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Unorthodoxcreations

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 13, 2015
9
0
I tried to install the Yosemite update on my wife's MacBook Pro that she has been prompted with forever. Being dumb I didn't check the requirements beforehand. Now I'm stuck in a loop of and install that won't complete. The computer is a 2010 and it meets all hardware requirements but it was on OSX 10.4. Now I'm stuck in a install loop that won't complete and I can't get the computer back to normal to install 10.6 which I believe is my problem. If I go into the Disk Utility I see disk 1 OS X Install ESD and disc 2 OS X Base System. Is one of those the attempted Yosemite install that I can delete and back to normal or how else can I fix this?
 
What method were you using to attempt the install? It sounds like you were using a bootable USB drive with the installer built to it to complete the install. Did you erase the partition before starting the install (with data backup before obviously)? There is no other direct path to 1010 from 10.4, you would need to go to 10.6.8 then install Yosemite from the Mac App Store.
 
What method were you using to attempt the install? It sounds like you were using a bootable USB drive with the installer built to it to complete the install. Did you erase the partition before starting the install (with data backup before obviously)? There is no other direct path to 1010 from 10.4, you would need to go to 10.6.8 then install Yosemite from the Mac App Store.

I was trying to install via iTunes. I didn't do anything before trying to download directly from iTunes. I now realize I need to be on 10.6.8 but I can't get the computer to do anything but try and install Yosemite. If I could get the computer to boot like normal I would go buy 10.6.8
 
Do you have another Mac at your disposal that has the Mac App Store on it? If so, have an 8 GB or larger flash drive that you can wipe/format. Use that Mac to download the Yosemite installer - it can be done even if Yosemite is on the machine, and can also be done even if you have no intention of installing Yosemite on that machine if it doesn't have it. Once it downloads and the installer opens, quit the installer.

Follow this guide to create the install drive. Boot the 2010 MBP (holding Option during boot and with the USB drive plugged in) and select to boot from the flash drive. This will start the installation of Yosemite.
 
I was trying to install via iTunes.
You must mean the App Store. All that happens is that it downloads the installer and then launches it. Once you start the installation you have to wait for it to finish. It sounds like you're not letting the install finish.
 
Do you have another Mac at your disposal that has the Mac App Store on it? If so, have an 8 GB or larger flash drive that you can wipe/format. Use that Mac to download the Yosemite installer - it can be done even if Yosemite is on the machine, and can also be done even if you have no intention of installing Yosemite on that machine if it doesn't have it. Once it downloads and the installer opens, quit the installer.

Follow this guide to create the install drive. Boot the 2010 MBP (holding Option during boot and with the USB drive plugged in) and select to boot from the flash drive. This will start the installation of Yosemite.

I don't have another Mac but could possibly borrow one. Does this process solve my problem? I thought I need to get 10.6.9 before I can go to Yosemite. I really just want to get back to 10.4 for now if possible.
 
No need for 10.6.8 or 10.6.9 with this process. Those would be needed if you were going to use the Mac App Store download and install process without the USB. FOR SURE I would make sure there is a complete current backup of all the needed data before embarking on anything.

You must mean the App Store. All that happens is that it downloads the installer and then launches it. Once you start the installation you have to wait for it to finish. It sounds like you're not letting the install finish.

If the Mac has 10.4 on it, there is no Mac App Store to initiate the download.

Here is Apple's document for OS X recovery. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

Again, with 10.4 on the computer there is no Internet Recovery as that was introduced with, I believe, Mountain Lion (possibly Lion).
 
If the Mac has 10.4 on it, there is no Mac App Store to initiate the download.

Good point, which makes his reference to iTunes even curiouser.

Again, with 10.4 on the computer there is no Internet Recovery as that was introduced with, I believe, Mountain Lion (possibly Lion).

Also true. So he needs to reinstall from external media.
 
Maybe it's not 10.4. I thought that's what I saw but maybe not. It's a 2010 MacBook Pro that has never had any OS updates that I'm aware of. It's my wife's and she is the type to just ignore updates until forced to do something. I thought I was helping her but all I've done is give her a computer that doesn't work. Below is the screen I get when installing.
ResN2xp.jpg


This is the hardware
lS90AZO.jpg


Software
kHsT5Vy.jpg


This is what I see in disk utility
DQr4SMq.jpg
 
It says the file system is messed up. That means you should erase the disk using Disk Utility. After that's done, the install should work.
 
My friend, that computer most likely shipped with OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) and it is definitely capable of running Yosemite. Which means that the new OS was downloaded via the Mac App Store.

Just to be sure. How did you get the install file? Is it on a thumb drive? Or was a it a notification prompting you to install the new operating system? Becase then the installer is stored in your hard drive.

You could try erasing the disk, which means losing all your stored data, and then reinstalling Snow Leopard using the CD's that came with the computer, if you have them.

Or you could try and salvage your installation, for that you'll need to look some documentation online.
 
It says the file system is messed up. That means you should erase the disk using Disk Utility. After that's done, the install should work.
Would that erase all data and if do is there a way I can back up data first or is it too late for that? I have some spare external harddrives.
 
My friend, that computer most likely shipped with OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) and it is definitely capable of running Yosemite. Which means that the new OS was downloaded via the Mac App Store.

Just to be sure. How did you get the install file? Is it on a thumb drive? Or was a it a notification prompting you to install the new operating system? Becase then the installer is stored in your hard drive.

You could try erasing the disk, which means losing all your stored data, and then reinstalling Snow Leopard using the CD's that came with the computer, if you have them.

Or you could try and salvage your installation, for that you'll need to look some documentation online.
The computer has been promoting for an install for a long time do I went ahead and did that via the mac store. Is it too late to back up the data somehow? I don't mind doing a clean install but my wife would not be thrilled to lose her data as of course it's not backed up.
 
I was able to get the computer to boot like normal via the original installation CD. I then did a backup using Time Machine. Now I would like to attempt the Yosemite install again. Any suggestions for the best way to do that now that I'm not worried about losing any data?
 
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