Can't install OS X from pendrive

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Level 1

20 points

Can't install OS X from pendrive

I have this 2010 Macbook Pro 13" with an empty hard drive, which was giving me some trouble to erase securely: wouldn't do it giving me a "POSIX report: the operation couldn't be completed. input/output error", but I could erase the drive once. The drive had OS X installed a few days ago and it was working perfectly, I can't believe it is failing! I read the POSIX error could also be because of a broken internal SATA ribbon or the connection not being good enough, but I haven't opened the computer yet. Since the drive was working perfectly before I erased it, I attempted to install Yosemite from a bootable pendrive.

It doesn't do it. It says "This copy of the Install OS X Yosemite application can’t be verified. It may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading”.

I tried with both El Capitan and Yosemite installers on the USB. That drive gave me some problems some time ago and I thought it could be gone bad, but Disk Utility and CleanMyMac 3 tell me it's fine and DiskMaker could make the bootable installer drive with no problem.

What is going on? I need to install OS X on this thing.

I don't know if to buy a new internal hard drive, a new pendrive for the installer, Disk Warrior to check if the internal is actually failing, a new SATA connection, or a USB/SATA cable to try to install OSX in it from another fully functional Mac via USB...to then put it in the Macbook Pro.

I have Googled for a solution; I have found one guy saying that could be a network problem - I don't understand that, the installer is fully downloaded and shouldn't require internet now, or does it? Then there are Terminal solutions for those with the OS installed, which I don't, and the solution on making sure the system clock is right, which I don't know how to access from an empty drive.

I am baffled and confused and I really hope somebody can help me with this. I don't want to spend money on drives if these I have are fine. Left to my own devices, I would first get a SATA/USB converter and check the drive and eventually install OSX via my functioning Mac, since I don't have an external drive on which I can install OSX and run it from there on the Macbook - and check the internal drive from there. Disk Warrior is expensive, I know it can diagnose a drive perfectly. Since I need to sell the computer with the drive I need to know this, how do I do that besides Disk Warrior?

I don't think the installer error necessarely confirms the internal drive to be failing, nor the POSIX reports. Or am I wrong? I had just updated to El Capitan on this drive a few days ago, and then needed to do a clean install with either Yosemite or El Capitan, in order to sell the computer.

please help, thank you

ps: I almost forgot, the Macbook Pro has no battery. Not sure it changes anything, I wouldn't think so

Update:
just learned that I can indeed fix the system clock from the bootable installer drive, trying to do this now and see if it works. Fingers crossed, the internal drive must be fine! Even though it's empty, I really don't wanna buy a new one just to sell it then, or maybe I could turn it into a strong selling point for an aging Mac?

MacBook Pro, 13" 2010

Posted on Nov 30, 2015 7:41 PM

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Answer 1

babowa

Level 9

78,103 points

Nov 30, 2015 7:52 PM in response to purpleduck

I had just updated to El Capitan on this drive a few days ago, and then needed to do a clean install with either Yosemite or El Capitan, in order to sell the computer.

Well, to be bearer of bad news, but, in order to abide by the licensing agreement, you can't sell this with either of those two - or any OS or app downloaded from the app store as the license is for YOU only and is not transferable. Any buyer would never be able to reinstall or update apps as the installs are tied to the Apple ID used to download/obtain them (which would be yours).

So, first, you will need to dig out your original install disks and boot from that, make sure the drive is erased and formatted using that Disk Utility and then reinstall the original OS.

Here is an excerpt from the licensing agreement:

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Answer 2

purpleduck Author

Level 1

20 points

Nov 30, 2015 8:09 PM in response to babowa

Thanks babowa, you are right - I completely forgot about this matter, just went with the fact the OSes are free.

I tried with the original OSX DVD that came with the computer. Didn't work because presumably the DVD is broken. Trying to understand how to get the original OS. I sitll need to know if the internal hard drive is broken or it isn't, though.

I have checked the system date from the USB installer and it was incorrect, fixing it now. Maybe this will allow me to install whatever OS from the drive, for starters.

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Answer 3

purpleduck Author

Level 1

20 points

Nov 30, 2015 8:15 PM in response to babowa

so, what if the install DVD doesn't work? If I dump the installers in it in USB, will it work even though the DVD is bad? And if this fails, the only legal thing to do would be to sell it with no Mac OS installed?

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Answer 4

John Galt

Level 10

141,024 points

Nov 30, 2015 8:20 PM in response to purpleduck

If there is no battery the system clock will be wrong, which will preclude installing Yosemite. Having said that, as babowa wrote you have to reinstall that Mac's originally installed OS anyway before selling it, or sell it without an operating system. You might as well remove the hard disk drive and leave that up to the buyer, if you can find one who will buy it that way. Hard disks are cheap, and anyone who already purchased Yosemite can boot OS X Internet Recovery to install his or her own licensed copy on that Mac: Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - Apple Support.

The lack of a battery would present another red flag – to a knowledgeable buyer. Built-in batteries are not designed to be user-replaceable, or removable. Apple will likely refuse to install a new battery in a Mac that is missing one, because there won't be any way to provide their standard one year warranty that is included with its installation. Good luck.

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Answer 5

babowa

Level 9

78,103 points

Nov 30, 2015 8:34 PM in response to purpleduck

Yes, you can sell it without a hard drive. The DVD may not work (I had a similar problem on a mid 2010 iMac); however, in my testing, I found that in 3 out of 5 tries, using internet recovery (that is Command + Option + R keys) on a Mac with the updated firmware resulted in a fresh install of Lion (10.7). Since internet recovery is a supported function by Apple, I would assume that this would be acceptable (but I am not a lawyer, nor do I work for Apple, so this is only my opinion). Using internet recovery will result in a download/install which is not tied to your Apple ID. Or, you can try this if you have a bootable clone: I was able to use my Snow Leopard bootable clone from another drive: boot from it, erase the internal, and clone it back.

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