Bootable Maverick for installation on replacement HDD

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dpw

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#142682 20-Mar-2014 18:57

Hi folks,

My partner's early 2011 MBP 15" has finally killed its HDD. I have no problems with the physical procedure of replacing the drive but the OS install has got me stumped. It seems I need a bootable media (USB/DVD) for this purpose. However, we don't have another Mac in the house. How do I go about creating an install media without a Mac? Or perhaps a kind Mac person in ChCh or North Canterbury can help me create the needed installation media?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
D.

Android user, software developer, a semi-typical (not a gamer) geek, and a Bernese Mountain Dog nut!

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CYaBro

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#1010085 20-Mar-2014 19:26

Have you tried doing an internet recovery?
I think your model will support it.

With the new drive installed just turn the macbook on and wait and it should come up with a globe on the screen, where the apple logo normally is.
Then it should give you a screen where you can connect to your wifi network and then it should boot into the OSX recovery using the Apple's servers on the internet.

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dpw

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#1010089 20-Mar-2014 19:29

CYaBro: Have you tried doing an internet recovery?
I think your model will support it.

With the new drive installed just turn the macbook on and wait and it should come up with a globe on the screen, where the apple logo normally is.
Then it should give you a screen where you can connect to your wifi network and then it should boot into the OSX recovery using the Apple's servers on the internet.

Hah! I did think about the recover but, for some odd reason, I thought the recovery partition is on the dead drive! Sounds like it's separate and I can boot into recovery even with a new blank drive?

If that's the case then my problems are solved - hopefully...

Android user, software developer, a semi-typical (not a gamer) geek, and a Bernese Mountain Dog nut!

http://savitarbernese.com | https://nz.linkedin.com/in/danywu

CYaBro

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#1010094 20-Mar-2014 19:41

Normally there is a recovery partition but if it isn't there the mac should automatically try the internet.

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jonolynn

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#1010173 20-Mar-2014 21:12

I'm in Christchurch and can make you an install USB stick if you need, well you will need to supply the USB stick I think you need an 8Gb or larger. Let me know via PM.

tardtasticx

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#1010251 20-Mar-2014 22:36

Your mac won't need a hard drive in it to access recover partition, its in the BIOS or something, or some mini OS. When my MBA2012 had its SSD die I was still able to boot into recovery and download the installer online, run it in the RAM, open disk utility there and see if the SSD as showing (it wasn't, I lost everything ;) ). Makes it very very very easy if you need to replace a hard drive. It doesn't even need a ethernet connection either, it prompts for wifi credentials if you aren't connected to ethernet.

dpw

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#1010253 20-Mar-2014 22:39

tardtasticx: Your mac won't need a hard drive in it to access recover partition, its in the BIOS or something, or some mini OS. When my MBA2012 had its SSD die I was still able to boot into recovery and download the installer online, run it in the RAM, open disk utility there and see if the SSD as showing (it wasn't, I lost everything ;) ). Makes it very very very easy if you need to replace a hard drive. It doesn't even need a ethernet connection either, it prompts for wifi credentials if you aren't connected to ethernet.

I'm interested in the "...run it in the RAM" bit. You mean you downloaded Maverick (or whatever version) installer (dmg?) and somehow ran it in RAM? How did you do that?

Android user, software developer, a semi-typical (not a gamer) geek, and a Bernese Mountain Dog nut!

http://savitarbernese.com | https://nz.linkedin.com/in/danywu

tardtasticx

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#1010276 20-Mar-2014 22:43

dpw:
tardtasticx: Your mac won't need a hard drive in it to access recover partition, its in the BIOS or something, or some mini OS. When my MBA2012 had its SSD die I was still able to boot into recovery and download the installer online, run it in the RAM, open disk utility there and see if the SSD as showing (it wasn't, I lost everything ;) ). Makes it very very very easy if you need to replace a hard drive. It doesn't even need a ethernet connection either, it prompts for wifi credentials if you aren't connected to ethernet.

I'm interested in the "...run it in the RAM" bit. You mean you downloaded Maverick (or whatever version) installer (dmg?) and somehow ran it in RAM? How did you do that?

I don't quite know exactly. All I did:
Power computer, boot into recovery.
Log into wifi network. Automatically downloads latest version of OS X Installer (I have not clicked anything at this point, and my SSD is completely dead).
OS X installer starts up, load disk utility.
SSD still not showing at this point, no other storage devices connected what so ever.

So unless its holding the installer program in the RAM, I don't know how else it can be doing that as it has no local storage. Obviously I couldn't proceed with the install at that point because of that same reason.

In the past when I've used it, it downloads the OS as it runs through the install, obviously it would save this to the HDD as you would need to select a target drive when doing the installation options.

But no point during this install did I select any type of file, or make any selections other than wifi settings to get the installer. It was all automatic after booting recovery menu.