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Can't reinstall OS on a Macbook Pro

Hi - I have a Macbook Pro from 2009 which I wish to sell or give away. I've wiped the hard drive and trying to reinstall the OS but I get a message saying OSX can't be installed - 'there are no packages eligible for install'.

I assume the machine ws tring to install OSX but cann't find a version compatibel with a machine that age.

I had understsood you could install an workable OS irresective of the age of the machine.

What should I do?

Posted on Aug 19, 2020 7:54 AM

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Posted on Aug 19, 2020 10:44 AM

Thansk very much for this.

I have now found the DVDs which came with the Macbook (I'd forgotten I had any!) and reinstalled the OS and the applications on those DVDs. I've then gone to Software Update and allowed the update to happen.

However, the OS version I have on the computer is now an older one than I had before I started. I know this because when I trued to install Pages and Numbers from the app store, I got a message that they can't be installed because they require OS 10.14 whereas the machine has only got 10.6.8

So I'm sure the machine is capable of running a more recent version than 10.6.8 - but how can I obtain and install it?

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 19, 2020 10:44 AM in response to anonyme4321

Thansk very much for this.

I have now found the DVDs which came with the Macbook (I'd forgotten I had any!) and reinstalled the OS and the applications on those DVDs. I've then gone to Software Update and allowed the update to happen.

However, the OS version I have on the computer is now an older one than I had before I started. I know this because when I trued to install Pages and Numbers from the app store, I got a message that they can't be installed because they require OS 10.14 whereas the machine has only got 10.6.8

So I'm sure the machine is capable of running a more recent version than 10.6.8 - but how can I obtain and install it?

Aug 19, 2020 11:12 AM in response to Gfoxcroft

Gfoxcroft wrote:

Hi - I have a Macbook Pro from 2009 which I wish to sell or give away. I've wiped the hard drive and trying to reinstall the OS but I get a message saying OSX can't be installed - 'there are no packages eligible for install'.
I assume the machine ws tring to install OSX but cann't find a version compatibel with a machine that age.
I had understsood you could install an workable OS irresective of the age of the machine.
What should I do?



What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac ...



How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904


Aug 19, 2020 11:25 AM in response to Gfoxcroft

Gfoxcroft wrote:

Thanks, but the problem is that I don't think this tells me how to get the OS up to 10.14 which is the last one this machine is able to use. Just using Softwware Update leave the machine a couple of versions short.





What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac ...



2009 MBP hardware is limited to:


OS X 10.11 El Capitan - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP728


How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886


download direct:

http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2019/cert/061-41424-20191024-218af9ec-cf50-4516-9011-228c78eda3d2/InstallMacOSX.dmg



MacBook (Early 2015)

MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)

MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)

Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)

iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)

Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)

Xserve (Early 2009)


2009 is so old I am not sure how much effort I would put into it.


The letter of the law is re-install the OSX that shipped with the Mac— if that was DVD install the only way to get a copy of that OSX would be searching ebay or some such. This maybe unrealistic


However...You could make a bootable installer of macOS 10.11.6 using a different Mac...

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support


Can't reinstall OS on a Macbook Pro

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