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

willyzz

29 posts

Geek

#280683 2-Jan-2021 21:15

Hi everyone, I have recently replaced a failed HDD in my mid-2011 iMac. Physical installation was easy, but cannot boot into macOS/OS X. I understand that my iMac shipped with OS X 10.6.6 Snow Leopard, so it can only be installed on to a new drive with that specific version. I hunted around for the original installer disk to no avail. Next I tried finding .dmg installers so I could boot off of a USB, again to no avail (I currently only have access to Windows machines so ISO disk images are useless). I have no current way to reinstall OS X 10.6.6 on my Mac. Is anyone able to help me obtain either an original SL installer disk for a mid-2011 iMac, or an OS X 10.6.6 .dmg file?

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67 posts

Master Geek

#2629534 2-Jan-2021 21:50

https://archive.org/details/SnowLeopardInstall

willyzz

29 posts

Geek

#2629537 2-Jan-2021 21:53

I have already checked that out, and it seems legit, but the problem is ISO files are useless to me, because I can't convert them to .dmg without a Mac on hand, which I don't have. Thanks anyway though.

SATTV

1648 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#2629539 2-Jan-2021 21:55

I have an early 2011 Macbook and I have done what you have done a couple of times.

Reboot device and boot into recovery mode ( command + R )

Connect to the network and it should prompt to install the OS it was supplied with.

Once you have the OS installed you will need to do an intermediate OS update and then update to the latest OS.

John

I know enough to be dangerous

willyzz

29 posts

Geek

#2629540 2-Jan-2021 22:00

Cheers John, I should have been clearer in my original post. I can't actually boot into recovery mode. It cuts straight to internet recovery, which results in a blank white screen. I wish it was as easy as what you suggested... Thanks for your suggestion though.

1yippy1

67 posts

Master Geek

#2629541 2-Jan-2021 22:04

willyzz: I have already checked that out, and it seems legit, but the problem is ISO files are useless to me, because I can't convert them to .dmg without a Mac on hand, which I don't have. Thanks anyway though.

Google convert iso file to dmg :)

willyzz

29 posts

Geek

#2629542 2-Jan-2021 22:08

Yeah tried converting, but since I'm on a Windows machine, it can't read most of the ISO, and you just end up converting the boot camp files, and not the important ones. Thanks for the help anyway.

Edit: What was your original reply about the Apple Developer Snow Leopard download? Might pursue that avenue...

1yippy1

67 posts

Master Geek

#2629543 2-Jan-2021 22:19

it was a removed link from apple developers site

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

willyzz

29 posts

Geek

#2629544 2-Jan-2021 22:20

So no use then I assume...

1yippy1

67 posts

Master Geek

#2629546 2-Jan-2021 22:28

willyzz: So no use then I assume...

no sorry, did you try to just change/rename the .iso extension to .dmg and then burn to disk ?

rhy7s

623 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2629599 3-Jan-2021 06:32

Can you spare a DVD to burn the *.iso to? I've used the full file with a Zalman *.iso mounting portable drive as well as cutting out some content to make it fit on a single layer physical disc before.

engedib

254 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2629600 3-Jan-2021 07:28

willyzz:

Hi everyone, I have recently replaced a failed HDD in my mid-2011 iMac. Physical installation was easy, but cannot boot into macOS/OS X. I understand that my iMac shipped with OS X 10.6.6 Snow Leopard, so it can only be installed on to a new drive with that specific version. I hunted around for the original installer disk to no avail. Next I tried finding .dmg installers so I could boot off of a USB, again to no avail (I currently only have access to Windows machines so ISO disk images are useless). I have no current way to reinstall OS X 10.6.6 on my Mac. Is anyone able to help me obtain either an original SL installer disk for a mid-2011 iMac, or an OS X 10.6.6 .dmg file?

I have just rebuilt a similar Mac recently, was able to install 10.9 Mavericks as a fresh install, then upgrade it to newer versions.

I can send you those .DMGs if you are interested.

willyzz

29 posts

Geek

#2629603 3-Jan-2021 08:01

I haven't tried renaming iso to dmg as I thought that wouldn't work, and I don't think burning an iso would work for a Mac either. The 10.9 Mavericks dmg might work though. Thanks for all the answers so far.

Shapenz

518 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2629609 3-Jan-2021 08:53

Why not dial up a Virtual Box Mac OS VM on Windows and create the installer from there? The VM part is a bit of a grey area but Google should sort you with a download and go image fairly quickly....