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LDA1902

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Total newbie to this and need help. Just bought 2012 unibody MacBook Pro to convert my cd's to Flac files, so only need internet browsing . Bought the thing off eBay 2.5ghz, 4gb, 500gb hd. Came loaded with sequoia cd drive works but can't browse internet to download db power amp and cover art. Google chrome etc won't work. Plan to upgrade machine & install new battery but would appreciate advice before I do it.
 
Total newbie to this and need help. Just bought 2012 unibody MacBook Pro to convert my cd's to Flac files, so only need internet browsing . Bought the thing off eBay 2.5ghz, 4gb, 500gb hd. Came loaded with sequoia cd drive works but can't browse internet to download db power amp and cover art. Google chrome etc won't work. Plan to upgrade machine & install new battery but would appreciate advice before I do it.
This could get more in depth than you might want to go... First, I would connect ethernet cable to the network port on it and see if you get internet then..Connect it directly to your router/switch. It's the RJ45 port right next to the power port. Perhaps your Wifi adapter in that machine isn't working. I had issue with mine but it was the bluetooth part of that card that didn't work. Sent for a replacement. I would also not recommend OCLP/Sequoia on it, especially with only 4gb RAM.. I use OCLP/Sonoma. You need to add RAM to that as the OS patches run in RAM. I bet yours is quite a bit sluggish. I suggest 16gb RAM for it. Make sure you get the right kind if you do. I upgraded mine when I pulled it out of the recycle bin at work. Also changed the HDD to 2tb SATA SSD. Works great. At least get it connected to internet over ethernet. If you can't get internet over ethernet to work, unless you're good at taking things apart and working on devices, I'd suggest getting something newer, or find a local Mac repair shop. I guess it's all how deep you want to get into it and how much money you want to spend on a 14 yr old device.. If you get ethernet working, I would almost suggest doing internet recovery on it to see if you can get Catalina to load and Wifi adapter to work. That is the last Apple supported MacOS version for that model. Of course, if you do go that route, or possibly any route at this point, I hope you have any data backed up somewhere off that machine before you start. Like your Flac files etc you just did. Reloading MacOS going backwards in MacOS versions will wipe your HDD. And really if you go that route, you do want to wipe it totally. I would USB copy any data you don't want to loose off that machine to an external USB HDD that will fit everything. See sig.. That's what I have. My 2012 is a little slower than yours processor wise, but with 16gb RAM and a 2TB SATA SSD, don't notice. I don't use it much. Pretty much only to do the taxes. I garbage picked it..lol. My daily is the 2015MBP always running on desk in home office and I take the 2015MBA to work with me as it's lighter. Both have upgraded 2TB NVMe SSDs in them with adapters. The 2015MBP I leave on Monterey cuz with OCLP/Sonoma-Sequoia, my Apple purchases movies or any other encrypted content will not play with an externally attached monitor no matter what.

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First off, DON'T use Sequoia for that MacBook. Unless you have OpenCore-Legacy Patcher, then you absolutely cannot use that MacBook. Run Internet Recovery, get to macOS Catalina, get OpenCore-Legacy Patcher, and use OCLP to get Sequoia! (Off-topic, but PLEASE note that you won't be able to use any iPods with it when you get it to Sequoia via OCLP. I have experienced iPods communicating to my MacBook Pro, but without the ability to factory reset or RockBox the iPods. The only way to get the iPods to actually work with the MacBook is by using the natively supported macOS's.)
 
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