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Kmad86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2009
59
19
I've done some research and it seems like the Mountain Lion OS that comes on the 2012 iMac stock is a special version of Mountain Lion. Any idea how I would get that version on my SSD if I swap out the HD with the SSD? Or can I safely just use the standard 10.8 in AppStore?
 
What wouuld be special about it? And where have you read that?

I had read it on here, I think in the teardown thread. I believe a specific story was somebody putting a Crucial M4 512 in their computer and it wouldn't boot because it had the OS on it from their other computer, and it was a different build??
 
I had read it on here, I think in the teardown thread. I believe a specific story was somebody putting a Crucial M4 512 in their computer and it wouldn't boot because it had the OS on it from their other computer, and it was a different build??

This is correct. Apple uses a custom build containing code specific to the new model, until the next Mac OS update, where the differences are consolidated. However, it's irrelevant nowadays as the above poster mentioned because of Internet Recovery.
 
This is correct. Apple uses a custom build containing code specific to the new model, until the next Mac OS update, where the differences are consolidated. However, it's irrelevant nowadays as the above poster mentioned because of Internet Recovery.

Great! Will go that route.
 
So ...
- Install OS X on SSD
- Boot Mac from SSD
- Use Internet Recovery?

nope...

- install SSD
- boot with command + R
- system will detect there is no recovery partiton, nor boot drives, and will load up internet recovery
- select where to install OS X
- let it download and install
 
Yep!

nope...

- install SSD
- boot with command + R
- system will detect there is no recovery partiton, nor boot drives, and will load up internet recovery
- select where to install OS X
- let it download and install

Just did this on a MBP. Not a hybrid, but hd to ssd. Works great.

Then used time machine.
 
Ohh, so the SSD will be completely empty, insert it in the Mac and try booting from it and it will bring up Internet Recovery? That's awesome! No need to manually install OS X on the SSD beforehand then!
 
Yep!

Ohh, so the SSD will be completely empty, insert it in the Mac and try booting from it and it will bring up Internet Recovery? That's awesome! No need to manually install OS X on the SSD beforehand then!

Yes. I also believe it will install the latest OS you've purchased and installed (from the Mac App Store), not the OS that originally came with the computer, which saves you another step.

Can't confirm that, but I don't remember having to reinstall 10.7 and then upgrade to 10.8 when I replaced my hd with an ssd.
 
Yes. I also believe it will install the latest OS you've purchased and installed (from the Mac App Store), not the OS that originally came with the computer, which saves you another step.

Can't confirm that, but I don't remember having to reinstall 10.7 and then upgrade to 10.8 when I replaced my hd with an ssd.

Awesome! Thanks :D
Having to upgrade manually is just a minor thing though.
 
Would this be the same for adding a ssd to a mid-2011 iMac with the original hd still in? Got a refurb with os x 10.8 already installed & didn't want to have to download for another $20.
 
Just did the internet recovery. Am I crazy, or does that log into a wireless connection without a password? I swore it was formatted and somehow still recovered from the internet. Once I installed it, it then asked for a password.
 
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