Macbook Pro 2011 only launching in safe boot and install "a required download is missing"

[OllieJR]

Hello all, I recently found this macbook piled up in my Dads garage and thought id take a look at it, there was no HDD, RAM or power supply.
I have installed them my self, with a new SSD and 8GB of ram, upon booting it i noticed there was a graphical issue, so I've disabled the external GPU in the NVRAM through single user mode. This fixed the issue apart from some graphical lag. I was able to install OS 10.6.7 with a lot of work, this was from the original discs.
Now found it won't load after the apple logo, just goes to white screen. Internet recovery mode also does the same.
Safe boot mode did work, so I've tried installing OSX El Capitan, this has some what worked although it said failed to install and then upon reboot kept trying to install it, I can now load the utilities using cmd + r, it also loads up in safe boot mode showing El Capitan working. However when loading normally or in internet recovery it fails (goes to white screen).
Also reinstall using cmd + r does not work as it says "a required download is missing".
Have tried resetting NVRAM and others, also tried changing date back to earlier time to no help.

I downloaded the combo pack too for El Capitan this just stopped the automatic install on normal boot up

I am in fact posting this from safe boot mode on the Macbook haha

I can attach photos if people would like,
Just wondered if anyone had any idea, any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks Ollie


I can wipe this SSD on my PC rig, however I'm not sure what format it needs to be in for reinstall

 

[Fishrrman]

If the MacBook has an OS on it that will boot now, DON'T "wipe it".
Not until you have a replacement that you KNOW works!

It would sure help if you could tell us WHICH MacBook it is and WHAT YEAR it was made.
1. Get booted to the finder however you can
2. Go to "about this mac" (apple menu)
3. If you see "system report" or "more info", try clicking that
4. Apple system profiler (or system info) will open
5. Very top where it says "hardware" -- look at model name and model identifier (top 2 lines)
6. Post what that says here.

If you have El Cap running, I'd just "leave it there" for now, and work on getting a normal boot sequence going.

 

[OllieJR]

Hello, thanks for the help, I’ve just managed to fix it get it to load in normal boot, turns out if you don’t remove the amd.kext files out of extensions during user single mode it still tries to use the amd gpu on boot up.
not sure if the installer is going to work haven’t tried it yet

the serial number on the case says it’s mid 2012

However the serial number on the hardware overview is different here, if been trying to disable the nvidea gpu and is doesn’t have one.

model name is MacBook Pro
Model identifier is MacbookPro8,2

 

[adam01212]

If you have a 2011 macbook pro with a dead GPU the only real way to make it work properly is via using a hardware mod that disables the GPU so the macbook cannot see the failed GPU (or replace the failed GPU by having someone remove the chip from the board and replacing it - but the replacement method will also eventually fail as well - it's not a question of if but when).

I have tried the R8911 mod with the NVRAM variable but it became a hassle every time the NVRAM was reset I would have to use a bootable USB to reset it (as there was literally nothing on the screen as the mac would try and power the graphics card that had no GPUVCORE to the AMD chip (and I lost control of the brightness after reapplying the NVRAM variable).

The only real way to fix this issue is to disable the AMD GPU via dosdude's methods with a DeMux/MuxHat and with a DyingLight modification to the board to restore the brightness control

 

[Joemz Tejedor]

howcan i install my mac os Yosemite i formated my drive and jowbim stuck