
3. Open: Terminal
4. Use: the Command pertaining to your MacOS. Use High Sierra.

Well if it is done this way it should work........How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Derivatives Said:

“Clean install of High Sierra after HD replacement:[...] It had disk errors when trying to boot, so I installed a new 256gb SSD. I had a coworker create a High Sierra recovery USB, but when I try to boot from it I get the circle/line on the screen.[...]“

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Have you Mounted the Drive? If not, do so, then attempt this install.

1. Boot Into: Recovery Mode on your Mac: Immediately press and hold Command-R)
2. Go To: Utilities menu, located atop the screen
3. Select: Disk Utility (from the Utilities menu)
4. Click: Continue
5. Go to: The Left side-bar, of Disk Utility
6. Select: the volume that you using
7. Choose: File menu
8. Choose: Mount
9. Enter: your Administrator password when prompted.
10. Quit: Disk Utility
11. Restart Your Mac.
12. Attempt a New Install.

Note: If the volume is already mounted, the option to mount is greyed-out. So, above would not apply.

Dervari Said:

”[...].I don't have another Mac to create this on. I only have Linux and Windows.”

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Use another Mac, Somehow:

More Methods for this:

Use Another Mac for the Installer:

Create the USB Bootable Installer using Terminal on another Mac, with a macOS already installed. The Command:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Use Spotlight Search:

Go Here: Use Spotlight on your Mac - Apple Support

While Booted into Mac, locate Terminal, by holding down shift, and pressing the spacebar. The type Terminal, it will pop right up.

Reinstall macOS from Recovery Mode:

Go Here: How to Reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support. Press this upon boot, with Wi-F enabled:

• [Option+Command+R]. That will allow you to upgrade to the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.

If that does not work, use:

• [Shift+Option+Command+R]. That will Reinstall the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

Dervari Said:

“Command-R gives me a flashing folder with a question mark.”

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You Need to Reselect the Startup Disk:

Go Here: If a Flashing Question Mark Appears when you Start your Mac - Apple Support

Are you trying to boot from a DMG?