can't download the additional components needed to install os x

There are in fact two versions of internet recovery. One to install the latest operating system, one to install what shipped with your computer.

If you are certain of the age of the machine, it will install Lion 10.7.3 or later using the the later version of internet recovery, described on this page:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Note the one that mentions:

Shift-Option-⌘-R

Try to connect the Mac via an Apple ethernet adapter if the Mac does not have built-in ethernet.

a brody wrote:

There are in fact two versions of internet recovery. One to install the latest operating system, one to install what shipped with your computer.

If you are certain of the age of the machine, it will install Lion 10.7.3 or later using the the later version of internet recovery, described on this page:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Note the one that mentions:

Shift-Option-⌘-R

Actually if the computer never had macOS 10.12.4+ installed, then to install the original macOS (or the oldest one still available) is Command + Option + R.

Davesnotherenow wrote:

Mid 2012 Macbook Pro, just installed an SSD and doing a clean install of MacOS. I have no backup or boot usb. It goes to internet recovery and is trying to install Lion. I get this error "can't download the additional components needed to install os x" I have tried all the different start up options. Is there anyway to mac a install usb on a Windows machine.

I've seen other posts of users with this exact error that cannot re-install Lion as well. Also some Macs will just only boot to the oldest version of the macOS installer. If this is the case, then you need to create a bootable macOS USB installer.

FYI, if you have the 13" non-Retina model you should have replaced the internal hard drive cable as they are known to have an extremely high failure rate. Keep this in mind if you ever start to have issues with the new SSD.

You can't use a PC.