How to download Lion installer if it came pre-installed on machine?

[Richie3000]

Just bought a Mac mini and was trying to create a USB OSX Lion boot drive by "re-downloading" the Lion installer from the App store and creating a thumb drive as many articles have highlighted.

The problem is: Lion came pre-installed on my machine and any attempt to download it again form the app store is a no-go as it's not listed under "previous purchases" and what would be a "buy" button simply reads "Installed" with no further options.

Anyone else figured this out?

 

[jman240]

Option click purchases. It might be there. It was for me but I don't know how a preinstall works.

Also, just FYI, there is a hidden partition on your computer to do a clean install with if you need it later. If you replace the hard drive it will redownload the installer directly from Apple's servers. I realize there are reasons for a backup copy but if you were unaware of the former and you were trying to just make a backup of it you really don't need to.

You can try mounting that hidden partition and copying the dmg file over. Bit advanced, never tried it myself.

 

[neokao]

Option click purchases. It might be there. It was for me but I don't know how a preinstall works.

This does not work with a Lion-preinstalled MBA.

 

[mabaker]

You may just check if you can re-download Lion from the Apple store by "buying it".

You can reinstall Lion anytime while using the steps mentioned here:

http://www.pubarticles.com/article-...os-x-lion-on-macbook-air-2011-1311559648.html

 

[Cripps]

You may just check if you can re-download Lion from the Apple store by "buying it".

I assume the OP does not want to pay for it as he already has it pre-installed and thus has already paid through his purchase.

 

[Tutorer]

Fissure found a method and reports it here.

Ciao!

 

[wdhpgx]

I pulled it off last weekend similarly. I wanted to re-install, so booted from recovery partition and let it download. Then rebooted, but instead of installing, brought up a Terminal window, saw the dmg, and scp'd it off to another machine on the network. I've written it to a flash drive, but haven't yet tried booting or installing from it.