If I reinstall a Mac (mini), will it be the current OS or what it was shipped with?

Forums › Mac OS › If I reinstall a Mac (mini), will it be the current OS or what it was shipped with?

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#739318 2-Jan-2013 10:41

How did you launch the installer? If it's asking for the ID then you're probably in the 10.8 installer rather than 10.7.

lyonrouge

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#739483 2-Jan-2013 20:55

I can't just create a user ID as it wants credit card details, if I ever needed reassurance that I'm doing the right thing in getting rid of this thing, this is it.

lyonrouge

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#739486 2-Jan-2013 20:57

Behodar: How did you launch the installer? If it's asking for the ID then you're probably in the 10.8 installer rather than 10.7.

Command-R gave me a menu, I launched the installer from there, which I believed would install from the hidden partition, but now it has lead me down a trail of dispair. The only way around it I see is to go an buy a gift card and register with Apple with that. I don't want to use my credit card as that may mean my details are available in the installed operating system, and hence available to whoever I sell this thing to.

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#739495 2-Jan-2013 21:07

The hidden partition now contains 10.8 recovery. You'll need to use the ROM-based recovery but unfortunately I don't remember how to get into it and don't feel like searching for it now (I'm not currently at home).

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#739496 2-Jan-2013 21:08

Have you tried checking Apple Support forum?

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#739510 2-Jan-2013 21:42

chiefie: Have you tried checking Apple Support forum?

Yes, I have read many, all day, and I have requested support from Apple.

I have evolved from indifference to outright hate over this experience. I have created an account for it, and supplied my credit card details (an action I'm sure I'll regret), now it won't install because the account has not purchased Lion! Well of course it hasn't, that was included with it!

I have purchased Mountain Lion, so changed to my actual ID and started the 4 hour download.

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lyonrouge

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#739572 3-Jan-2013 08:24

So the answer to my original question is, neither. It will install any OS you have purchased. By default it will attempt to install Lion, but if you have not purchased an OS then you can't reinstall it.

Behodar

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#739583 3-Jan-2013 08:42

I'm back home and at a real keyboard so I'll explain how this works.

- When you first received the system, it had a 10.7 "main" partition and 10.7 recovery partition. Your system's serial number is registered with Apple as being licensed for 10.7.

- When you install 10.8, the main partition is upgraded and the recovery partition is changed to 10.8.

- Booting into recovery after upgrading to 10.8 will therefore launch 10.8 recovery. It asks for an Apple ID to confirm that you have a licence for the software.

- If you delete the 10.8 recovery partition then try to boot into recovery, then the system will download a new recovery image from Apple. As your computer's serial number is for 10.7, it will download the 10.7 recovery image. This process does not require an Apple ID because it works by serial number.

- Once you're in 10.7 recovery, you can install 10.7.

Having said that, I definitely prefer the days when Apple included restore DVDs!

lyonrouge

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#739586 3-Jan-2013 08:53

I thought I had delete the recovery partition, but it appears not. I went to the disc utility and erased the disc, did this not delete all partitions as it indicated?

Behodar

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#739587 3-Jan-2013 08:55

Hmm, that should have done it. I will admit here that I haven't actually tried it; I'm going by what I've read. When you booted into recovery did you get a picture of a globe with a progress bar? That'll indicate that it was downloading the recovery image rather than using the one on the drive.

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#739592 3-Jan-2013 09:11

Behodar: Hmm, that should have done it. I will admit here that I haven't actually tried it; I'm going by what I've read. When you booted into recovery did you get a picture of a globe with a progress bar? That'll indicate that it was downloading the recovery image rather than using the one on the drive.

No globe, it only started to download after I gave it an Apple ID that had purchased an OS. I used my wifes Apple ID that had only purchased iOS applications and it refused to accept it because it had not purchased "Lion". When I entered mine (which I had purchased Mountain Lion), it then started to download and install Mountain Lion.

I now have this as my install, I'm not sure where the "recovery" is to delete it.

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#739594 3-Jan-2013 09:13

This is not as easy as its sound as apple doesn't like a downgrade. Go into your purchases tab you will see Lion and Mountain Lion. Download a new copy either one will work Lion or Mountain Lion. Now don't install it use this http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/

Run that and use a USB key to create an installer. Once you run the new USB installer it will be wiped clean not tied to any Apple ID.

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lyonrouge

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#739596 3-Jan-2013 09:22

I never purchased Lion as it was in the mini when I bought it, I'm assuming selling this with an OS it has not license for is a breach (although after the past two days of hell I would happily testify before an open court as to what transpired for such a breach to occur).

fellaintga

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#739619 3-Jan-2013 10:32

Apple don't give a crap they sell hardware. But Lion should be under your purchases if you put Lion back on it. Its not like they make it easy to downgrade just put Mountain Lion on it you bought it and it can be used on up to 5 machines. This way just puts a clean install not tied to your ID.

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Behodar

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#739624 3-Jan-2013 10:40

There is no 5 computer limitation but it's only for systems that you own. If you sell the system then the licence would no longer be valid.

(i) to download, install, use and run for personal, non-commercial use, one (1) copy of the Apple Software directly on each Apple-branded computer running OS X Lion or OS X Snow Leopard ("Mac Computer") that you own or control;

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