Mountain Lion Original OS X 10.8.3

Yes, you can get the installer from the Apple server and create a USB flash drive version if you would like to do so. It is not difficult to do, just has a lot of steps involved so if you want a complete procedure, just say so. You will need a flash drive of 8 GB to build the installation since the installer itself is 4.5 GB. Won't fit on a 4 GB drive.

If you want to go that route, just say so.

Ok, Mavis, you asked for it 😉

Format a flash drive (8 GB) Mac HFS Extended (Journaled) using Didk Utility.

Go to the Mac App Store and hold down the Option key as you click Purchases, or you may need to Unhide your purchases, to download a copy of the Mountain Lion Installer. Do not run the installer after it downloads.

With the flash drive plugged in to a USB port:

1. Open Disk Utility, click the Restore tab near the top right

2. Drag the volume for your flash drive from the left sidebar into the Destination field

3. Switch to the Finder and fine the installer app in the Applications folder

4. Control-click or right-click the installer app and choose Show Package Contents

5. Inside the package choose Contents/Shared Support

6. Select the file InstallESD.dmg and drag it into the Source field in the Disk Utility window

7. Click Restore button near the bottom right of the window

8. In the confirmation dialog, click Erase

9. Authenticate as Admin - give password for the admin user

10. Could take half an hour for this part

11. When complete, quit Disk Utility

12. Change the new flash drive name with Finder to something description like Mac OS X Install ESD

Eject the drive and you have an installer flash drive that you can use for supported Macs.

You are welcome, just take your time and be patient building a flash drive installer.

Did you use your Apple ID in the Mac App Store to update Mountain Lion? Your MBP should have come with Snow Leopard 6.3 and the iLife '09 discs. Mountain Lion license isn't transferable when you buy it in the Mac App Store. If your MBP came with Mountain Lion pre-install (as you say it did) I surprised that you were able to update Mountain Lion with your Apple ID.

The short version of Ralph's USB installation is to use this program which will do all of that for you.

Bootable Drive DVD or USB Flash Drive – Lion Diskmaker

Don't do anything... I don't want to mess your computer up. Let me see if I can find somebody with the answer and guidance on how to do/fix this...

You can go ahead and use the 10.8.4 update, but you should purchase your own copy of Mountain Lion, the one you are using is not yours.

Eric's suggestion to use this: Bootable Drive DVD or USB Flash Drive – Lion Diskmaker is a good one, but get a legal copy of Mountain Lion first.

If your MacBook Pro is still logged into the previous owners Mac App Store account the update will take. You better not buy anything from the Mac App Store (if you can buy from the store) it's not your money, that goes without saying. I put out a Bat Signal to others in the Apple forum to see how to fix this matter. So, don't do anything as of yet.

FYI David, no account is needed for an OSX update, but the OP needs to buy their own copy of ML (and will need your instructions to do the rest)

PS:

Pondini's are good too 🙂

Here the answer from Pondini:

Assuming it really is a 2010 release, it came with Snow Leopard: Mac OS X versions (builds) for computers

He should either get the original discs from the seller (yeah, right), or call Apple Care and get a duplicate set for a nominal fee.

Start from the Install disc, erase the drive, install OSX and set it up as new.

Then install iLife from the second disc.

Upgrade to 10.6.8 via Software Update.

Then pay for Mountain Lion at the App Store.

Message was edited by: Pondini