Download Older Mac OS to USB to reboot my crashed 2011 Macbook Pro

Question

Download Older Mac OS to USB to reboot my crashed 2011 Macbook Pro

I'm sure this has been asked a million times but my 2011 Macbook Pro is in a constant reboot loop and I have tried everything to get it back to normal except for reinstalling the OS from a boot drive. It looks like Mac Store only has Catalina available now (cuz they can't make anything easy) but according to Apple, Catalina wont work on my 2011 MBP. So, what do I do? How do I get an old version of Mac OS to a usb drive if they don't make any of them available?

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.13

Posted on Apr 4, 2020 12:28 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

TheLittles

Level 10

192,697 points

Apr 4, 2020 5:46 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

russellfromwoodland hills Said:

"Download Older Mac OS to USB to reboot my crashed 2011 Macbook Pro:[...] How do I get an old version of Mac OS to a usb drive if they don't make any of them available?"

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USB Bootable Installer:

Using another Mac create and use a USB Bootable Installer.

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

Try creating one for El Capitan and one for High Sierra. Your Mac is incompatible with Mojave and Catalina. That's just the way it is :(

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Answer 2

TheLittles

Level 10

192,697 points

Apr 4, 2020 5:51 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

russellfromwoodland hills Said:

"[...] when I try to do this in safari for both Sierra and High Sierra, I get this:"

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Incompatibility is the Issue:

A 2011 Macbook Prois incompatible with Mojave and Catalina. High Sierra is the latest it will go. That's just the way it is:( So, create and use a USB bootable installer for macOS El Capitan or High Sierra.

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Answer 3

TheLittles

Level 10

192,697 points

Apr 4, 2020 6:46 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

Try This:

Use a different Mac to create it. This is a USB Flash Drive that this is installed on. So, if you do not have another Mac, then ask a friend, coworker, or whomever else if you may use their Mac to create it. So, insert the flash drive, making sure it pops up.

The Colon May be Getting in the Way here:

I see a colon after sudo (sudo:). So, open Terminal, and Copy & Paste this command into Terminal. Press return, type a password, and press return once more as this is an administrator. command (starting with sudo). Use this command:

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

So, follow the steps found on this site: How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

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Answer 4

Apr 4, 2020 6:34 PM in response to Eau Rouge

Oh no. So, the new MacBook Air I just got this week will not allow me to do what I need to do? That sucks! Anyway, when I open the pkg file I get this:

Then when I run that, I get this:

But I don't want it installed on this computer. I think what you're saying is if I could run the pkg it would load the .app into my Applications but it can't cuz the Mac I am using is too new.

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Answer 5

Apr 4, 2020 6:08 PM in response to TheLittles

I am downloading El Capitan. When I download it, I get the .dmg file. If I open it I get the pkg file. But it appears that in order to setup the install boot disk, I need something else like app. according to this command string:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/OSX --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app --nointeraction

I have tried directing the string file to both the dmg and pkg files (which I know is wrong - I even tried renaming them both to "Install OS X El Capitan") but I get this no matter what they are named:

sudo: /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia: command not found

Ideas?

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Answer 6

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,554 points

Apr 4, 2020 6:25 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

Double-click on the InstallMacOSX.pkg, this will open an installation window, this does not install El Capitan but creates

the Install OS X El Capitan.app which will appear in your Applications folder. It is this you use to create the bootable USB

installer disk using the Terminal command you have posted.

Please note you can only convert the InstallMacOSX.pkg to the Install OS X El Capitan.app on a mac that can

or at one time could have ran El Capitan. So any mac that came preinstalled with a newer OS than El Capitan

will to do this.

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Answer 7

Apr 5, 2020 10:09 AM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

For any following, the issue is that I cannot download any macOS that is incompatible with the computer being used to download the older OS. In this case I am using a 2020 MacBook Air which is only compatible with Mojave and Catalina (as far as I can tell) and I am trying to download High Sierra to create a boot disk for my old MacBook Pro. Won't work. I have to order Mountain Lion from the apple store for $19.99. I will get a code and be able to download the OS using my new computer. Seems odd but they ensured me it will work. I'll followup for those interested. Could be useful for someone in the future.

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Answer 8

BDAqua

Level 10

239,759 points

Apr 4, 2020 5:21 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

Don't use Firefox Browser then...

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?ls=1&mt=12

https://itunes.apple.com/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?mt=12

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Answer 9

BDAqua

Level 10

239,759 points

Apr 5, 2020 12:06 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?ls=1&mt=12

Do you have an old copy of El Cap already in Applications?

If so trash it & try again.

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Answer 10

Apr 4, 2020 5:46 PM in response to BDAqua

Thank you but when I try to do this in safari for both Sierra and High Sierra, I get this:

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Answer 11

BDAqua

Level 10

239,759 points

Apr 4, 2020 6:05 PM in response to russellfromwoodland hills

Don't use software update, open Safari & paste those URs in.

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Answer 12

Apr 4, 2020 6:27 PM in response to BDAqua

I'm not using Update, I am pasting the URL's into safari but it auto opens App Store where I have to click "Get" in order to get Sierra. But I am trying to go with El Cap right now.

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Download Older Mac OS to USB to reboot my crashed 2011 Macbook Pro

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