iMAC IOS OS X EI Captain Recovery Help

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maxeon

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#210482 29-Mar-2017 12:39

Hello all,

First time mac user - please excuse any errors in reporting the issue.

I bought a iMac (2008 model) because it was being sold cheap.

The guy that sent me had a password on it (although it was a fresh install of OS X EI Captain).

I tried starting up and using the recovery partition to restore it and it failed because my iCloud account I have does not have a OS X install rights ? the error just says "Temporarily unavailable"

I then tried few steps from the internet from Disk Utility and managed to wipe the Master Disk and load the image from the recovery disk to the master. Now I have NO Operating system and cannot go further.

Since the above happened I spent a lot of time doing these steps.

- Use a USB and download OS X and format it using a tool suggested online and load a DMG image.

- Booting it from USB loads half way and shows a circle with a slash through it and reading about it, it says that is because partitions are not right etc.

I am a bit lost now. Can anyone with experience help me is restoring this system to have a fully working OS X EI Captain and possibly a recovery partition that actually works for the future please?

Appreciate your help.

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#1750078 29-Mar-2017 12:44

This can be a bit tricky - newer machines have Internet Recovery (which doesn't require an Apple account or "purchased" copy of the OS) but no such luck on a 2008. Your best bet might be to find an OS 10.6 install DVD ($30 from Apple, probably cheaper on Trade Me) and use that to get the machine up and running; you can then "purchase" (for free) a copy of 10.11 from the App Store and either do an upgrade or clean install.

Alternatively, if you know someone else with a Mac, you can download 10.11 and use the "createinstallmedia" tool to make a legit USB installer.

maxeon

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#1750082 29-Mar-2017 12:49

Thank you. I have seen OS X 1.6 retail in Apple website for 30 dollars. None found on trademe. If this is the only option I will buy it.

http://www.apple.com/nz/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

RunningMan

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#1750084 29-Mar-2017 12:52

Have you got access to another Mac?

maxeon

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#1750085 29-Mar-2017 12:56

RunningMan:

Have you got access to another Mac?

No. Never had one before. My wife has a iCloud account for her iPhone which I used to login and I get that error "Temporarily unavailable error" as she did not have a MAC before as well.

RunningMan

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#1750095 29-Mar-2017 13:07

Behodar: [snip]

Alternatively, if you know someone else with a Mac, you can download 10.11 and use the "createinstallmedia" tool to make a legit USB installer.

IMHO this is the best way, but you need access to a Mac to create the USB installer.

A quick google suggests there are tools to create it with a PC, but YMMV...

Behodar

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#1750097 29-Mar-2017 13:11

RunningMan: A quick google suggests there are tools to create it with a PC, but YMMV...

It looks like that didn't go to well (first post mentions messing around with DMG files etc).

maxeon: A long shot, but if you happen to be in/near Whakatane then I'm happy to create a USB drive if you bring one around.

maxeon

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#1750138 29-Mar-2017 13:58

Behodar:

maxeon: A long shot, but if you happen to be in/near Whakatane then I'm happy to create a USB drive if you bring one around.

Thank you for the offer. I am in Manukau area so not really possible. I will ask around for help with someone that has a MAC.

Just unsure if ANY mac will do or does it have to be a specific version of mac with specific OS version running?

and Yes - all online articles and forums advise we can create the USB to be bootable using a specific tool and covert it to GPT partition etc, I have tried all that and it only works partially and hangs mid-way with a circle and a dash in that circle ;0)

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dryburn

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#1750153 29-Mar-2017 14:23

Any mac will do. I can help you out if you're in Auckland

CYaBro

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#1750165 29-Mar-2017 14:42

maxeon:

Behodar:

maxeon: A long shot, but if you happen to be in/near Whakatane then I'm happy to create a USB drive if you bring one around.

Thank you for the offer. I am in Manukau area so not really possible. I will ask around for help with someone that has a MAC.

Just unsure if ANY mac will do or does it have to be a specific version of mac with specific OS version running?

and Yes - all online articles and forums advise we can create the USB to be bootable using a specific tool and covert it to GPT partition etc, I have tried all that and it only works partially and hangs mid-way with a circle and a dash in that circle ;0)

Doesn't matter what version of OS X is running on the Mac, however you do need access to an Apple ID / iTunes account that has downloaded the El Capitan installer in the past.

You need this downloaded again to create the USB stick from it, and it will only show up on the list of Purchases if that account had downloaded it in the past.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

maxeon

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#1750202 29-Mar-2017 15:31

CYaBro:

maxeon:

Behodar:

maxeon: A long shot, but if you happen to be in/near Whakatane then I'm happy to create a USB drive if you bring one around.

Thank you for the offer. I am in Manukau area so not really possible. I will ask around for help with someone that has a MAC.

Just unsure if ANY mac will do or does it have to be a specific version of mac with specific OS version running?

and Yes - all online articles and forums advise we can create the USB to be bootable using a specific tool and covert it to GPT partition etc, I have tried all that and it only works partially and hangs mid-way with a circle and a dash in that circle ;0)

Doesn't matter what version of OS X is running on the Mac, however you do need access to an Apple ID / iTunes account that has downloaded the El Capitan installer in the past.

You need this downloaded again to create the USB stick from it, and it will only show up on the list of Purchases if that account had downloaded it in the past.

Thanks for that, I don't think I have an account that has that sort of ability. I found a person at my work that has a MAC, will get him to do it and advise an update on how I go. Thank you all for the help, it was better than searching the internet for answers for sure.

dryburn

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#1750221 29-Mar-2017 15:46

CYaBro:

maxeon:

Behodar:

maxeon: A long shot, but if you happen to be in/near Whakatane then I'm happy to create a USB drive if you bring one around.

Thank you for the offer. I am in Manukau area so not really possible. I will ask around for help with someone that has a MAC.

Just unsure if ANY mac will do or does it have to be a specific version of mac with specific OS version running?

and Yes - all online articles and forums advise we can create the USB to be bootable using a specific tool and covert it to GPT partition etc, I have tried all that and it only works partially and hangs mid-way with a circle and a dash in that circle ;0)

Doesn't matter what version of OS X is running on the Mac, however you do need access to an Apple ID / iTunes account that has downloaded the El Capitan installer in the past.

You need this downloaded again to create the USB stick from it, and it will only show up on the list of Purchases if that account had downloaded it in the past.