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Resetting a MBP (13-inch, Early 2011) to original configuration?

I

Imola Ghost

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Mar 21, 2009
1,153
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I am trying to help my younger sister with her older MBP. She wants me to reset it back to its original configuration but she does not have the original install CD disks.

I tried creating a bootable USB drive with macOS Catalina and somehow cannot get it to boot to the USB drive. I hold down OPTION button as the laptop is restarting to get the ability to chose the boot drive and select the external USB drive but it just doesn't do anything. I kind of remember something like this happening with my old MBP that these laptops didn't like or you had to do something in order to boot to a external USB drive but I can't remember.

So I'm wondering if I downloaded the right OS for her system. She is fine with installing the latest supported OS that the laptop will support and I thought Catalina might be it but I could be wrong.

Can anyone help me figure out what I'm doing wrong whether it be the external USB drive or the OS...not sure!

Apples website says its a MacBook Pro (13-inch, Early 2011) Model A1278 based upon the serial number.

As of right now there is NO operating system install as it just boots up to a circle with a slash because we erased the entire drive.

Thank you!
 
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Your hunch is correct - the 2011 13" caps out at 10.13 High Sierra officially. You'd need to download it (easiest way is to use Dosdude's patcher to download the installer) and make a USB drive from that. You can then boot off it and install away :)
 
thanks for the information but what is this Dosdudes's Patcher to download the installer?
 
Ok, Ive found out that I need to start with a full Yosemite install, which I've got downloaded from Apple. It downloaded as "InstallMacOSX.dmg" and when I click on it it opens up as "InstallMacOSX.pkg" and my new laptop won't open it because it says its an older OS.

Ideas as I only have brand new MBP and a iMac running Big Sur also.
 
Doesn't that model support internet recovery to install an OS? Command – Option – R at bootup.
 
justashooter said:
Doesn't that model support internet recovery to install an OS? Command – Option – R at bootup.
Click to expand...

I believe it has some help from the internet but not a recovery. It allows you browse some internet help pages but that’s it as far as I know.
 
macdemon said:
try this link: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201372
Hope this helps
Click to expand...

this is pretty much what I’ve been using. Unfortunately the only access I have with another Mac is a brand new MBP and a iMac both running Big Sur.

It downloads just as it says in that article however since I’m using a newer computer it will not allow me to open it to get it into the Application area. When I open/run the installer it says it cannot allow it because my OS is newer and closes everything.
 
Imola Ghost said:
It downloads just as it says in that article however since I’m using a newer computer it will not allow me to open it to get it into the Application area. When I open/run the installer it says it cannot allow it because my OS is newer and closes everything.
Click to expand...
That's expected. As long as the Install Mac OS app still shows in the Applications folder after you download and quit/cancel, you can procede to the "Use the "createinstallmedia" command in Terminal" section.
 
Also, I'm unclear why you landed on Yosemite? You can create an installer for either High Sierra or El Capitan which will work with the 2011 MBP
 
brianmowrey said:
That's expected. As long as the Install Mac OS app still shows in the Applications folder after you download and quit/cancel, you can procede to the "Use the "createinstallmedia" command in Terminal" section.
Click to expand...

The problem I’m having and it may be my inexperience with knowing what all is going on but once I drag it inside the APPLICATION folder i don’t have an option to see package contents like I’ve had on other times I’ve done this.

Basically my newer computer is not allowing the download to create a install application and put it inside the APPLICATIONS folder. I've dragged it inside there as it was and nothing...its still a .dmg or a .pkg file.
 
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brianmowrey said:
Also, I'm unclear why you landed on Yosemite? You can create an installer for either High Sierra or El Capitan which will work with the 2011 MBP
Click to expand...

this is what Apple tech support pointed me to Install first and then upgrade through the Apple software update once it’s up an running. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
Imola Ghost said:
Basically my newer computer is not allowing the download to create a install application and put it inside the APPLICATIONS folder. I've dragged it inside there as it was and nothing...its still a .dmg or a .pkg file.
Click to expand...
I would just pivot to High Sierra, which will save you having to install OS X twice anyway. If you follow the links for downloading High Sierra in the Apple Support guide on the iMac, after the Software Updater error/quit, Install OS X High Sierra should be in the Applications folder. From there, you can run the terminal command.

Screen Shot 2020-12-02 at 13.43.01.png


Screen Shot 2020-12-02 at 14.05.30.png
 
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brianmowrey said:
I would just pivot to High Sierra, which will save you having to install OS X twice anyway. If you follow the links for downloading High Sierra in the Apple Support guide on the iMac, after the Software Updater error/quit, Install OS X High Sierra should be in the Applications folder. From there, you can run the terminal command.

View attachment 1685380

View attachment 1685382
Click to expand...


Let me give it a shot on my older 2015 iMac. This brand new MBP is not even allowing me to download it from the App Store.
 
Doing this on my 2015 iMac and I was able to download High Sierra directly from the App Store. It went into my Applications folder. I'm not creating a bootable USB drive with High Sierra and we'll know more in just a bit once I boot with the older laptop and the drive in it.

I'm thinking it was because of my new laptop but since using the iMac its working MUCH smoother.

Thanks brianmowrey! I'll let you know if this does it!
 
Using my 2015 iMac was the TICKET!!!!

Worked perfectly like it should. I guess my new laptop doesn't like working with the older OS files which kind of sucks
 
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Imola Ghost said:
Using my 2015 iMac was the TICKET!!!!

Worked perfectly like it should. I guess my new laptop doesn't like working with the older OS files which kind of sucks
Click to expand...
If you ever encounter this again - where you can't download an older OS version - you can download the installers directly from Apple here. In the section entitled, "Download macOS" the second set of links are to the installers directly. (The first set of links go to the Mac App Store.)
 
darkpaw said:
If you ever encounter this again - where you can't download an older OS version - you can download the installers directly from Apple here. In the section entitled, "Download macOS" the second set of links are to the installers directly. (The first set of links go to the Mac App Store.)
Click to expand...
I swear I tried those links and it downloaded as a .dmg once opened it put it at a .pkg but my brand new MBP would not make them into an installer.
 
darkpaw said:
The steps to create a bootable USB installer are here. Did you follow those Terminal commands?
Click to expand...
The problem that the OP is having is caused by the download from the support page that you posted earlier. Yosemite (as well as El Capitan and Sierra) does not download from Apple as an app. You get a .dmg in each case, which opens into an installer .pkg file. That, in turn installs the resulting installer app in the Applications folder, ready to install the system. And, there's the problem. OP can't install because the "brand new MBP" is too new for that installer. The installer won't launch on a Mac that doesn't support the eventual installation of that macOS system version.
That's why the 2015 works for the installer creation, but not the new MBP.
 
OP:

Have you tried using either of these (free) apps:
- Diskmaker X
- Install Disk Creator

???
 
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