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User profile for user: RobertBennett2
RobertBennett2 Author
User level: Level 1
14 points

Cannot Reinstall OS

I am trying to donate my old MacBook Pro 2012 to a needy family. I erased the hard drive and am now trying to reload the OS. I can open the Mac OS X Utilities tool (Command-R), and the Reinstall Mac OS X app, but the (Yosemite) reload process fails with a "A required download is missing."

I can also access Internet Restore and open the Mac OS X Utilities tool (Option-Command-R), and the Reinstall Mac OS X app, but the (Lion) reload process fails with "Can't download the additional components needed to install Mac OS X."

I have a boot disk with Leopard, but that doesn't work at all.

I can't schedule a Genius Bar appointment because the Apple Stores are closed and service is (very) limited.

Any ideas on how I can load *any* OS?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Aug 19, 2020 3:24 PM

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User profile for user: rcosta887
rcosta887
User level: Level 4
3,604 points

Posted on Aug 19, 2020 3:32 PM

If it's not a bad date issue with your system clock (you can bring up Terminal in recovery mode from the menu and type in "date" command) the easiest way would be using your other Mac to create an OS X 10.11 El Capitan USB installer.


On your other Mac use the direct download dmg file from El Capitan (link in Step #4 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886) open that dmg file then run the package file inside to create an Install OS X El Capitan 10.11 app in your Applications folder. Once you have that actual Installer sitting in your Applications folder (don't run it!) you can copy and paste the commands from this guide (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372) in a terminal window to turn a USB thumb drive into a bootable El Capitan installer. Make sure your USB drive is named as "MyVolume" (case sensitive) so that you can simply copy and paste the example commands without having to customize the command.


If all goes well this will create the El Capitan portable USB installer. You can then boot up with the Option key by itself on the MacBook Pro 2012 and get into the El Capitan OS X version of recovery mode (Utilities) off the USB drive and install that way.

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User profile for user: rcosta887
rcosta887
User level: Level 4
3,604 points

Aug 19, 2020 3:32 PM in response to RobertBennett2

If it's not a bad date issue with your system clock (you can bring up Terminal in recovery mode from the menu and type in "date" command) the easiest way would be using your other Mac to create an OS X 10.11 El Capitan USB installer.


On your other Mac use the direct download dmg file from El Capitan (link in Step #4 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886) open that dmg file then run the package file inside to create an Install OS X El Capitan 10.11 app in your Applications folder. Once you have that actual Installer sitting in your Applications folder (don't run it!) you can copy and paste the commands from this guide (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372) in a terminal window to turn a USB thumb drive into a bootable El Capitan installer. Make sure your USB drive is named as "MyVolume" (case sensitive) so that you can simply copy and paste the example commands without having to customize the command.


If all goes well this will create the El Capitan portable USB installer. You can then boot up with the Option key by itself on the MacBook Pro 2012 and get into the El Capitan OS X version of recovery mode (Utilities) off the USB drive and install that way.

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Cannot Reinstall OS

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