I just recently purchased a 2011 MacBook Pro from somebody. They said they had just wiped the whole thing clean. I opened it up the first thing is says is 'Reinstall MAC OS X'. I click thru to download it and then a screen pops up on the top saying "An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again"
I am connected to wifi and have started the computer multiple times. Help please!!!??
Click the link I provided above for more information about recovery startup.
Also, these links below may be of help:
Command (⌘)-R: Start up from the built-in macOS Recovery system.
Or use Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet.
macOS Recovery installs different versions of macOS, depending on the key combination you use while starting up.
Click the link I provided above for more information about recovery startup.
Also, these links below may be of help:
Command (⌘)-R: Start up from the built-in macOS Recovery system.
Or use Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R to start up from macOS Recovery over the Internet.
macOS Recovery installs different versions of macOS, depending on the key combination you use while starting up.
Macintosh HD is usually the startup disk–the disk the computer uses to startup from normally.
Run the First Aid or the Verify or Repair routine from the Disk Utility on the disk drive Macintosh HD.
If all is well Disk Utility should report back successfully.
As you are clicking through to download the Mac OS installer on this MacBook Pro, take a look at the top-right corner of the screen. You are looking for a Wi-Fi icon. Click the icon and login to your wi-f network. It may be simply that the laptop has no current connection to the download site.
I did find this relevant article from Macworld magazine online:
Hands on with Lion Recovery | Macworld
It outlines the steps for using recovery mode to reinstall Mac OS X Lion. It may be worthwhile to give it a read and see if there is anything there that can be of use to you.
Are you familiar with Recovery mode to reinstall the OS? Is this the process you are attempting to use?
About macOS Recovery - Apple Support
It is very possible that the startup disk drive in this laptop is failing or failed or has some type of data corruption.
If you can get back to the Disk Utility and run First Aid on the startup disk it may give some clue as to what's going on.
Also, you may try to start the machine in safe mode and see its that works. Hold the Shift key as you reboot the laptop.
Here are instructions: Use safe mode to isolate problems.
Thank you, I tried holding the keys down to do that but it will not do anything. When i first opened the mac it came to a screen that said "Mac OS X Utilities" I clicked on the reinstall MAC OS X and went thru the steps and then it told me it could not download. I saw something saying to go into Disk Utility and delete one of the disks, but when I try to do that it says "Disk Erase Failed. Couldn't Unmount Disk"
That looks like good news. It appears to me that the volume is fine.
I am at a loss to understand why your MacBook Pro will not reinstall your OS properly in recovery mode. I'm sorry.
Are you certain that the computer is connected to your active wi-fi network when you try the reinstall?
I am hopeful that another community member might chime in here and offer a suggestion that will resolve the issue.
Hi, Thanks for the response. I am connected to a wifi network and it is still doing the same thing. :(
I am not. How do I do that?
thank you. When i go into disk utilities, there is not a disk that says startup.
it says this.
yes, i have tried connecting it two different wifi networks. Not sure what is going on. this is the message i recieve after trying to install MAC OS X
Mac OS X Lion 10.7 "An error occurred while preparing the installation"
