How to update recovery partition…?

Question

How to update recovery partition…?

I am currently running Mac OS Sierra 10.12.6 restored today from a time-machine backup. However holding down the option key at start-up reveals that my recovery partition is still OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5; which is what the machine shipped with.

NB: File Vault and Master passwords are not currently installed, assuming that could be relevant.

What is the easiest way to update the recovery partition to Mac OS Sierra please? I would like the OS and the recovery partition to match and hope and assume that is possible.

Thank you for any assistance in advance.

CK-Mac

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2012)

Posted on Nov 7, 2018 4:49 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,656 points

Nov 8, 2018 12:35 AM in response to Community User

OK ignore my first reply, have been trying to edit it in the 15 minutes you are allowed, but no joy.

Let's try this to get the full installer. How to upgrade to macOS Sierra - Apple Support scroll down to 4

ignore the Mojave stuff, and click on the Sierra link, this will open the App Store at the Sierra page and you should now be able to download it. When the download completes look in your Applications folder for Install macOS Sierra.app (make a copy it on an external drive, so you won't have to download it again should the need ever occur) double-click to start the install, this will do an in place install but will not affect your info and data etc, but make a back up prior to installing just incase..

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Answer 2

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Nov 11, 2018 6:57 AM in response to Community User

Try going to the App Store Purchases tab, download and then run the Sierra installer.

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Answer 3

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,656 points

Nov 11, 2018 6:57 AM in response to Community User

Not to step on Eric's toes here but I think from Sierra onwards Apple stopped the listing of OS's on the Purchased section of the App Store. Try downloading the most recent Security Update, Download Security Update 2018-005 (Sierra) typically these include a Recovery HD update, perhaps this might update your ML Recovery HD. As this is a manual download, double click on it once the download has finished to start the installation procedure.

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Answer 4

Nov 11, 2018 7:05 AM in response to Eau Rouge

Thank you very much for your advice Eau Rouge and Eric.

I keep a bootable Sierra installer on a USB stick at all times. That is mostly because every time I consider or attempt to upgrade further it either does not work or I simply do not like it! My mid-2012 Mac Book Pro can only just run Mojave and I've already tried it a while ago and absolutely loathed it. Not only that but reading the Mojave threads leads me to never wish to upgrade again. Thus, my mac runs Sierra and nothing else for the foreseeable future.

Any case, in accordance with the question: I formatted the hard-drive, then clean installed Sierra and then got all my data and files back form Time Machine. The recovery partition seems to now be Sierra, so all is well. Thank you.

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