What's happening here is that the recovery partition is now a ML version. To make it work you need to recreate an L version. I did this before by using a USB drive. Do you have one ?
If you do, then try this.
1. Use CCC to clone the internal drive to the external. (Make sure you copy the recovery partition also).
2. Boot from the external and erase the internal - including the recovery partition.
3. Unplug the USB and reboot with Command-R. This should start the process. If it fails, then you can always put the USB partitions back on the internal and try something else.
See :
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1462885/ - post 21.
CCC makes a totally copy of his drive right? Won't it copy all the files back on if you use it for a restore?
I did this just the other day with ML for a Mac I was selling. For $15, I'd recommend getting it to use. After you're done you have a bootable USB as well.
1. Download ML from AppStore.
2. Get a USB drive.
3. Format USB drive. (Mac OSX Extended Journaled should work)
4. Right click the Mount Lion installer after it has downloaded and click "Show Package Contents".
5. Within the package contents, open a folder named SharedSupport and look for a file named InstallEsd.dmg. Double click the dmg to mount it.
6. Open Disk Utility and select your USB drive. Click "Restore" in the option pane.
7. When you mountained the InstallESD.dmg, it will have shown up as "Mac OSX Install ESD". From the restore panel, select "Mac OSX Install ESD" as your source and the USB as the destination. Hit restore.
8. Now restart your computer and hold the option key. In the boot menu that will display, choose your USB to boot to.
9. You will now be in the ML installer. Click the utilities tab in the top menu and open disk utility. Format your drive using disk utility.
10. Now run the normal install of ML on the USB. It will be a totally clean install.
