2011 macbook air cant reinstall OSx

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2011 macbook air cant reinstall OSx

I have a 2011 macbook air that crashed, put a new hardrive in and am having trouble. My backup is on WD my cloud, and it wont restore over the network cause its so big, so i copied to a hardrive and it completely restores, then says there was on error when its at the "finishing restoreing" message. I verified and repair the disk. I dont even want to restore it I just want to get OSX back on it. If i go into internet recovery, It trys to install Lion and gives me errors. I tried going to safari and signing into my icloud, then back to install osx and enter my apple id, and it got further but still gives me a useless error message.

Is there a way to install OSX via USB?

Posted on Apr 30, 2016 2:10 PM

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Answer 1

macjack

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Apr 30, 2016 2:12 PM in response to bhollehday

How did you copy it?

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Answer 2

bhollehday Author

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Apr 30, 2016 3:01 PM in response to macjack

I plugged my external into the WD, and went into the user interface and transferred it.

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Answer 3

macjack

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Apr 30, 2016 3:15 PM in response to bhollehday

I suggest a clean install of Lion by choosing it in AppStore under purchases. Then copy the contents of these folders onto the fresh install...

Desktop

Downloads

Music

Movies

Pictures

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Answer 4

bhollehday Author

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Apr 30, 2016 3:26 PM in response to macjack

I do not have an OSX installed. I have a blank hardrive and am battling just getting the osx installed. Internet recovery keeps giving me errors when i go through the app store.

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Answer 5

OGELTHORPE

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Apr 30, 2016 3:46 PM in response to bhollehday

Boot the MBA with the OPTION + COMMAND + R keys. This should result in the following display:

This will connect you to the Apple servers. By following the directions, you will; be able to install the original OSX that came with your MBA, Lion.

A solid Internet connection will be needed.

Ciao

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Answer 6

bhollehday Author

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Apr 30, 2016 4:38 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

When I do that, it asks me to sign into apple store. I use my apple ID and it gives me an error aying "This item is temporarily unavailable. Try again later". I then go to safari and sign into my icloud account, then back to the install and get the same message.

I bought the computer used off someone btw.

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Answer 7

OGELTHORPE

Level 9

57,305 points

Apr 30, 2016 4:49 PM in response to bhollehday

bhollehday wrote:

I bought the computer used off someone btw.

That means that the MBA is connected to the sellers ID. What has to be done is erase the HDD and reinstall the original OSX which will connect the MBA with your Apple ID. What puzzles me is that the process I posted is designed exactly to do that. It should not bring you to the App store. Here are detailed instructions and try them again:

http://osxdaily.com/2014/12/14/reinstall-os-x-mac-internet-recovery/

If no success, you will have to go to an Apple store genius bar and have then assist you.

Ciao.

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