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User profile for user: Scorpion2011
Scorpion2011 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Can't re-install OS X (Snow Leopard) from Original DVD

Hi.


Due to major issues with my daughter's Macbook Pro I decided to erase the HD and start again from scratch.


(2010 MBP)


When running the Recovery Mode, it only allows me to re-install Lion OSX. When I try to do this I get the "Temporarily Unavailable" error after entering the iCloud credentials (I've tried various including the original which is my account as the MBP used to be mine before I replaced it).


After trying various recommendations from the Support communities I gave up on trying to install Lion and dug out the original DVDs from the loft, which I believe contain Snow Leopard (it just says OS X Install Disk on the DVD).


However, I can't seem to get the MBP to start up from the DVD and install the OS X software. I've tried holding down the C key on restart, but it just hangs on the spinning wheel below the Apple logo.


If I go into Recovery Mode, it only gives me the option to install Lion, which has the Temporarily Unavailable issue.


I've also tried restoring from Time Machine but it says the backup


Does anyone have any recommendations on how to get this MBP back to factory settings?

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6), null

Posted on Sep 12, 2015 1:26 AM

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3 replies
User profile for user: Scorpion2011
Scorpion2011 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Sep 14, 2015 3:28 AM in response to Scorpion2011

I managed to workaround the issue.


Luckily I had a Time Machine back up of one of my other machines, an iMac. I used the "Recover from Time Machine Backup" on the Recovery screen and, after 22 hours, got a mirror of my iMac on to the MBP.


I was then able to create a new user (my daughter) and then delete all the other users (after disabling Time Machine on the MBP so as not to overwrite the backup of my iMac).


This allowed me to get back into the MBP and start configuring it the way it should be (and the latest OS X was already installed as part of the recovery from backup).


Be careful with this method though as some applications were copied from my iMac to the MBP that only had single user licences - so I just had to delete these from the MBP.


Of course, this only works if you have another Mac in the house and it's backed up to Time Machine.

For some reason I couldn't use the Time Machine Backup of the actual MBP - it said it was invalid.

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Can't re-install OS X (Snow Leopard) from Original DVD

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