Is it possible to do a clean install of Mavericks using Internet Recovery? I tried it and it suggests to install Lion, which is the OS that came with my MacBook Air 2011. But now that Mavericks is free shouldn't it be the only option? Will they update Internet Recovery?
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Internet Recovery and Mavericks
- Thread starter smokesletsgo
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Internet Recovery always downloads the version of OS X that shipped with you Mac. That's how it's always been.
This is interesting actually, Apple should upgrade the Internet Recovery now to provide Mavericks considering its free, makes sense surely?.. or have the option.
Maybe they will now that it's free. I wouldn't want to have to put Lion back on my MBP! Shdder.
+1
Lion doesn't make any sense anymore... If somebody wants it, they can do a fresh install via USB drive.
Lion doesn't make any sense anymore... If somebody wants it, they can do a fresh install via USB drive.
I was able to fresh install via Internet Recovery after first upgrading through the normal install process. I think once you install, a unique identifier is sent telling their servers what OS for Internet Recovery to use. I did this so that Disk Utility could create a fusion drive for me.
I cannot remember them, but there are two unique key combinations to enter internet recovery. One will install the OS your machine shipped with and the other the current OS.
I discovered this on my 13" MacBook that shipped with Lion when I sold it; I was running Mountain Lion but I did not...ahem...actually own Mountain Lion. One key combination would get so far: once I logged in with my Apple ID it would fail because I didn't own Mountain Lion. The other key combination worked as it triggered a Lion restore instead.
Ahhh. So CMD+R is for local recovery which installs current OS and CMD+OPT+R is for internet recovery which installs original OS?
Exactly. cmd-r will boot to the local Recovery HD partition on the drive and reinstall whatever version is now on there, and cmd-opt-r will bypass all that and pull down a recovery utility from the Internet and reinstall whatever version the machine came with.
Just to clarify though, both of these methods download the entire OS over the Internet. The OS itself is not on the Recovery HD partition. The Recovery HD partition is just 650MB and is used to DL the OS.
Until you update - if you install Mavericks and later run Internet Recovery, it will install Mavericks.
I don't believe that is correct. I have seen a couple posts from people saying this, but I suspect they are unclear on the difference and they are really just running a regular recovery from the now Mavericks Recovery HD partition, which will give you Mavericks. But a command-option-r boot bypasses this and gives you Internet Recovery and the OS that came with the system.
I was running Mavericks and did internet recovery, and it asks to install Mavericks. I have a 2012 Air.
If you have a recovery partition (650MB) in place - it installs Maverics (or the system, that is on that partition).
If you don't have recovery partition - it installs Lion (or the system, that was originally on the computer).
The second thing doesn't make sense (anymore).
I was running Mountain Lion and internet recovery downloaded Lion. Haven't tried it with Mavericks installed but I suspect it will do the same.
I have a 2011 15" MacBook Pro. I have Mavericks installed and I just tried using Internet Recovery. For me, Internet Recovery downloads and boots from a Lion recovery image, not Mavericks.
I agree it doesn't make sense for Macs to download Lion or Mountain Lion now that Mavericks is out and is a free upgrade. Apple should update older Macs capable of running Mavericks (specifically ones before 2011/2010) to be able to use Internet Recovery as well as updating every Mac capable of Internet Recovery (2010-present) to download Mavericks from Internet Recovery.
That doesn't make sense. First install Lion and then what? Again run whole thing to get Mavericks? Pff ...
That is my experience as well. I recently restored my 2011 MBA (with Mountain Lion including recovery partition installed) via CMD+r, and it downloaded and installed Lion. I always thought that CMD+r was equivalent to booting with Option and then selecting the Recovery option, but apparently that is not the case for devices with Internet Recovery.
I don't understand it either.
In the beginning I thought Apple would roll this out a few days after Mavericks was released. It seems not.
Could it be a hardware issue (that internet recovery partition (in firmware) was hard coded to Lion)?
1. Internet recovery.
2. Recovery from a recovery partition.
Those are two completely separate things. Recovery partition is always updated by the latest system you install. Internet recovery is not.
It is strange, because in iOS world these things are set in stone. When a new iOS comes out, you cannot (easily at least) ever restore your device to an older version.
