Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Crashed HDD, How to install os x on new HDD

D

dantranchina

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 12, 2013
11
0
Hey Guys,

My buddy has a macbook pro (2011) with os x 10.8. His HDD recently crashed, and cannot even boot into recovery mode. He bought a new drive for the machine, but I am curious on how to install 10.8 on the new HDD? He cannot make a backup of his profile obviously, and cannot use any of the recovery options. Can I make a backup image of our other friends mac and use that to install? I read about the Internet recovery option, but do not know how to go about this.

I'm sure I am not the only person who has had this happen to them, so I would really appreciate some input on how to fix this issue!

Thanks in advance!
 
Pop in the new HDD and hold Cmd+R as you power up the machine. I found it helps to have the machine plugged into ethernet for the best speed/not having to deal with wifi setup.

A globe should come up the on the screen with a timer which shows the remaining time for the download of the recovery software from Apple's servers. Once that finishes, you will be in OSX recovery where you'll be able to reinstall OSX. Unfortunately, without a Time Machine backup (or any backup) and the old drive not working, there's virtually no way to get old files back, so it will basically be like a brand new Mac.
 
Great! I got into internet recovery, and into recovery mode. But when I get to the OS X utilities screen, and click reinstall copy os x, it comes back with the error message "This copy of the isntall OS x mountain lion application is damaged, and cant be used to install OS X".

Any idea why or what I need to do next?
 
Great! I got into internet recovery, and into recovery mode. But when I get to the OS X utilities screen, and click reinstall copy os x, it comes back with the error message "This copy of the isntall OS x mountain lion application is damaged, and cant be used to install OS X".

Any idea why or what I need to do next?
 
The only thing I can think of is that download was corrupted somehow. I would try re-fomatting(erase) the HDD with Disk Utilities from the OSX Utilities screen, then back to re-install OSX. If that doesn't work, you can make a thumb drive recovery tool.

http://liondiskmaker.com/?page_id=27

I forgot your system is blank. You may be able to use your other friend's macbook to make the recovery thumb drive. I'd try the re-install first.
 
Last edited:
dantranchina said:
Great! I got into internet recovery, and into recovery mode. But when I get to the OS X utilities screen, and click reinstall copy os x, it comes back with the error message "This copy of the isntall OS x mountain lion application is damaged, and cant be used to install OS X".

Any idea why or what I need to do next?
Click to expand...

These are the best videos explaining how to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aee0rZXowEA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8G9m4yzxAg

Hope these help your friend.
 
thank you guys for the responses. I made the bootable drive, but when I try to boot from it by pressing the option button, I get the drive, click it, and then it goes to the apple logo screen with the spinning dial and sits there for a while. So i shut it down and tried again, same thing. How long will it sit there before doing anything? My thought is that it is having trouble booting for some reason. any thoughts?
 
It's not as fast as a normal boot up, but it shouldn't take several minutes either. If that won't work, another option to try would be to use Command + Option + R at boot to force Internet Recovery mode.
 
Did that. I tried to use the reinstall is x lion option and and it said that it couldn't use the copy. I think it was trying to use the Internet recovery image though. I'm stuck guys and really need help lol

----------

When I tried to reboot from disk management, it said I had to choose a boot disk and thought that that would work. When I chose the USB, I got the error message " the bless tool was unable to set the current boot disk".
 
dantranchina said:
Did that. I tried to use the reinstall is x lion option and and it said that it couldn't use the copy. I think it was trying to use the Internet recovery image though. I'm stuck guys and really need help lol
Click to expand...

Re-format (erase) the HDD first, that should get rid of copy. Then Internet Recovery should download new OSX.
 
Update

so for this convo:
Problem Mac= Mac1
Working Mac= Mac2

SO I did a time machine backup on mac2, and tried to load it onto the new hdd in mac1. Did not work. I then popped the hdd from mac2 into mac1, and it still wouldnt boot. It loads the apple logo, and then just sits there with the wheel.

Does anyone know what the problem is? Ive come to the conclusion that the hdd was not the problem at all...

what could it be?
 
More info on the exact year and model MBP might help. The early 2011 MBP's shipped with Snow Leopard OS 10.6. If this is an early 2011 model it came with a grey SL OSX installation CD. If your friend has that disk, see if you can install SL from the cd then you can upgrade to ML 10.8 from the app store.
 
It was one of the late 2011 models (maybe 2012). I know that it was shipped with lion and not SL
 
dantranchina said:
so for this convo:
Problem Mac= Mac1
Working Mac= Mac2

SO I did a time machine backup on mac2, and tried to load it onto the new hdd in mac1. Did not work. I then popped the hdd from mac2 into mac1, and it still wouldnt boot. It loads the apple logo, and then just sits there with the wheel.

Does anyone know what the problem is? Ive come to the conclusion that the hdd was not the problem at all...

what could it be?
Click to expand...

What is Mac2? The fact that a backup or HDD from another system won't work may not be definitive. There are enough hardware differences between models, i.e. iMac, MBP, Mac Mini, or even different models of MBP's that it won't work. I once tried installing from a recovery thumb drive I made on my MBP to my Mac Mini, and it wouldn't work.

I keep coming back to the fact that you need to get OSX installed on the new drive. I would try these steps in this order:

1. Boot to Internet Recovery (command+option+R)
2. From OSX Utilities select Disk Utility
3. Select drive from left pane.
4. Select erase tab
5. Format Mac OS extended (Journaled)
6. Erase drive
7. Exit Disk Utility back to OSX Utilities screen
8. Select Reinstall Mac OSX

Normally steps 2-6 are unnecessary on a new drive. But formatting first may get rid of this error message:

dantranchina said:
Great! I got into internet recovery, and into recovery mode. But when I get to the OS X utilities screen, and click reinstall copy os x, it comes back with the error message "This copy of the isntall OS x mountain lion application is damaged, and cant be used to install OS X".

Any idea why or what I need to do next?
Click to expand...
If this doesn't work I'd head for the Apple Store Genius Bar.
 
mac2 is a mbp one model newer. I will try these steps in this order....just seems odd that no matter what I try to install the OS, i get an error. And a hdd is a hdd, if they are both capable of running the same OS, then one should boot from the other.
 
New update

SO turns out the mac was originally delivered with SL. Got the disk from my buddy, and was really thinking that this was the ticket. It wouldnt even boot the disk. I believe there is something more serious wrong with the computer. The only thing that works is getting into internet recovery, and then when you try to do anything on the physical mac through there, an error happens. His college offers free computer work, and who knows, maybe there is an ex Apple Genius who works there lol. I've rattled my brain too long, and am giving it up. I doubt the support at the university will be able to do anything (considering it doesnt cost anything) but I wish the best for my friend! If that fails I'm going to suggest he go to the genius bar.

Thank you to EVERYONE who helped. It's unfortunate, but we have fallen short this time.
 
I just used the method for creating a flash drive of last OS upgrade.

So i wouldn't have to worry about all this stuff, and a big enough flash drive is usually dirt cheap during the holidays -- or in the bargain bin at office supply stores.
 
I'm sorry to hear that we couldnt come up with a working solution for you. I hope things get cleared up at your friends college.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back