Macbook 2008 Not responding to USB Drive.
My MacBook recently got wiped, so I got a USB drive, but no matter what I do it won't find it. I've used terminal, Disk Utility (Another mac..) and it still won't notice it. It doesn't have Command Recovery, but C, N, and Option all work to go to their respective windows. I haven't set up a NetBoot server, mainly because I don't know how. Help!
Earlier Mac models
Exactly what make and model USB drive did you get?
The drive must be prepared with the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format and the GUID partition scheme to be used as a startup disk for that Mac.
The latest Mac OS X version the 2008 MacBook can run is 10.7.5 Lion or 10.11.6 eL Capitan, depending on the exact Mac model.
Your MacBook shipped with a set of Mac OS X reinstall CDs that should have remained with the computer. If you don't have those, then reinstalling the OS will be a chore given the sheer vintage of the computer.
If you can't coax the laptop to boot in Internet Recovery (command-option-R or shift-command-option-R) then you'll have to use another equally old obsolete Mac to create a bootable installer.
Follow up-
Start by reformatting your flash drive again using Disk Utility.
After you launch Disk Utility, find and click in the menu bar View > Show All Devices. You may now see the flash drive listed in DU's sidebar and be able to select it for proper formatting.
Format it with the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format and a GUID partition scheme.
How did your Mac get wiped?
Until you reinstall the OS, the Mac is a doorstop.
What is it you expect the computer to find on the 16 GB USB flash drive and do with it?
Did you prepare this flash drive to be a bootable installer?
The process includes downloading an old version of macOS and launching the Terminal app to process that into a bootable drive.
If your MacBook Air is a 2011-2015 model, you should be able to use it to create your bootable USB flash drive.
My MacBook is an aluminum unibody and my USB is a memorex 16GB.
(EDIT:) Also I'm using an old MacBook Air which it's max is High Sierra (10.13) and the terminal keeps having Error 112. I don't know how to fix it, and I'm sure once that's fixed it will finally notice it and boot.
Macbook 2008 Not responding to USB Drive.
