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MacBook install issues

I have a big issue. I cant find anything like this online, and Im unsure what to do.



I bought a 2010 MacBook Pro, It was running El Cap and I wanted to put high Sierra on it for compatibility.

So I booted into recovery, wiped the Hard drive, and tried to install High Sierra over USB, (I used official installs etc). And it gave me Com.Apple.Osinstall error -3...


Ive tried 3 diff USB Drives,


Booting into Safe mode causes a kernel panic,


Booting into internet recovery gives me a error -600FD.


So I put 2 other hard drives inside, and it does the same thing.


I can assume its not a logic board error because it booted into El Capitan just fine before hand...

So im very confused...

MacBook Pro

Posted on May 21, 2020 8:30 AM

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8 replies

May 21, 2020 10:53 AM in response to Willis84

2010 MacBook Pro does not support internet recovery without a firmware installation first.


March 15, 2010 and later you must get the original MacBook Pro 10.6 installer disc to install Mac OS X on it, if you don't have a 10.7 or later bootable external hard disk to use on it.

Note, early 2010 MacBook Pro can only run up to El Capitan. You need a mid-2010 or later MacBook Pro to run Sierra.

Use a magnifying glass (or the zoom on your phone) on the bottom of the case to find the serial number, write it down, and look it up here:https://checkcoverage.apple.com

that will tell you exactly which model you have.


If it is a March 15, 2010 or later model, call AppleCare and request the original discs.

If they don't have it, you'll need another Mac with a copy of the later operating system that will work with it. Then you can use Carbon Copy Cloner over Target Disk Mode to copy it onto the computer (mind you, you need the necessary license to be transferred to that machine, and change your operating system on the source machine when you are done).


If it is older than March 15, 2010, locate a copy of Snow Leopard retail 10.6.3 online. The disc must look like this:


And not say Upgrade, Update, OEM, or Dropin on it.



May 22, 2020 4:05 AM in response to Willis84

There are no USB installers for the MacBook Pros. There was one for the MacBook Air, but that is specific to the Air.

If you want to use DIskMaker on another Mac to create a 10.7 through 10.12 installer on a USB stick you can, or if you have enough room, just simply install the operating system and copy of Carbon Copy Cloner on the USB stick, and make the clone booted off the USB stick. Option key allows you to boot external drives on a Mac as long as they are compatible.

You can for that matter put the other Mac in target mode, and run the cloning software after booted off the other Mac.

But regardless, 10.6 is only available on disc, and only once you have installed 10.7 or later do you get the choice of internet recovery. Run the firmware for it, and you’ll have it in the future.

MacBook install issues

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