Can't Install Mac OS X 10.8 after erase

Hi kurt! I tried following your steps but when I tried clicking reinstall macOS high sierra, an error would pop up saying “the recovery server could not be contacted” but I’m connected to the internet.

10.6.8 Combo Updater

Restart the Mac and hold down Command+R to enter Recovery Mode. That boots to a hidden partition on the drive which will allow you to reinstall the OS. If it asks for an Apple ID, it will be expecting the ID and password of the person who purchased Mountain Lion (10.8.x). If you never had that version of OS X in your App Store account as a purchase, you won't be able to install it.

If that's the case, you'll have to restart the Mac and hold down Command+Option+R to enter Internet Recovery Mode. Use Disk Utility to repartition the drive. You must do this in order to completely remove all data from the drive, including the hidden partition, or it will try to install Mountain Lion, which you can't do. Once the drive it completely wiped, then choose to install OS X. The version of OS X the Mac shipped with will be installed.

Yes, you can purchase your own copy of Mountain Lion at Apple's site for $20. You will receive a redemption code in an email, which you then enter in the App Store to download the OS. It then permanently stays in your list of purchased items.

However, before spending the money on ML, see what the Mac installs via an Internet Recovery. It may be Mountain Lion, and that would be a machine specific version for your MacBook Air. Which means you can't use the App Store version of ML. Anytime you would need to reinstall ML, you would do it from Recovery mode, or Internet Recovery mode.

Just to be certain what model MB Air you have, enter the serial number on this site, then please post the page it shows as your exact model. Do not post the serial number here.

If you want to go higher, you can also download Yosemite, which will keep it in your Purchases tab.

I think Kurt is saying boot using command - option - R which will put you in Internet Recovery. Install the system from there. Then reboot normally and go to the  menu/About this Mac to see what version of the OS is installed.

Sorry, but what is it you don't understand? You'll have to be more specific.

Though if you mean the last sentence of my previous post, the words "on this site" are a clickable link. When that page opens, enter the serial number of your Mac in the field next to the button that says "Lookup", then click the button. That will lead you to a page which will be exactly your model Mac. Post the web address (URL) of that resulting page here so we can see when it was made, and what OS it shipped with.

Thank you. Your Mac shipped with Lion. Which means you can do an Internet Recovery startup by turning the Mac on and immediately holding down the Command+Option+R keys. This will boot the Mac to its firmware. When the work screen appears, you first need to make sure the drive is completely wiped clean, or it may try to install Mountain Lion, which is what the hidden Recovery partition should be. However, you will not be able to reinstall Mountain Lion since it will ask for the former owner's App Store ID and password.

So follow these steps:

1) Make sure you know your router's wireless password since you will be required to have an Internet connection to reinstall OS X. Better would be to use a wired Ethernet connection to your DSL or cable router.

2) When you boot to the Internet Recovery Screen, first choose Disk Utility. When the screen comes up, you will see something similar to this:

I have multiple hard drives here, you will likely only have one showing. But what you need to do is click on the physical drive name. That will allow you to partition the drive. Click on the Partition tab at the right to get this screen:

Where the drop down menu says "Current", change it to something else. Even if the drive is already one partition for the whole thing, and you only want one. In which case, choose "1 Partition". You'll notice that the Options button is now no longer grayed out. Click that and make sure the radio button for GUID Partition Table is selected. Click OK.

Make sure the Format is Mac OS Extended (Journaled). It should be by default. Make the Name anything you want to call it. Click Apply. It will take just 10 seconds or so to complete. When it's done, quit Disk Utility.

3) Now choose to install OS X. The machine specific version of Lion for your Mac will be installed.

4) When the install is complete, you can open the App Store and create your own account. Normally, you use the same Apple ID and password you use to access these forums.

5) Then it's up to you what you want for an OS. You can either stay with Lion, or upgrade. It's $20 to purchase Mountain Lion, 10.8.x. You'll receive an email with a redemption code you use in the App Store app to initiate the download and installation. Once you have it installed, that purchase will forever remain under your list of purchased items and can be reinstalled at any time. Or, you can jump all the way to Yosemite, 10.10.x for free. Mavericks, 10.9.x is not on option as Apple has pulled it from the App Store.

The iLife package (GarageBand, iDVD, etc.) used to be on the gray DVDs that came with Macs. When Lion was introduced, Apple stopped distributing disks with their computers, as they did with yours. When you do a full erase and reinstall, which I presume you have now completed, these apps are not installed by default. Per a post by user ds store:

If your machine originally came with 10.7 or 10.8, then follow this:

Restoring iLife applications after Internet Restore of OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion

If you erase install OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion on a new Mac that shipped with OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion installed, you can download iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand from the Mac App Store.

1. After installation, start (up) from OS X.
2. Double-click the App Store icon in the dock.
3. Enter your Apple ID and password.
4. Click Purchases.
5. If you haven't previously accepted your bundled iLife applications within the Mac App Store, you should see your iLife applications appear in the Accept portion of the screen. Click Accept.
6. You may be asked for your Apple ID and password once again. Your iLife applications now move to the Purchased section. These applications are part of the software that came with your Lion based computer. Your account will not be charged for them. Click Install to complete installation of your applications.

Following these steps, you should be able to install the version of iLife that was tied to that model Mac for free.

This isn't the same as iWork (Pages, Numbers, Keynote). I'm not sure if those were ever free. The App Store has the titles available for $20 each. Pages has not garnered much praise, though. Many users feel it has been dumbed down. Many useful features have been removed. The number of 1 star ratings is pretty high for the current version 5. Most users would tell others to stay with version 4.

You can get iWork '09 on disk from Amazon for $20. That is Keynote version 5, Pages version 4, and Numbers version 2.

Hi Kurt! I have the same issue as Heavenly Princess and when I try to partition my disk it gives me an error message of Couldnt unmount the disk.... initially it was already partitioned in 2... can that be the reason? Can you help? I cannot use my computer right now!!! Thanks!!