installing mac os x 10.8 blank mac pro

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installing mac os x 10.8 blank mac pro

i have a mac pro with two hdds and one ssd. all of them are blank. if i start the computer there is a grey file with a question mark in it. i dont have any installation dvd only the mountain lion and mavericks install programs from the app store.

i have another macbook pro (middle 2012) with os x 10.9. so my question is if its possible to install mountain lion (or mavericks) on the mac pro using an firewire 800/400 cable and target disk mode. do you think this works?

thanks for all tips.

Mac Pro

Posted on Feb 13, 2014 10:58 PM

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Answer 1

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mende1

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Feb 13, 2014 11:02 PM in response to ceffpunkt

Welcome to Apple Support Communities

Of course. Just get a FireWire 800 cable to connect the Mac Pro to the MacBook and install OS X Mountain Lion or Mavericks from it. To start up the Mac Pro in Target Disk mode, hold the T key while your Mac is starting up.

Then, if the Mac Pro drive where you want to install OS X is formatted, you just need to start the OS X Mountain Lion or Mavericks installer and point the installer to install on to the Mac Pro drive. When the first step of the installation has finished and your MacBook Pro is going to restart, disconnect the FireWire cable and start up the Mac Pro to set it up. You can also carry on with the installation in your MacBook.

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Answer 2

ceffpunkt Author

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Feb 13, 2014 11:05 PM in response to mende1

Thanks for the speedy reply! 🙂

Do i have this right that i install mac os on the mac pros ssd or one of the hdd?

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Answer 3

mende1

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93,538 points

Feb 13, 2014 11:06 PM in response to ceffpunkt

You should be able to choose the Mac Pro drive where you want to install OS X. I recommend you to install Mountain Lion or Mavericks in the SSD, so it will be much faster.

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Answer 4

ceffpunkt Author

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Feb 13, 2014 11:10 PM in response to mende1

thanks for your help!

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Answer 5

mende1

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Feb 13, 2014 11:10 PM in response to ceffpunkt

You are welcome

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Answer 6

The hatter

Level 9

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Feb 14, 2014 6:09 AM in response to ceffpunkt

there is a grey file with a question mark in it

No boot device found.

How to make your own bootable OS X 10.9 Mavericks USB install drive

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10/how-to-make-your-own-bootable-os-x-10-9-mav ericks-usb-install-drive/

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Answer 7

Feb 24, 2014 7:51 AM in response to mende1

Actually, you need to let the source machine restart and complete the installation on the target machine; restart and do not exit from target disk mode. If you disconnect the target machine and restart per the instructions above, you will get a blinking icon, because there won't yet be a sytem installed on that machine.

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