Installing fresh macOS | Cannot download additional components

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Installing fresh macOS | Cannot download additional components

Hello, I have a new MacBook Pro 15" early 2011. I put a new HDD in as it was missing one, it also has no battery, I am using a Power Cable to keep it on.

I have used internet recovery to install macOS onto it, which it attempts to install lion 10.7, this fails and comes with the error 'Could not download additional components needed'. I need help to fix this, as I cannot get past this.

Some fixes I have tried:

I have tried using a bootable drive (USB) with OS on it, my device will not show any external drives in the startup disk section of disk utilities (They show on the actual disk utility). They do not show up when I hold options either.

I have burned OS onto a DVD drive, which does also not show up.

I'm not sure what to do at this point as it will not let me install any Operating System onto it, any help would be much appreciated.

MacBook Pro

Posted on Dec 14, 2020 11:40 PM

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Answer 1

HWTech

Level 9

55,946 points

Dec 15, 2020 8:51 PM in response to Knownfull

macOS 10.7 was a paid upgrade so unless you actually purchased this OS yourself you are unlikely to be able to re-install 10.7. Did you try using Internet Recovery Mode using Command + Option + R? If macOS 10.12.6 or 10.13 was installed at some point, then this should in theory boot to the 10.13 online installer. However, many times the Mac will only boot to the oldest installer still available online.

If you have access to another Mac that can run 10.11 or 10.13, then you can use that other Mac to create a bootable macOS USB installer using these instructions:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Another contributor mentioned DiskMaker X may work to create a bootable macOS USB installer, but I haven't seen any confirmation this method works anymore since Apple has changed the installers last year. The Apple instructions I linked do work to create a bootable macOS USB installer. If you have problems booting a USB stick, then try a different brand of USB stick since Macs are picky about the USB sticks used for booting and the quality of USB sticks is extremely poor.

I did see a link to instructions for creating a bootable macOS 10.11 USB installer using another non-compatible Mac, but I don't have the link handy and those instructions were a bit confusing (but they did work).

Otherwise you will need to purchase an original OSX 10.6 DVD which shipped with this exact model laptop so you can get online and download the 10.11 or 10.13 installers. You need the gray OSX DVD with the exact model printed on the DVD since this laptop shipped from Apple with OSX 10.6. A retail version of OSX 10.6 most likely will not work.

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Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

55,946 points

Dec 16, 2020 9:54 AM in response to Knownfull

If your father's iMac can run 10.8 Mountain Lion, then you should be able to download and create a bootable macOS 10.11 USB installer:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

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Answer 3

Knownfull Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2020 9:46 AM in response to HWTech

Hello, thank you for your reply.

Internet recovery will only let me reinstall 10.7 lion. Which fails with the 'additional components were not able to be installed'

I managed to use my father's iMac to get his mountain lion install and create a bootable USB, it allowed me to boot into it, however shows a flashing apple icon, then flashes with a folder question mark then a circle with a cross and will flash between these three continuously.

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Answer 4

Knownfull Author

Level 1

8 points

Dec 16, 2020 11:15 PM in response to HWTech

Thank you a lot, after a while, I installed it using the terminal which I had not tried and it worked perfectly. I am honestly disappointed it took me that long to try that.

10.11 works perfectly and it boots up perfectly, I'm now installing it on a 500GB SSD.

It seems the MacBook didn't show the bootable drives because the OS I was using was not installed properly as a bootable drive.

Thanks for taking your time, very much appreciated, cant wait to get it setup.

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Answer 5

HWTech

Level 9

55,946 points

Dec 17, 2020 7:08 PM in response to Knownfull

FYI, you can install macOS 10.13 on this 2011 laptop.

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Installing fresh macOS | Cannot download additional components

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