How to install OS in newer macbook from a bootable usb downloaded on an older macbook?

I recently aquired a macbook pro 13in 2017 with no operating system. It boots in recovery mode and gets online, but will not boot otherwise and gives me the dreaded question mark. I am on my old macbook pro 7,1 running High Sierra OS. I have plenty of USB thumbdrives, and a USB SD card reader and I want to download a bootable OS on the older system that is compatable with the newer laptop. Then install the newer OS (Ventura?) onto the newer macbook pro. Does anyone have a procedure for this?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Oct 4, 2026 4:45 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 5, 2026 12:01 AM

Keep in mind that Apple's instructions for creating a bootable installer say

"In most cases, you must download from a Mac that is compatible with the macOS you're downloading."


That is, you cannot use a Mac that is running High Sierra to prepare a bootable USB installer for Ventura. According to MacTracker, a MacBook Pro with ID "MacBookPro7,1" would be a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010) that isn't able to run anything later than High Sierra.


The two 13" MacBook Pro models from 2017 can run anything from macOS 10.12.5 (Sierra) to macOS 13.* (Ventura), so possibly you might be able to use the Mid 2010 MacBook Pro to prepare a bootable installer for Sierra or for High Sierra. Then use that installer on the 2017 MacBook Pro. Then upgrade to Ventura on the 2017 machine, itself.


If you have a bootable clone backup of your 2010 MacBook Pro – one using macOS 10.12.5 or later – another thing you could try is to boot the 2017 MacBook Pro off the backup, then erase the internal drive, download a Sierra or High Sierra installer, and point that installer at the internal drive.


Keep in mind that Ventura will probably want the internal drive to be formatted using APFS. Sierra predates APFS, and you might need to go through a High Sierra installation just to get the internal drive's format converted. (IIRC, High Sierra will convert internal SSDs from HFS+ to APFS as part of its installation.)

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 5, 2026 12:01 AM in response to seanable66

Keep in mind that Apple's instructions for creating a bootable installer say

"In most cases, you must download from a Mac that is compatible with the macOS you're downloading."


That is, you cannot use a Mac that is running High Sierra to prepare a bootable USB installer for Ventura. According to MacTracker, a MacBook Pro with ID "MacBookPro7,1" would be a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid 2010) that isn't able to run anything later than High Sierra.


The two 13" MacBook Pro models from 2017 can run anything from macOS 10.12.5 (Sierra) to macOS 13.* (Ventura), so possibly you might be able to use the Mid 2010 MacBook Pro to prepare a bootable installer for Sierra or for High Sierra. Then use that installer on the 2017 MacBook Pro. Then upgrade to Ventura on the 2017 machine, itself.


If you have a bootable clone backup of your 2010 MacBook Pro – one using macOS 10.12.5 or later – another thing you could try is to boot the 2017 MacBook Pro off the backup, then erase the internal drive, download a Sierra or High Sierra installer, and point that installer at the internal drive.


Keep in mind that Ventura will probably want the internal drive to be formatted using APFS. Sierra predates APFS, and you might need to go through a High Sierra installation just to get the internal drive's format converted. (IIRC, High Sierra will convert internal SSDs from HFS+ to APFS as part of its installation.)

How to install OS in newer macbook from a bootable usb downloaded on an older macbook?

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