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lmoslander

Q: re-downloading Mountain Lion, without having to buy it?

My mac mini crashed for some reason; but now being able to get this far via my icloud log in, how can I re-download that OS X system without having to "buy" it again?  Can't find my reboot disk, and perhaps I'm not savvy enough to figure out how to find the "reload" or downloaded version(s) on my back ups?

THIS screen, etc., are the only thing I've been able to get to at this point, so please help if anyone has any ideas or direction???

 

GREATLY APPRECIATED...HELP!!!

Mac mini, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Mar 10, 2016 6:05 PM

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Q: re-downloading Mountain Lion, without having to buy it?

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  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody Mar 13, 2016 12:36 PM in response to lmoslander
    Level 9 (66,781 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Mar 13, 2016 12:36 PM in response to lmoslander

    Command-R will give you the opportunity to restore 10.8 without buying over again, if your Mac shipped new with 10.8, or if you installed the firmware that lets it do so (older than July 20, 2011 Mac Minis will need that firmware).   If you did not, and command R does nothing for you on reboot, you can request Mac App Store billing support re-release the upgrade for you.  In the future, keeping a clone backup is wise*:

     

    http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html

     

    * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Mar 14, 2016 6:04 AM in response to lmoslander
    Level 8 (37,696 points)
    Mar 14, 2016 6:04 AM in response to lmoslander

    You don't need to purchase Mountain Lion again since it will always be in your list of purchases under your App Store account. If you're currently posting from the Mini, you obviously have some version of OS X reinstalled and working. Launch the App Store and click on the Purchases tab.