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Hard drive crashed. How do I get OSX on my new drive?

I think my hard drive crashed, oh my. First, let me say that all my data is backed-up on a cloud drive or on my network drive. So, I am good there. The computer is now completely inoperable, can't start up, not even in safe mode. Just goes to Apple grey screen and then shuts down, that Issa far as I can get. Does not even play the start-up chime anymore.


Question I have is this: I did not make a bootable start-up drive (dumb), so when I get a new drive to replace this, how will I get the OS on it to start- up and get the new drive ready?

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion

Posted on Mar 23, 2014 9:49 AM

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4 replies

Jun 4, 2017 3:15 PM in response to marcfromwalnut creek

I took my crashed iMac to apple authorized technician, he charged near $400 to put in new hard drive. My second crashed MacBook Pro, I fixed it cheaply by reformating the startup disk, you go in utilities, highlight your disk ( the smaller icon under the big icon), erase with option use extended journal, then re-install OSX software from mac server. It cost me $0.00 plus one hour work. here is the link How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

Mar 23, 2014 9:54 AM in response to marcfromwalnut creek

If you don't get a startup chime then you may have a worse problem. Just be prepared.


What year is your MBP? From 2011 onward you would use Internet Recovery. Earlier you would need to install the original software that came with the computer on software restore DVDs.


Internet Recovery


Install Mavericks, Lion/Mountain Lion Using Internet Recovery


Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.


Boot to the Internet Recovery HD:


Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-OPTION- R keys until a globe appears on the screen. Wait patiently - 15-20 minutes - until the Recovery main menu appears.


Partition and Format the hard drive:


1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.


2. After DU loads select your newly installed hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.


3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.


Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion. Mavericks: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion, Mavericks and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.


Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet

if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.


This should restore the version of OS X originally pre-installed on the computer.


DVD Installation:


Clean Install of Snow Leopard


Be sure to make a backup first because the following procedure will erase

the drive and everything on it.


1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc or the Disc 1 that came

with your computer. Insert the disc into the optical drive and restart the computer.

After the chime press and hold down the "C" key. Release the key when you see

a small spinning gear appear below the dark gray Apple logo.


2. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue

button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.

After DU loads select the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive

size.) Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. Set the number of

partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, click on Options button

and select GUID, click on OK, then set the format type to MacOS Extended

(Journaled, if supported), then click on the Apply button.


3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed

with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.


4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup

Assistant. Be sure you configure your initial admin account with the exact same

username and password that you used on your old drive. After you finish Setup

Assistant will complete the installation after which you will be running a fresh

install of OS X. You can now begin the update process by opening Software

Update and installing all recommended updates to bring your installation current.


Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

Mar 23, 2014 10:06 AM in response to Kappy

Hi, Kappy. Thx for the quick reply. It is a late 2011 17" MBP. So, internet option would be the way for me to go.


Would it be fair to assume that by "just be prepared" you mean that the issue could be catastrophic (gulp), so I should prepare for the worst -- and just bring it in to my local Mac repair shop instead of trying to fix it myself given that I am only moderately tech-savvy?


Or am I inferring to much?

Mar 23, 2014 10:11 AM in response to marcfromwalnut creek

No startup chime means that the computer has not passed any of the pre-startup system checks. That usually indicates a motherboard problem.


Have you attempted to boot from the Recovery HD in order to use Disk Utility to repair the drive? If not:


Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions - Mavericks, Lion/Mountain Lion


Boot to the Recovery HD:


Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.


Repair


When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu. Select Restart from the Apple menu.


You can also reinstall OS X from the Recovery HD:


Reinstall Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks without erasing drive


Boot to the Recovery HD:


Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.


Repair


When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported then click on the Repair Permissions button. When the process is completed, then quit DU and return to the main menu.


Reinstall Mountain Lion or Mavericks


OS X Mavericks- Reinstall OS X

OS X Mountain Lion- Reinstall OS X

OS X Lion- Reinstall Mac OS X


Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet

if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Hard drive crashed. How do I get OSX on my new drive?

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