Help obtaining OS X 10.6.6 Installer Disk for mid-2011 iMac

Forums › Mac OS › Help obtaining OS X 10.6.6 Installer Disk for mid-2011 iMac

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willyzz

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Geek
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#2629946 3-Jan-2021 23:18

I have just been using the downloaded .dmg file. Am I meant to use something else?

Shapenz

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#2629947 3-Jan-2021 23:24

So if you open the image - then open the "Install MacOS Lion/whatever" package - then go to Contents/SharedSupport/ and there is a .dmg in there called 'InstallESD.dmg"

Snow Leopard is different because it was available on DVD - but all subsequent versions of MacOS were App Store Downloads only.

Since you are trying to do this on a PC I'm guessing maybe it isn't copying the correct files from the .dmg onto your USB stick.

TheoM

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#2629948 3-Jan-2021 23:25

Shapenz:

When you are creating the USB installers you are using the InstallESD.dmg file from 'shared support' right? Not the App Store download .dmg ?

He shouldn't need to worry about that till 10.8 Mountain Lion. Anything below that is a copy of a retail DVD

EDIT: I stand corrected. Lion was the first app store only system image

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willyzz

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#2629949 3-Jan-2021 23:32

Ahh okay, so I use TransMac to create a bootable USB using the InstallESD.dmg file with Lion and Mountain Lion, and hopefully it should work

Shapenz

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Ultimate Geek
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#2629950 3-Jan-2021 23:32

Haha - all good you had me scratching my head there for a minute....

willyzz

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#2629951 3-Jan-2021 23:34

Just wanted to check. Will attempt tomorrow morning and update with results. Thanks heaps for the continued help.

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willyzz

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#2629976 4-Jan-2021 08:19

Update:

Made a bootable USB using the OS X 10.7 InstallESD.dmg. Disk recognised, booted into Apple logo with the spinning wheel, only for it to cut to a black screen, and then a continuous blank white screen. Tried the same image on another USB stick, same result.

The blank white screen is appearing after most attempts at an install from various images. Therefore I think that the video card might have failed. I will remove the video card and take a look, and perhaps attempt the trick where you bake it in the oven. Continued thanks.

willyzz

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Geek
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#2630213 4-Jan-2021 13:37

SOLVED!!!!

I completely disassembled my iMac, gave it a much required clean, removed the video card, and baked in the oven at 200 degrees celsius for 8 minutes. Applied some homemade thermal paste (will probably have to change later) and reassembled. I then plugged everything in and booted from the OS X 10.8 InstallESD.dmg, which to my delight brought up the recovery options, I am now happily installing Lion.

Issue: HDD failure and faulty graphics card.

Solution: Replacing HDD and Baking video card in oven at 200 degrees celsius for 8 minutes.

PS, I am aware that the oven baking of the video card is a temporary fix. When I next go into the Mac to apply some proper thermal paste, I plan to swap in an SSD too.

Thank you everyone for your continued support, and help throughout this process, especially to those who supplied me the .dmg files.

FineWine

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Nurse (R)

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#2630221 4-Jan-2021 13:54

Been following this with keen interest for interest sake. 😀

Congratulations and well done. 🥂

May you have many more hours of iMac pleasure. 🖥

PS: I miss out on Big Sur by one minor model number (have 14.2 need 14.4) which apparently has to do with the graphics card and WiFi not supported in 11.*.*

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

willyzz

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#2630223 4-Jan-2021 14:11

Hahaha, took a bit of perseverance, but my instinct said video card, and they were right. Thankfully, after 5 days I am satisfied.

RE Big Sur: That is a real annoyance, does dosdude1 patcher allow you to get Big Sur?

TheoM

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#2630228 4-Jan-2021 14:18

willyzz: Hahaha, took a bit of perseverance, but my instinct said video card, and they were right. Thankfully, after 5 days I am satisfied.

RE Big Sur: That is a real annoyance, does dosdude1 patcher allow you to get Big Sur?

Nope, it doesn't. Apple changed a few things, resulting in a much harder to patch system

e: I'll leave the DMGs available for the next week. Past that, no guarantees

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willyzz

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#2630232 4-Jan-2021 14:26

I downloaded them all, just in case, and I am keeping the Lion USB as it is, as I know it works. Thanks again for your help.

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