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How to Clean Install Monterey on Early 2015 MacBook Pro?

I have found some info online and mostly youtube that will guide me on how to do this but some questions are left out so I come here to the folks who know. I also looked at some threads on this forum but not all my questions were answered. I had to wipe my MBP and want to install Monterey on it. I downloaded it and was surprised that it was 12.6GB, is that normal? I downloaded it from HERE. I also have a MBP 2011 that I can use to do some of this on if needed. But I realized last night that I could download Monterey on my Windows Desktop which was much faster at downloading the .pkg. Can someone who has done this guide me a little? Thanks OF


[Edited by Moderator]

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Sep 20, 2023 2:56 PM

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Posted on Sep 20, 2023 3:28 PM

You should never download software from anywhere but the developer’s website or the Mac App Store.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support


Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support


I don’t think you’ll be able to create the installer from the 2011 Mac as I don’t think it can run Monterey, but I’m not sure. What OS is the 2011 running. It must be running Catalina or later to create the bootable installer.


You may have to install from Internet Recovery. It may install Monterey but it also might install the OS that shipped on that Mac. Then you can upgrade.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


13 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 20, 2023 3:28 PM in response to OldFart_22

You should never download software from anywhere but the developer’s website or the Mac App Store.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support


Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support


I don’t think you’ll be able to create the installer from the 2011 Mac as I don’t think it can run Monterey, but I’m not sure. What OS is the 2011 running. It must be running Catalina or later to create the bootable installer.


You may have to install from Internet Recovery. It may install Monterey but it also might install the OS that shipped on that Mac. Then you can upgrade.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


Sep 20, 2023 3:55 PM in response to Barney-15E

Barney-15E wrote:

You should never download software from anywhere but the developer’s website or the Mac App Store.
How to download and install macOS - Apple Support
I think that is a very reputable site and not to be worried.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

I don’t think you’ll be able to create the installer from the 2011 Mac as I don’t think it can run Monterey, but I’m not sure. What OS is the 2011 running. It must be running Catalina or later to create the bootable installer.
Of course it won't run Monterey unless using a work around.


You may have to install from Internet Recovery. It may install Monterey but it also might install the OS that shipped on that Mac. Then you can upgrade.

You cannot install from recovery an older unsupported OS, they are not available on the servers anymore.


How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


Sep 20, 2023 3:45 PM in response to OldFart_22

I have found some info online and mostly youtube that will guide me on how to do this but some questions are left out so I come here to the folks who know. I also looked at some threads on this forum but not all my questions were answered. I had to wipe my MBP and want to install Monterey on it. I downloaded it and was surprised that it was 12.6GB, is that normal? I downloaded it from HERE. I also have a MBP 2011 that I can use to do some of this on if needed. But I realized last night that I could download Monterey on my Windows Desktop which was much faster at downloading the .pkg. Can someone who has done this guide me a little?


Do I need to Upgrade from another OS?


Can I easily create an installer on my windows computer?


Thanks

Sep 20, 2023 4:30 PM in response to OldFart_22

I just took what I thought was a normal update and it started installing something to what I thought was the newly wiped USB Flash drive called "Untitled" I had in the computer? I wasn't watching the whole thing so I don't know what it was. I did a forced shutdown and now I see that that was actually the Internal HDD. MacOS has got to be the worst OS there is on the planet!!!!!


Why would an Update take 45 minutes, that is what it was saying it would take to finish. There was no mention of an Upgrade or anything?

Sep 20, 2023 5:33 PM in response to Barney-15E

Barney-15E wrote:


You cannot install from recovery an older unsupported OS, they are not available on the servers anymore.
Completely untrue.

Then what does this message tell you? I see this all over the net with no fixes.

"the recovery server could not be contacted"


And, would you please just help me and not tell me what is not possible? Right now I have the installer from osxdaily but it is in .pkg form so the instructions on the page you sent me to won't work. I cannot download the Monterey.app from the mbp 2011.

Sep 20, 2023 5:49 PM in response to OldFart_22

OSXDaily should have instructions for how to use the files they created.

Monterey is still supported, but that's irrelevant. You can install all the way back to Sierra from Internet Recovery.

From earlier, you cannot create a USB Installer on a Windows computer. If you cannot create a Monterey installer on your 2011 Mac, and it can run Catalina, you can create a Catalina installer, install that, then upgrade to Monterey.

Sep 20, 2023 6:57 PM in response to Barney-15E

Barney-15E wrote:

OSXDaily should have instructions for how to use the files they created.
Monterey is still supported, but that's irrelevant. You can install all the way back to Sierra from Internet Recovery.
From earlier, you cannot create a USB Installer on a Windows computer. If you cannot create a Monterey installer on your 2011 Mac, and it can run Catalina, you can create a Catalina installer, install that, then upgrade to Monterey.

I will see of OSX Daily has some instructions, I didn't see them at the time.


You are still not telling me anything, but saying this and that, this is of no help. You didn't comment on the Server Error either?


From everything I've read a 2011 macbook pro will not run or upgrade to Monterey, even from Catalina!



Sep 21, 2023 4:57 AM in response to OldFart_22

You are still not telling me anything, but saying this and that, this is of no help.

I’m telling you what is possible to achieve your end goal. What you are trying to do isn’t possible.

You didn't comment on the Server Error either?

What’s there to comment. If it says you cannot reach the server, that’s what it means. It doesn’t mean anything else.

From everything I've read a 2011 macbook pro will not run or upgrade to Monterey, even from Catalina!

I suggested you create whatever bootable installer is possible on that Mac. Once installed, upgrade that OS to Monterey.

How to Clean Install Monterey on Early 2015 MacBook Pro?

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