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Early 2008 iMac Internet Recovery won't work.....

L

LudwigZildjian

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 12, 2015
49
4
NY
Hi, my friend who fixes PC's and resells them bought an older iMac on eBay dirt cheap with no history. He brought to me, because I know my way around a Mac, certainly better than him, self admitted. His business partner put a Windows OS disc in the optical drive and it got stuck (lmfao). I got that out easily by booting and holding the left mouse key.
Then, immediately I noticed no startup chime, so I did a PRAM reset lickedy split, fixed it. Now, trying to get to Internet recovery is not fun for me at all.
Won't recognize my command, but recognized PRAM and ejected the disc and recognized the option key. I'm using a USB Dell keyboard and USB mouse. All I'm getting is the gray file with the ghosted ?...... Bad drive, bad ram, just keep trying??? I'm pressing and holding the Windows key and R, in place of command and the R..... Tried Alt and R, Control and R......
HDD SUPPOSEDLY WIPED!
 
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bcave098 said:
I don't think the early-2008 iMac works with internet recovery. Those computers came with OS X Leopard and Internet Recovery was introduced with OS X Lion. Apple says some computers that came with OS X Snow Leopard can be upgraded to have Internet Recovery but it only includes the mid-2010 and mid-2011 iMac.

I think you'll have to create a USB install drive to install OS X.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply..... I thought that was the case, but thought I'd try anyway, as I formatted a USB to MAC OS EXTENDED (Journaled) and put the Yosemite installer on it, which I had a copy saved from when I had to wipe my MBP drive....... In any event, the iMac won't recognize it...... Idk, maybe I missed a step.... I'm pretty positive I'm right in what I'm doing though, as I have a tendency to learn things the right way and remember them properly. Thanks very much for your reply. If worst comes to worst, I could probably snag a Mac OS X disc and just do it the old fashioned way.....
 
bcave098 said:
Make sure you're using the createinstallmedia command in Terminal or else the iMac won't be able to boot it.
Click to expand...

Thanks again.... That's what the problem was.... I screwed up the terminal part... Anyways, now it's bootable and everything, but the sucker is giving me a pop up when going to install OS X Yosemite saying this OS X may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading..... Should I delete and redownload it and move back to the drive?
[doublepost=1459218420][/doublepost]I'd appreciate someone's opinion/solution on how to proceed, as this hasn't happened to me before.... I mean, I don't make bootable drives everyday, but still.....
 
I am not sure, but I guess maybe you'll have to start with on older OS, like Snow Leopard, and then upgrade

I have an 2007 iMac but I don't 100% remember if I used the Snow Leopard Disc first, before I installed Mavericks via USB some years ago. Today it runs El Capitan just fine
 
LudwigZildjian said:
Thanks again.... That's what the problem was.... I screwed up the terminal part... Anyways, now it's bootable and everything, but the sucker is giving me a pop up when going to install OS X Yosemite saying this OS X may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading..... Should I delete and redownload it and move back to the drive?
[doublepost=1459218420][/doublepost]I'd appreciate someone's opinion/solution on how to proceed, as this hasn't happened to me before.... I mean, I don't make bootable drives everyday, but still.....
Click to expand...
As 14 Feb 2016 the OS installers expired. You have to re-download the full installer or use the terminal to change the date. Here is the MacRumors thread about it:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...longer-work-after-certificate-update.1959487/
 
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CoastalOR said:
As 14 Feb 2016 the OS installers expired. You have to re-download the full installer or use the terminal to change the date. Here is the MacRumors thread about it:
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...longer-work-after-certificate-update.1959487/
Click to expand...
Couldn't get that to work either way, but I didn't even see that article before, so thanks for that.... Anyways, this is beginning to irritate me.... It makes no sense that I can't get OS X on the damn thing..... The internal drive appears to be ok via Disk Utility. Idk where to go from here, other than a hardware test, getting one of the OS's and trying to install it that way vs. this annoying Yosemite installer that won't work no matter what, or idk...... I'm going to screw around with it tomorrow and do some research once I wake up..... I have the grey installer 10.6.6 DVD from my iMac, but I understand the grey ones are machine specific, not like the retail ones.....
 
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An early 2008 iMac (with a platter-based HDD inside) will run the latest versions of the OS, but it will probably seem more like "walking" than "running" (as perceived by the end user).

I would suggest 10.8.5 as a better OS to install on this one...
 
So you guys are leaning towards trying to find the original OS install disc? (leopard 10.5.2 shipped with the machine) If so, then I'll have to check eBay..... It's too bad that's the case, if it really is, because I can't update to a newer OS without buying a disc for said OS...... My MBP and iMac are both out of 2011, so I've never had these problems personally.....
 
You probably don't want 10.5.2.

You need Mountain Lion 10.8.

I believe you can -buy- a ML DVD from Apple for about $20.

If that's too much, there are "other avenues" on which to walk...
 
CoastalOR said:
Mountain Lion (10.8) is content code sent from Apple to allow download from the App Store.
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/D...a7dbf78fe3cfb8aebd8493ddc9dc6e6fb6a21e80dfe70

Snow Leopard from Apple is a bootable install DVD.
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
Click to expand...
[doublepost=1459412419][/doublepost]Hi all, thank you for your opinions/help! I just wanted to let everyone know I figured it out, quite simply actually... I feel kinda stupid that I just didn't do it this way from the get go.... I just ended up downloading El Capitan from the App Store on my iMac, doing the terminal command, and installing... Worked like a charm and all said and done in just over an hour..... The problem ended being I had tried downloading the expired Mavericks from purchased history, which was the same as what I originally had anyway.... I was sitting here and thought I'd give El Capitan a try This renews my confidence in fixing Mac's of all calibers..... Like I said, I hadn't done this on a Mac from any year before 2011, so I always just did Internet recovery....
 
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LudwigZildjian said:
[doublepost=1459412419][/doublepost]Hi all, thank you for your opinions/help! I just wanted to let everyone know I figured it out, quite simply actually... I feel kinda stupid that I just didn't do it this way from the get go.... I just ended up downloading El Capitan from the App Store on my iMac, doing the terminal command, and installing... Worked like a charm and all said and done in just over an hour..... The problem ended being I had tried downloading the expired Mavericks from purchased history, which was the same as what I originally had anyway.... I was sitting here and thought I'd give El Capitan a try This renews my confidence in fixing Mac's of all calibers..... Like I said, I hadn't done this on a Mac from any year before 2011, so I always just did Internet recovery....
Click to expand...

can you please tell exactly which steps and "terminal commands" one needs ... I think I'll do the same with my 2009 macbook
 
apfelmann said:
can you please tell exactly which steps and "terminal commands" one needs ... I think I'll do the same with my 2009 macbook
Click to expand...

Hi, yes I'm referring to the link attached: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 it's pretty easy and simple, you may have already done it by now, sorry for the late reply....
NOTE: I found it to only work with El Capitan, as Apple let the certificates for the free App Store downloads of Mavericks and Yosemite go. They aren't even on the App Store anymore with El Capitan now.
[doublepost=1459451234][/doublepost]
apfelmann said:
can you please tell exactly which steps and "terminal commands" one needs ... I think I'll do the same with my 2009 macbook
Click to expand...
If you didn't do it yet, feel free to ask any questions you may have! I'd be more than happy to list the steps I took....
 
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LudwigZildjian said:
Hi, yes I'm referring to the link attached: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 it's pretty easy and simple, you may have already done it by now, sorry for the late reply....
NOTE: I found it to only work with El Capitan, as Apple let the certificates for the free App Store downloads of Mavericks and Yosemite go. They aren't even on the App Store anymore with El Capitan now.
[doublepost=1459451234][/doublepost]
If you didn't do it yet, feel free to ask any questions you may have! I'd be more than happy to list the steps I took....
Click to expand...

thanks, I have to wait until the SSD arrives, but with the apple support document I think I'll know what to do
 
LudwigZildjian said:
Hi, yes I'm referring to the link attached: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 it's pretty easy and simple, you may have already done it by now, sorry for the late reply....
NOTE: I found it to only work with El Capitan, as Apple let the certificates for the free App Store downloads of Mavericks and Yosemite go. They aren't even on the App Store anymore with El Capitan now.
[doublepost=1459451234][/doublepost]
If you didn't do it yet, feel free to ask any questions you may have! I'd be more than happy to list the steps I took....
Click to expand...

Hey, I cringe while butting in here, but I really need the installers for Mavericks and (especially for) Yosemite. Is there anywhere they can be found?
 
Softy said:
Hey, I cringe while butting in here, but I really need the installers for Mavericks and (especially for) Yosemite. Is there anywhere they can be found?
Click to expand...
A local Mac friend, I've heard the Apple Store (call), Amazon, or eBay. Search Amazon or eBay for Mavericks or Yosemite USB installers.
 
Softy said:
Hey, I cringe while butting in here, but I really need the installers for Mavericks and (especially for) Yosemite. Is there anywhere they can be found?
Click to expand...
If you have a machine that shipped with Mavericks originally, it will download the installer to a blank drive with internet recovery.
 
CoastalOR said:
A local Mac friend, I've heard the Apple Store (call), Amazon, or eBay. Search Amazon or eBay for Mavericks or Yosemite USB installers.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. But I'm not looking for ideas about where I might search for them. I'm already doing that. What I should have asked more specifically was "Does anybody out there have these files in his possession, or know for a fact, a place from which they can be downloaded?
[doublepost=1459722952][/doublepost]
Larry-K said:
If you have a machine that shipped with Mavericks originally, it will download the installer to a blank drive with internet recovery.
Click to expand...
Thanks. But none of mine will (I suspect) because the first thing I do with a new (used) Mac is to wipe or replace its hard drive, and install OS X (and everything else I want to run) on it. I would assume that the Internet recovery feature must operate using something that was originally stored on its hard drive, maybe a hidden recovery partition). But then, maybe I should educate myself about Internet recovery.
 
Softy said:
Thanks. But none of mine will (I suspect) because the first thing I do with a new (used) Mac is to wipe or replace its hard drive, and install OS X (and everything else I want to run) on it. I would assume that the Internet recovery feature must operate using something that was originally stored on its hard drive, maybe a hidden recovery partition). But then, maybe I should educate myself about Internet recovery.
Click to expand...
Nope, don't need nothing, just an internet connection, Ethernet or WiFi.

It'll download the basic utilities in a few minutes, and you can format newly installed drives, then the system, I just did it last week for a new TurboTax Mini (Mavericks is the minimum requirement this year).

The downside is that it has to be a machine that shipped with Lion or later, my "New" 2012 Mini downloaded Mavericks without an issue, I was expecting Mountain Lion, so Mavericks may be the new baseline, but it was a welcome surprise.

I always toss the Apple drives as well. I've got a drawer with lots of those junk 2.5" 5400s in it, I was going to give them out for Halloween, but I didn't want the house egged.

There is some recovery partition stuff, but that's for restoring your existing system, and I've never used it. Both procedures are pretty easy to find on Apple's site.

Good luck!
 
Larry-K said:
Nope, don't need nothing, just an internet connection, Ethernet or WiFi.

It'll download the basic utilities in a few minutes, and you can format newly installed drives, then the system, I just did it last week for a new TurboTax Mini (Mavericks is the minimum requirement this year).

The downside is that it has to be a machine that shipped with Lion or later, my "New" 2012 Mini downloaded Mavericks without an issue, I was expecting Mountain Lion, so Mavericks may be the new baseline, but it was a welcome surprise.

I always toss the Apple drives as well. I've got a drawer with lots of those junk 2.5" 5400s in it, I was going to give them out for Halloween, but I didn't want the house egged.

There is some recovery partition stuff, but that's for restoring your existing system, and I've never used it. Both procedures are pretty easy to find on Apple's site.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks for that answer. I'll try to get around to trying that method. But since it's crazy busy around here, I'll probably just stick to the tried and true method of making spare disk clones, I only bothered to install OS X in this case, because the clones were't available.
[doublepost=1459806631][/doublepost]By the way, I've solved this problem and have the Yosemite system back up now. Thanks to everyone for helping.
 
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