Is there no erase function that will allow me to Low Level format a drive with OS 10.15.4
I would like to be able to put OS 10.11.4 onto the drive. I have partitioned the drive with OS X Extended (Journaled), with Guid.
There is no such thing as a "low level format" of an SSD or any other non-rotational drive.
You can not 'downgrade' macOS by running the installer for an older version of macOS / OS X while booted into a newer version. You need to create a bootable installer on a USB and boot from that to install it.
There is no such thing as a "low level format" of an SSD or any other non-rotational drive.
You can not 'downgrade' macOS by running the installer for an older version of macOS / OS X while booted into a newer version. You need to create a bootable installer on a USB and boot from that to install it.
Thanks. When you first received your Mac, were you greeted with the "new user setup" procedure? That should have happened.
Nevertheless, it seems you need to create that environment so that it can be upgraded to High Sierra and generally configured for your own use. The ability to do that is incorporated in that MacBook Pro's firmware. It does not rely upon the replacement Crucial SSD, which needs to be erased and formatted as Mac OS Extended—not APFS—which won't work until you download and apply the High Sierra upgrade, and will perform that conversion automatically.
That short explanation describes the crux of your difficulties.
"Secure Erase" is not a low level format and it's not worth pursuing or discussing. All it does is to erase unused blocks, which literally cannot be performed on an SSD and should not even be attempted.
To erase and format the Crucial startup SSD, shut down your Mac in the usual manner. Then, boot macOS Internet Recovery by holding the following keys while you start your Mac: ⌘ option r (three fingers). With another finger press the power button as you would normally do to start a Mac. Keep those three fingers where they are until you see a "spinning globe" icon, after which you can release them. At the Mac OS Utilities window, choose Disk Utility. Choose the Crucial SSD device (not the volume beneath it) and erase it. You don't need any of its "Security Options" since the fastest method is all you need.
Then, you will be in position to reinstall that Mac's originally installed operating system (Lion, as you wrote), configure a basic User Account, and finally upgrade to High Sierra. A "progressive" upgrade as you described it is not required. Reinstalling its originally installed operating system and configuring the Mac as your own is required.
If you need more explicit instructions please write back.
Thanks John,
I have my mini with me with OS 10.11.4 and since the install download was in the app folder, I set up target disk mode and it worked perfectly. Nothing like waking up at 4AM. Thanks much to you and kilted Tim for feeds
All the best,
pinpeak
Thanks for your reply,
Still won't install.
The machine is a MacBook Pro, Core i5, 2.5, Mid 2012, MD101LL/A. Pre-Installed OS 10.7.3 (11D2525). It was purchased used and it had been upgraded to OS 10.13.4. Device is Crucial CT512MX100SSD1 Media.
Partitioned as mentioned earlier, with original partition in APFS format with Container disk 1 as current boot volume. First Aid passed. Ignore ownership on this volume is set.
I have OS 10.3.4 in my store purchase and have downloaded. When attempting to install, I get error window (with no number), "This copy of the "Install OS X" application is too old to be opened on this version of OS X."
I would go back to OS 10.7.3 if I had it and then progressively upgrade, but I assume I would get the same "too old" window.
I have done similar changes on a mini and another older MBP, but I was able to do a secure erase, ( I assume that is a low level format). That option is not available on the OS 10.13.4 Disk Utility.
Any suggestions, thanks.
I have partitioned the drive with OS X Extended (Journaled), with Guid.
That's all you need to do.
I want to Low Level format a drive that has OS 10.13.4
