Macbook Air, error install no backup , no back up OS.

Question

Level 1

0 points

Macbook Air, error install no backup , no back up OS.

Hello, i bought my Macbook air around a year ago, the seller installed OS X Lion onto the macbook and left the DMG on the desktop, i decided to sell my macbook last week, so i needed to restore my macbook having no where to put the DMG because of lack of storage eg. Memory stick over 4gb. I installed from the DMG when the installation was complete the laptop was stuck and i still stuck on the Apple logo with the spinning wheel, i have shut down the machine and opened Utilities with CMD R several times. i have tried reparing the disc, no luck, i have tried re-installing the OS from there it comes up with OS X 10.7 is not availible and kicks me out and i do not have a time machine back up, or a backup of an OS, all i have is my windows PC to work with.

What would you guys recommend?

Buy and 8GB Memory stick and Snow leopard install disc and burn it onto it and use Transmac and make the USB bootable?

Buy a Lion Bootable USB off of ebay or Amazon?

any other options.

at the end of the day i dont know wether i was dumb or the guy i bought it off installed OS X illegally or what.

Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Dec 3, 2013 1:19 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 3, 2013 3:06 PM in response to wackeyz

Before you sell or give away your computer, in addition to the steps mentioned in this support article, take these steps:

Run Apple Diagnostics or the Apple Hardware Test. The buyer will do this (or he should), and you don't want to be surprised by the results.
Reset the PRAM and the SMC, which might contain personal information.
If you set a firmware password, remove it by running Firmware Password Utility in Recovery mode.
If you activated FileVault in OS X 10.7 or later, turn it off.
If you use Boot Camp, the partition must be deleted
If you created any other data partitions on the internal drive, remove them in Disk Utility.
Erase the data partition(s) with the option to zero out data. An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.

You can't legally or practically transfer any software downloaded from the Mac App Store to the new owner of the machine, even if it was free. That includes OS X, so if you upgraded to OS X 10.7 or later, you must reinstall the original OS, either from the installation media, if applicable, or by booting into Internet Recovery (option-command-R at the startup chime.) If you installed from discs or a read-only USB key, deliver those to the new owner.

The new owner will have to repurchase the software, if need be, under his or her Apple ID. If you ever updated the bundled iLife applications (Garage Band, iMovie, and iPhoto) through the App Store, you can't transfer them either.

Remove the machine from your list of registered products. If it's still covered by an AppleCare Protection Plan, transfer the coverage to the new owner by following the instructions in the AppleCare Terms and Conditions (under the heading "Transfer of Plan.")

Reply

Answer 2

wackeyz Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 3, 2013 4:05 PM in response to Linc Davis

I understand doing that before selling but i think you missed my main problem, currently when booting, it stays on the Apple Logo and Spinning wheel for hours, so i force power off. On power on i press command + r, i have formatted my main drive. I do not have a Back up on time machine, when clicking Re-install Mac OS X its pops up with the install screen and a drop down bar says MAC OS X 1.7 is not availible it boots me out. So im currently stranded basically on Mac island and have no idea of my options considering never having to do this with a mac before and not owning the original software cd or USB because it was not provided in any way to me. What options are availible to me.

Reply

Answer 3

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 3, 2013 4:09 PM in response to wackeyz

That's because the machine didn't ship with Lion, and your copy of Lion is unlicensed. You can't reinstall it. You need a copy of the installation media that was in the box.

Reply

Answer 4

wackeyz Author

Level 1

0 points

Dec 3, 2013 4:31 PM in response to Linc Davis

So where does this leave me can i buy a Snow leopared OS on disc and burn a DMG of it and put it on to USB or Buy a Lion OS on USB and install it, there has got to be some way for me to do it. Thanks for you help so far.

Reply

Answer 5

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Dec 3, 2013 4:48 PM in response to wackeyz

Call Apple phone sales, give them the serial number, and order the installation media for your model. It might be a USB flash key.

Reply