Dswiggles
Level 1 (4 points)
Desktops

Q: 2010 Mac Pro tower new hard drive without operating system

I recently obtained a Mac Pro tower from my work. They were giving these away stating that they took out the hard drive and that I would need to purchase a new hard drive and install an operating system. I found out from everymac.com that the tower is from 2009-2010 its an A1289. I bought a Western Digital SATA Blue hard drive, put that in the tower, but now I can only get a folder with a ? mark.

 

I have tried holding command R at the start up chime but it still goes to the folder with a ? mark. I can hold down Option once I hear the chime and can get a mouse cursor arrow but that is it.

 

I guess my question is what are my options or what is going on here?

Mac Pro

Posted on Jun 5, 2016 2:20 PM

Close
Dswiggles

Q: 2010 Mac Pro tower new hard drive without operating system

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Jun 5, 2016 2:28 PM in response to Dswiggles
    Level 10 (314,422 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 5, 2016 2:28 PM in response to Dswiggles

    There's no OS on the computer, and that Mac's firmware is too old to use Apple's Internet Recovery system. If you don't already have an install disk, ask Apple or your workplace for its original disks.

     

    A retail Snow Leopard DVD is too old for it.

     

    (142767)

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jun 5, 2016 2:29 PM in response to Dswiggles
    Level 10 (190,692 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 5, 2016 2:29 PM in response to Dswiggles

    If you do not have another Mac you will have to order a set of the original install disks for nominal cost. Call Apple at 1-800-MY-APPLE. You will also need to give them the Mac's serial number which is printed on the outside of the Mac.

     

    Note that the retail version of Snow Leopard will not work since it is 10.6.3 and you need 10.6.4 or later for a 2010 Mac Pro

     

    Once you install and update Snow Leopard you can update to El Capitan if you wish

    http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/?cid=wwa-us-kwg-mac

  • by kahjot,

    kahjot kahjot Jun 6, 2016 9:48 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 4 (1,416 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 6, 2016 9:48 AM in response to lllaass

    lllaass wrote:

     

    Note that the retail version of Snow Leopard will not work since it is 10.6.3 and you need 10.6.4 or later for a 2010 Mac Pro

     

    I've seen this repeated many times, and it is not true in the case of this particular machine. I have a 2010 Mac Pro. Even the original 10.6.0 retail Snow Leopard disk is able to boot my 2010 Mac Pro and install the OS on it. The 10.6.3 disk also works. I was assured of this by a very knowledgeable guy in Apple Tech Support, whom I called right after I got my machine and found that it had Lion on it. I tried the retail disc and installed the OS without any problems.

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jun 6, 2016 10:10 AM in response to kahjot
    Level 9 (61,373 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 6, 2016 10:10 AM in response to kahjot

    Perhaps the reason Apple says it shipped with 10.6.4 is that previous versions may lack a Driver for a particular item, such as a graphics card or extended memory support.

  • by kahjot,

    kahjot kahjot Jun 6, 2016 7:29 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder
    Level 4 (1,416 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 6, 2016 7:29 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

    Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

     

    Perhaps the reason Apple says it shipped with 10.6.4 is that previous versions may lack a Driver for a particular item, such as a graphics card or extended memory support.

    I have no idea; I did acquire the official 10.6.4 discs for the MP later on, but the retail disc did the trick when I first got the machine. I vaguely remember it being sort of sluggish until I got the 10.6.8 update installed. This was 4 years ago, so I'm fuzzy on the early stages of how Snow Leopard ran fresh from the retail disc. It was only at the stage very briefly. I just wanted to get to 10.6.8 and get all my other stuff installed.

     

    The guy at Apple with whom I spoke seemed to really know his stuff.