My MacBook has no OS!

[Macfield]

I want to make this brief but concise, as it seems there are so many ways to do what I need help with.

I am using a GIFTED late-2007 MacBook 13" (white.) It was used and purchased for me off of eBay by a friend. Therefore I don't know the original setup of the computer.

It has 4.5 GBs RAM, hence incredibly loud 95% of the time.

When I received it it was installed with OS X Lion 10.7.5

I've had it for three years and besides being loud, it accomplishes things I need to do, albeit, slowly.

Few days ago I wanted to clean it up. I did. Then decided to just clean the drive and reinstall the OS. Thought it'd be easy.

Wrong.

My problem is, I cannot install an OS now.

The late 2007 model didn't have internet recovery. It would take forever anyway.

It does have a recovery drive. Don't know why but it doesn't seem to be working.

I did try a potable USB drive with GUID and installed the Recovery Assistant Installer on it. When I booted up my Mac this time, the recovery HD appeared, I clicked it and it a circle with a line through it.

Apple told me I would need to simply install from a physical disc. I don't live in the city, I don't have anyone around me that has a disc.

I read articles on this website about Lion Disc Maker, etc, but I seem to be confused about something; did my Mac originally ship from Apple with snow leopard? Or Lion?

Which one do I need to install? And what's the best way to do it? Should I have someone just torrent an installer for me and send me a USB in the mail? (I have the worst internet and a low usage cap)
[doublepost=1487950878][/doublepost]Also, I read in order to do a successful HD boot, it needs to be created on the Mac you will use it on. That's a problem for me as I obviously cannot perform any tasks on my Mac without an OS.

 

[KALLT]

This MacBook came with Leopard. To install Lion again, you need a copy of either Leopard or Snow Leopard. You can purchase both Snow Leopard (DVD) and Lion (App Store voucher) directly from Apple:
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion

 

[Macfield]

This MacBook came with Leopard. To install Lion again, you need a copy of either Leopard or Snow Leopard. You can purchase both Snow Leopard (DVD) and Lion (App Store voucher) directly from Apple:
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
https://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion

Thanks for the reply KALLT. A local Apple certified store told me they would not install Lion as it's not secure because of lack of updates now. They would directly install Mountain Lion.

If they would directly install ML, why do I need to purchase Leopord or Snow Leopord before going back to Lion?

If I purchase Lion will it fail to install?

 

[KALLT]

Mountain Lion is not available for a 2007 MacBook. It requires a 64-bit capable CPU.

If Apple can install a copy of OS X for you, then you obviously don’t need to buy anything beforehand. Without their help, you would need to purchase both.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, your "Apple certified store" was incorrect.
Mountain Lion won't install on your 2007 MacBook (without hacks to the installer). A 2007 MacBook will be limited to Lion.
Yes, it's not as secure as later versions of OS X, but you can't upgrade past Lion.

 

[Macfield]

Mountain Lion is not available for a 2007 MacBook. It requires a 64-bit capable CPU.

If Apple can install a copy of OS X for you, then you obviously don’t need to buy anything beforehand. Without their help, you would need to purchase both.

Yes, this isn't exactly what I said to the older gentlemen on the phone. He seemed confused when I told him the 2007 model doesn't support ML. Then he remembered the cutoff date 2007/2008, and said he would trick the system. He said they do it all the time and even have installed Mavericks on the same model I own.

 

[CoastalOR]

As was already mentioned, Lion can be purchased from Apple but they email you a code that allows you to download Lion from the Apple App Store. Unfortunately, that does not help you in your current situation.

A Lion USB installer can be purchased from Amazon or Ebay.
https://www.amazon.com/Mac-OSX-Lion...&sr=8-1&keywords=OS+X+Lion+10.7.5+USB+Install

 

[Macfield]

Yes, your "Apple certified store" was incorrect.
Mountain Lion won't install on your 2007 MacBook (without hacks to the installer). A 2007 MacBook will be limited to Lion.
Yes, it's not as secure as later versions of OS X, but you can't upgrade past Lion.

Thanks delta Mac. I am assuming they are talking about a hack. The owner told me he could probably even get Mavericks to install.
[doublepost=1487952964][/doublepost]

As was already mentioned, Lion can be purchased from Apple but they email you a code that allows you to download Lion from the Apple App Store. Unfortunately, that does not help you in your current situation.

A Lion USB installer can be purchased from Amazon or Ebay.
https://www.amazon.com/Mac-OSX-Lion...&sr=8-1&keywords=OS+X+Lion+10.7.5+USB+Install

So if I have no OS installed currently, I can do a bootable install with Lion. I wouldn't need to do a bootable install with Snow Leopord? That's what I was getting at. I don't want to go through the trouble of figuring out the bootable Lion and then have it not work in the end because I should have done it with Snow Leopord.

 

[keysofanxiety]

Just get them to install Snow Leopard on the machine. Even 10.7 ran like a dog (rather than a lion) on that laptop. 10.8 or later will be even worse; practically unusable unless you've got an SSD.

10.6 will be old but stable. Personally I think 10.7 was one of the worst OSs Apple ever released.

 

[CoastalOR]

So if I have no OS installed currently, I can do a bootable install with Lion. I wouldn't need to do a bootable install with Snow Leopord? That's what I was getting at. I don't want to go through the trouble of figuring out the bootable Lion and then have it not work in the end because I should have done it with Snow Leopord.

The link I posted is a bootable Lion installer on a USB thumb drive. Plug it in to the USB port of your computer, push the Macs power button while holding the Option key. the USB drive will be displayed on screen, select it and press Return. The drive will start the installer, just follow the prompts. Be patient with bootup and install, it takes awhile.
or
You could purchase Snow Leopard install discs from Apple:
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

 

[Macfield]

Just get them to install Snow Leopard on the machine. Even 10.7 ran like a dog (rather than a lion) on that laptop. 10.8 or later will be even worse; practically unusable unless you've got an SSD.

10.6 will be old but stable. Personally I think 10.7 was one of the worst OSs Apple ever released.

It's cheaper to buy SnowLeopors and do it myself than have them do it for me. So just to be straight, if I purchase the SL disc and pop it in my system, I should be able to do it no problem? Never been in a situation before.

 

[KALLT]

Yes. The Snow Leopard disc is bootable and has the installer on it. All you need to do is press option or C when booting.

 

[CoastalOR]

It's cheaper to buy SnowLeopors and do it myself than have them do it for me. So just to be straight, if I purchase the SL disc and pop it in my system, I should be able to do it no problem? Never been in a situation before.

One caveat, in order to install Snow Leopard properly the internal optical drive must be operational. If there is a problem with the internal optical drive and you can not boot from the Snow Leopard disk, then we can re-group and try something else.

 

[Macfield]

One caveat, in order to install Snow Leopard properly the internal optical drive must be operational. If there is a problem with the internal optical drive and you can not boot from the Snow Leopard disk, then we can re-group and try something else.

Good point. I do remember watching a DVD a few months ago. Last question and I'm on my way: would a Snow Leopard Bootable USB work also? I might get that instead of the disc. I don't like discs much anymore.

 

[CoastalOR]

Good point. I do remember watching a DVD a few months ago. Last question and I'm on my way: would a Snow Leopard Bootable USB work also? I might get that instead of the disc. I don't like discs much anymore.

It should work if it is created correctly. The Snow Leopard install software was only distributed on optical disk. There are instructions on the internet on how to make a bootable USB installer for Snow Leopard, but you need to have the install DVD to create the installer. I have seen Snow Leopard USB installers for sale on eBay.

 

[Macfield]

Ok, so I got the USB installed today. A 7-in-1 with Snow Leopard up to Sierra. I installed SL successfully then installed Lion with success.

In the meantime I had a friend install Ubuntu so I could still use my computer and I actually really like it. Too bad I need Logic Pro...

Now, does anyone know how I can upgrade to Mountain Lion without downloading the installer from the App Store? I have it on USB, but most articles Im reading are stating it is a requirement that it comes from the App Store, and cannot be pirated either.

 

[DeltaMac]

You'll need to hack the Mountain Lion installer to get that installed on your2007 MacBook.

You can still purchase Mountain Lion from Apple - http://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion
But, it's a download, and you can't download it unless your Mac can install Mountain Lion natively, which you cannot.
You can go through the hacks on this site.
But, I'm pretty sure that you need the installer app, and the installer that is on the bootable partition that you DO have, may not be any help. I'm just not sure, but there should be clear information on that site for what you need to use the MacPostFactor app.
If YOU can't download it from the App Store, because your MacBook doesn't support it, then get someone else who DOES have a supported Mac to download it for you.
Thought I should mention that you are likely incorrect - a torrent download would work (assuming you find a "safe" download to do that) but you are on your own with that. That's all I will say on that subject.