Mid 2011 MacBook Air Mac OSX install problem

[Belm]

I have an old Air that I haven't used primarily in a couple years and forgot the password to. I tried to do the forgot password route but for some reason that didn't work. I ended up booting it up with command+r and using the disk utility to erase the disk. So now, I have an untitled 1 disk that I'm trying to get a fresh install of OS X Lion on.

The Air doesn't read any startup disk now and when I choose the "reinstall Mac OS X option" on the Mac OS X utilities screen, it shows that it will take 2 billion hours and some change to install then it comes back with an error message that says "Can't download the additional components needed to install Mac OS X".

It's connected to my Wifi and shows a strong connection. Any tips?

Edit: I have a new MacBook Pro and am trying to download High Sierra to make a bootable installer USB drive but when I try to download from the App Store it says, "Update not found. The requested version of MacOS is unavailable."

 

[CoastalOR]

Edit: I have a new MacBook Pro and am trying to download High Sierra to make a bootable installer USB drive but when I try to download from the App Store it says, "Update not found. The requested version of MacOS is unavailable."

If "new" MBP is a 2019 then it shipped with Mojave. You can't download the High Sierra installer since the installer app automatically launches after download and it is too old for a 2019 MBP.

I would recommend using this Apple El Capitain link and your MBP to a download DMG for El Capitain (see Step 4), make a USB installer, and use that to install El Capitan on the 2011 MA. Once the MA can boot using El Capitan, the use the MA to download & install High Sierra. Apple High Sierra link

 

[Belm]

So I've found these instructions on creating a bootable USB to install the OS but I've run into a snag. The instructions say to run the installer for El Capitain and Sierra before continuing. I tried both installers but they come back with an error that says the OS can't be installed on my computer. I know that I'm not trying to install them.

I also tried just dragging the file to the Application folder to see if the terminal command worked and it was a no go.

I feel like there's something small that I'm missing.

@CoastalOR - yes, I do have a 2019 MBP

Edit: I tried creating the boot disk via the Disk Creator app that I downloaded and when I select either dmg file I get an error that says "It is lacking the file "Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg"". I've to be missing something here lol.

 

[CoastalOR]

So I've found these instructions on creating a bootable USB to install the OS but I've run into a snag. The instructions say to run the installer for El Capitain and Sierra before continuing. I tried both installers but they come back with an error that says the OS can't be installed on my computer. I know that I'm not trying to install them.

I also tried just dragging the file to the Application folder to see if the terminal command worked and it was a no go.

I feel like there's something small that I'm missing.

@CoastalOR - yes, I do have a 2019 MBP

Edit: I tried creating the boot disk via the Disk Creator app that I downloaded and when I select either dmg file I get an error that says "It is lacking the file "Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg"". I've to be missing something here lol.

I would hold off on Sierra for now. The certificate expired on Oct 24, 2019, the new download will not install on a USB drive (mont point error when using createinstallmedia command). That is why I recommended El Capitan.

Are you trying to Apple instructions in your link are good, but you must all volumes named exactly and all files must be in the exact location as listed in the createinstallmedia command string. Something simpler might be to use the free "Install Disk Creator.app";

Make a Bootable USB macOS Installer Download the update for Big Sur compatibility -

What’s needed for a clean install on a Mac A backup of the disk before it’s erased. Two options are to use Duplicate (a free utility which can copy and paste an entire bootable volume), or Mac Backup Guru (a paid, fully featured backup utility with unique incremental backups capability) for...

macdaddy.io

If you follow the instructions in my post for El Capitan (Step 4), does it download the "InstallMacOSX.dmg" in your Downloads folder?

If you double-click on the "InstallMacOSX.dmg" does mount it and a window opens that shows a "InstallMacOSX.pkg" (Step 5)? If you double-click "InstallMacOSX.pkg" it should install
the Install OS X El Capitan. app in the Applications folder, but not automatically launch it. Get a 16 GB USB flash drive, format it for Mac OS Extender (journaled) GUID. Then use createinstallmedia or Install Disk Creator.app to create a El Capitan USB installer.

At what part in the process are you seeing "come back with an error that says the OS can't be installed on my computer"?

Is it here (after double-click "InstallMacOSX.pkg") and clicking Continue?

 

[Belm]

Thanks for your help!

I've downloaded InstallMacOSX.dmg to the downloads folder. It mounted just fine. When I try to run the InstallMacOSX.pkg if get the following:

 

[CoastalOR]

I guess creating a USB installer for an older OS is not going to work on a 2019 MBP running Catalina (I'm assuming that is the MBP's current macOS from your desktop picture).

Have you tried internet recovery (cmd+option+r) on your MA?

If you can't start up from macOS Recovery - Apple Support

Learn what to do if you can't get your Mac to start up from macOS Recovery.

support.apple.com

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

You can use macOS Recovery, your computer's built-in recovery system, to reinstall the Mac operating system. Reinstalling macOS doesn't remove your personal data.

support.apple.com

 

[Belm]

Thanks again for your help. I ended up using a usb to ethernet adapter and the cmd+option+r to do a reinstall via the internet. Seems to be working just fine now. I guess when I first tried to do it over wireless it was an issue. It's always the little things.