MacOS X Lion install

Forums › Mac OS › MacOS X Lion install

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14116 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4578

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#319491 29-Apr-2025 21:43

Got given a 2012 Macbook Pro, and in my wisdom thought Id give it a fresh start by reinstalling the OS.

But no.... hit a snag.

So, need a Mac guru to assist please :) My Google fu keeps leading me down dead ends..........

Mac is connected via ethernet - first time around, it appeared to download the OS.

Then gave me this screen.... hooray I thought.

But then gave me this screen.

When I get into the Disk Utility I get this.

Can someone point me in the right direction please ? :) Like to get this thing going......

TIA

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

MaxineN

Max
2049 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1663

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#3369013 29-Apr-2025 22:12

Just recently restored a early 2011 MBP.

Lion doesn't work outright because it doesn't exist in the recovery server (but you can still manually download it).

High Sierra (probably the latest) also doesn't work because it's broken!

I had to do the following:

Break the Apple EULA by installing it on unsupported hardware (aka a proxmox VM).

Use opencore to download, patch and boot my target Mac with Sequoia (the absolute latest and it runs for the most part well, minus hardware acceleration).

It taking over a few hours to build the open core boot install because I used a 2.5 inch external HDD.

Good look Gav. ;)

Ramblings from a mysterious lady who's into tech. Warning I may often create zingers.

Behodar

11096 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6075

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3369016 29-Apr-2025 22:22

Do you have a bootable OS now, or have you already wiped it?

snj

305 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 221

#3369020 29-Apr-2025 22:39

Sierra/High Sierra can be fixed using the instructions at https://mrmacintosh.com/fixed-an-error-occurred-while-preparing-the-installation-macos-sierra-recovery-error/#more-8144 - I went through this with my old Macbook that I had wiped clean a while back to debug something for a family member.

Similar process might work for an older version of macOS?

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14116 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4578

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3369044 30-Apr-2025 06:53

Behodar:

Do you have a bootable OS now, or have you already wiped it?

No bootable OS :(

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

nedkelly

666 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 104

Trusted

Subscriber

#3369061 30-Apr-2025 08:29

xpd:

Behodar:

Do you have a bootable OS now, or have you already wiped it?

No bootable OS :(

Hi XPD, if you PM me I still have my massive collection of older Mac OS X installers, could also build you a Lion or even Mountain Lion USB and drop it off to you.

Though why are you doing Lion? Thats quite old even for a 2012, Im still running a 2010 with a 1TB HDD for my photo library and I swear I got it up to 10.12/13, both of which I can also build you a USB for.

Behodar

11096 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6075

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3369067 30-Apr-2025 08:47

A 2012 can run up to 10.15.

Geekzone

Want to support Geekzone and browse the site without the ads? Subscribe to Geekzone now (monthly, annual and lifetime options).

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14116 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4578

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3369072 30-Apr-2025 09:08

Thanks, have contacted nedkelly, we'll get a solution together and get this going ;) Cheers

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

muppet

2642 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1660

Trusted

#3369166 30-Apr-2025 14:11

I was given a free Macbook Air 2011/12 (can't recall which) earlier this year.

Took it home and after a lot of stuffing around - I can't even recall all the steps I had to do to get it working... It was terrible.

It was SO slow. Chrome wouldn't go past a certain (Very old) version, so I was stuck with Firefox etc.

It was such a slow, horrid experience (the battery life was ~20m a well) I thanked the person who gave it to me, but gave it back to them.