User profile for user: jawad7
jawad7 Author
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I reset my MacBook pro mid 2012 and now everything is so frustrating

Hello there, so i just bought a mid 2012 MacBook pro last night. And somehow i reset it, now everything is so much frustrating. It's been more than 7 hours of trying but all in vain.

The problem is when i try to install the os version (reinstall the mac os X lion) version and after some time it's keep saying additional information cannot be downloaded for os x lion. I tried to install by bootable USB and after click option/alt button, my usb not showing aswell. It does show in utility tab, but not when i start the MacBook and click option. I made the usb bootable from windows pc and then convert it into GPT and put the mac os X installer in it. But nothing is working. Please help!

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Mar 28, 2024 8:00 PM

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
Community+ 2026
User level: Level 9
75,062 points

Posted on Mar 29, 2024 6:42 PM

Try booting into Internet Recovery Mode using Command + Option + R to attempt to access the online installer for macOS 10.15 Catalina.


The only reliable method of creating a bootable macOS USB installer is by using another Mac that is compatible with an OS usable by the 2012 laptop by following the instructions in this Apple article:

Create a bootable installer - Apple Support


Generally you will need another Mac from:

  • 2012 to mid-2020 for macOS 10.15 Catalina installer
  • Late-2009 to 2018 for macOS 10.13 High Sierra
  • 2007 to 2015 for macOS 10.11 El Capitan


You can use the information in this article to confirm the hardware of the other Mac is compatible with the OS you want to create:

https://eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility


FYI, you should always perform a complete clean install of the OS on any used device you acquire to ensure it is properly configured and to hopefully identify if the device may have a firmware lock or is still being managed by a previous owner. However, it is best to make sure to first create a bootable macOS USB installer while the device is still running macOS since Apple does not make it easy to reinstall macOS otherwise if Internet Recovery Mode does not work.

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
Community+ 2026
User level: Level 9
75,062 points

Mar 29, 2024 6:42 PM in response to jawad7

Try booting into Internet Recovery Mode using Command + Option + R to attempt to access the online installer for macOS 10.15 Catalina.


The only reliable method of creating a bootable macOS USB installer is by using another Mac that is compatible with an OS usable by the 2012 laptop by following the instructions in this Apple article:

Create a bootable installer - Apple Support


Generally you will need another Mac from:

  • 2012 to mid-2020 for macOS 10.15 Catalina installer
  • Late-2009 to 2018 for macOS 10.13 High Sierra
  • 2007 to 2015 for macOS 10.11 El Capitan


You can use the information in this article to confirm the hardware of the other Mac is compatible with the OS you want to create:

https://eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility


FYI, you should always perform a complete clean install of the OS on any used device you acquire to ensure it is properly configured and to hopefully identify if the device may have a firmware lock or is still being managed by a previous owner. However, it is best to make sure to first create a bootable macOS USB installer while the device is still running macOS since Apple does not make it easy to reinstall macOS otherwise if Internet Recovery Mode does not work.

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I reset my MacBook pro mid 2012 and now everything is so frustrating

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