MacOS Installer (After SSD Wipe)

Yes, not the smartest of things to do; wiped my SSD completely clean to then think of a bootable MacOS Installer USB afterwards. At this point the SSD is literally blank and therefore also does not recognize the keyboard or mouse. (So the CMD+R, etc. key combinations won't work). It boots into the black screen referring to an Apple boot website link; I need the MacOS Installer.


Question being: Is there a way to get a copy of the MacOS Installer (Catalina in my case) through a PC (Windows 11), iMac 2022 (Monterey) or MBP 2011 (High Sierra)? I already tried using the Mac devices through the app store, but in both cases it says that Catalina is not supported. Now I am wondering if there is any other way.


Thanks in advance!

iMac 27″, macOS 12.4

Posted on Jun 4, 2022 1:58 AM

Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 4, 2022 2:41 AM

You can get the Catalina installer through your iMac with Monterey I Made a Catalina installer on my MacBook with Monterey.

Go to this page How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support


tick Catalina, Ignore the message that this cannot be installed on your system and let it download. After the download quit the installer, and the install Macos catalina icon is in your applications folder.


Then, follow the instructions to make a bootable usb

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support



On the MBP with High Sierra it will not work, because that computer doesn't support Catalina at all so you cannot download it from above page on the MBP

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 4, 2022 2:41 AM in response to Community User

You can get the Catalina installer through your iMac with Monterey I Made a Catalina installer on my MacBook with Monterey.

Go to this page How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support


tick Catalina, Ignore the message that this cannot be installed on your system and let it download. After the download quit the installer, and the install Macos catalina icon is in your applications folder.


Then, follow the instructions to make a bootable usb

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support



On the MBP with High Sierra it will not work, because that computer doesn't support Catalina at all so you cannot download it from above page on the MBP

Jun 4, 2022 1:45 PM in response to WheelieNick

This method will WIPE ALL Data and there is No Recovery - Period.


To perform this action will require booting from a Bootable Installer


The Bootable Installer can Only be performed on an Apple Computer 


This will have to be performed from a Qualifying Computer to run the version of macOS to be made on the Bootable Installer.


Example : Bootable Installer of Big Sur would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Big Sur.


Notation: If the computer being used to perform this action is Too New or Too Old to qualify to run the version of macOS - this computer can not be used.


Alternative is, to gain access to a Qualifying Apple Computer from a family member, friend or associate.


Once that is done read on for preparing the Destination computer  >> Only works on Intel Based Apple Computers.


Extra Special Notation regarding the Touch ID equipped Apple Computer. About Startup Security Utility and Must Enable from Recovery Mode the ability to boot from External Drive Before Attempting 


1 - Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer.


2- Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. 


3 - It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 


4 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).


5 - The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map. This applies to macOS 10.14 Mojave and above. 


5A - Formatting for macOS 10.13 High Sierra and below requires HFS Journaled with the GUID Partition Map


6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 


7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 


8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

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MacOS Installer (After SSD Wipe)

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