My poor sick macbook

[paardenkapper]

Regarding the problem with buying used software that is linked to another Apple-ID.
I think as long as the apple-id has not been sold with the MacBook Pro you do not own the software (Logic Pro?).

Also it seems your MBP is acting strangely and I wouldn't bet on it in the future for any serious projects. Installing

MacOS on a new SSD or HDD is pretty easy even for beginners. If you have no access to another Mac you can use TransMac trial version to create a bootable pendrive with the El Capitan installer.
1) Download the dmg file
2) Format a pendrive with GPT (use diskpart for example)
3) open TransMac and right-click on the formatted drive, restore with disk image with the downloaded DMG

This should create a bootable installer which can be accessed by holding the option key on startup

But there could be a problem with your USB bus or single ports it seems?
So - good luck.

 

[Queen6]

Regarding the problem with buying used software that is linked to another Apple-ID.
I think as long as the apple-id has not been sold with the MacBook Pro you do not own the software (Logic Pro?).

Also it seems your MBP is acting strangely and I wouldn't bet on it in the future for any serious projects. Installing

MacOS on a new SSD or HDD is pretty easy even for beginners. If you have no access to another Mac you can use TransMac trial version to create a bootable pendrive with the El Capitan installer.
1) Download the dmg file
2) Format a pendrive with GPT (use diskpart for example)
3) open TransMac and right-click on the formatted drive, restore with disk image with the downloaded DMG

This should create a bootable installer which can be accessed by holding the option key on startup

But there could be a problem with your USB bus or single ports it seems?
So - good luck.

It needs the drive to be erased, then install Sierra or High Sierra from a USB drive. These notebooks are very particular about OS & firmware the more you mess with them, the more trouble you'll encounter as that's the nature of the design. OS will not allow an install of a lower variant and that's the OP's problem. Internal drive has to be fully erased, then cold booted off a USB installer.


If you dont mess with the 2011 15" they can and do serve you well even in 2023...

Only time it's down is to check the battery and blow out any dust. Other than that it's up 24/7 as it's our offline media server that has never glitched. Battery charge is limited by a script, which looks to have halted the decay.

The 2011 15" MBP is a notebook you either dropped or chose to live with. I opted for the latter and it's been a journey...

Anyone asks about buying one I simply say NO. The 15"/17" 2011 are far too problematic for the average user. Far too many variables with these models, some throttle out the gate, many burnt out the dGPU yet mine seems impervious...

It never throttles just hits the power limit and the fans dont even fully spool up. Why IDK ask Steve Jobs and I'm an engineer by profession. This being a very much a classic case of "dont fix what isn't broken"...

They should all be like this, sadly they were not with the vast majority now being e-waste Word to all just avoid the 2011 MBP's is simpler that way. Trust me on this, chances of picking up a good one is very remote...

Q-6

 

[Macno]

Well I've solved many issues and a brand new one comes along. Using a donor macbook pro I swapped the HD and booted from the USB.

Astonishingly, the software FROM Apple said it was damaged on the USB so I restored El Capitan to the blank drive via Internet Recovery. Done.

Won't boot up when I put it back in original machine. So I went back to donor Macbook and upgraded it on there. Done, recovery partition shows up, looks perfect, boots up fine. High Sierra, brand new - sorted.

BUT, it does not boot up on the original machine! I have my original version with no recovery drive etc. cloned to another HD and that boots up fine. I did CMD/OPT/P/R and did SMC reset. No change.

The progress bar stalls at about 60% and does nothing. I ran in verbose mode and there were no error messages.

I was wondering whether I needed to manually update the firmware or am I missing something? Needless to say, option R does not work on the new drive either.

Edit. Entered final command on verbose mode into Google and found the issue, of course the system files don't have any of the correct machine kexts!

 

[Queen6]

Could very well be a firmware issue. You need to consider carefully before upgrading the OS on one of these older Mac's as Apple tends to also update the system firmware which in some circumstance prevents you to rollback. Especially if you go past Apple's official release of the OS.

If the drive with High Sierra is running good on the donor machine & tests ok yet fails to boot on your notebook there is a fair chance of a firmware mismatch. There's also the possibility of the very common 2011 dGPU failure. If any problem the machine will not start as it needs to see the dGPU HW and function correctly to boot. Which is exactly what killed so many 15"/17" 2011's in the day. Apple knew this in the day and very unfairly refused many extended warrantee, which was plainly just a cheap & dirty move.

If you can source the correct firmware you should be able to flash it back. This is why when asked I just tell people to avoid the 2011 15"/17" MBP as they are simply too much trouble for the average user; Two very different models in the same year with mostly auto destruct dGPU's, they were expensive and kind of still are given the risk.

I would tend to reach out to dosdude1 or MrMacintosh as these guys may be able to get you on a good path. Without having hands on with the notebook it's beyond me. I've obviously kept my own 2011 15" running over the years despite my kid's best efforts LOL, equally I'm very familiar with what's installed and what it runs on a daily basis.

Early 2011's are reasonably easy deal with with just the NVRAM hack to disable the dGPU. Late 2011's way different to get full functionality you need to break out the soldering iron with some level of skill if you disable the dGPU.

Only way I see round it as said is to completely, 100% wipe the drive, erase all partitions then install High Sierra from a USB flash drive. Right now seems like your just fighting the system and Apple is renowned for being stubborn as a mule...

Then you can start to look at the dGPU issue...LOL.

Q-6

 

[Macno]

Cheers for all replies everyone!

I think this is probably last update unless something amazing happens. The High Sierra version on the new HD does have a recovery partition, I finally got the disk to boot into the OS on the sick Macbook and it runs exactly the same as it did before. Slow, glitchy, progressively slows down.

The main thing though, the recovery partition is there as it should be but this Macbook will just NOT boot into it.

"R" does nothing.
CMD R goes into Internet recovery then white screen of death.

I'll see if a firmware change works, can't exactly make it worse. Then, I'm actually considering sticking the board in the oven for 5 mins!

 

[Queen6]

I think it's the firmware as Catalina was not designed with the 2011 MBP in mind. Might be manageable if you can get gSwitch to run and shutdown the dGPU.

IDK, TBH your begging for trouble with the 2011's 15"/17" MBP by default they are problematic, hacking the FW/OS good luck...

Q-6

 

[Macno]

During install from USB...I have had it on verbose mode and it stalls to white screen of death:
Ioconsoleusers gioscreenlockstate 3
Cannot see anywhere how to fix this.