Erased HD via recovery mode, now can't install MacOS

[BMWe24]

I have a mid-2009 MBP (i know) and I wanted to erase and reinstall Mac OS to hopefully improve performance and also get ready sell/remove from service (wanted all personal info erased). I went into recovery mode and erased the HD and then tried to reboot it and it failed during reinstallation of the Mac OS X. I'm pretty sure I had El Capitan (the latest supported OS with a mid-2009 MBP. I will show you the errors I received during attempted reinstall, as well as what my disk utility looks like. I have no idea why it's failing, but I also tried to download the installation software onto a thumb drive to use as a startup disk, but for some reason I am unable to download the software from this Apple site (I'm using my other MBP, a mid-2012, to try to download the installation software from the Apple site). Any idea what I'm doing wrong or what else I could do?

 

[chscag]

Try running First Aid on the drive. Boot to Recovery again, select Utilities, Disk Utility, and run First Aid on your Macintosh HD. Let us know what it says. It could be that the drive is defective which may be the reason you can't install.

 

[BMWe24]

I just tried running first aid on the Macintosh HD and it just said 'the first aid process has failed'. I tried running first aid on the Hitachi drive and it was successful. So this means my HD is bust? Even if it was working ok before the wipe?

 

[chscag]

Running a successful First Aid on the Hitachi does not tell us anything about the drive other than it's mounted. The Macintosh HD partition is your actual drive where everything is installed and where any new macOS has to be installed.

The fact that First Aid failed on the Macintosh HD partition means the drive has likely failed. A 2009 MacBook Pro has had a long life and that drive has lasted over 10 years. You had a good run. Time to replace the drive if you intend to keep using that machine.

 

[BMWe24]

I completely agree that the HD lasting over 10 years was phenomenal. Is El Capitan the most updated OS I can get on that machine, regardless if I install a SSD? Also, why was I having an issue downloading the OS installation software from Apple's website? It seems rather pointless to try to get a new SSD if I can't install an OS.

 

[chscag]

Yes, El Capitan (macOS 10.11.6) is the most updated version that can be installed. You should be able to download El Capitan and install it. According to this Apple KB article you can download it direct from Apple:

How to download and install macOS – Apple Support (UK)

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

However, you probably should decide whether or not you want to spend $$ on a machine that is going on 10 years old. Also, we recommend changing out the SATA cable the same time you install a new drive. You can purchase the SATA cable from www.ifixit.com or www.macsales.com.

 

[BMWe24]

I've tried downloading it from that site, but it doesn't actually work. I tried on my PC and my other mid-2012 MBP. Did you try the El Capitan link?

Upgrades are usually around $50 right? Thanks for the tip

 

[chscag]

It should have worked for you. I can't download El Capitan because my machine is too new for it. I can only download Mojave and later. Let me see if I can find another link. Your PC won't work, so forget that. If you're running a version of macOS equal to or later than El Capitan on your 2012 MBP, it won't allow the download.

Try the Mac App Store again from your 2012 to see if it downloads. If you get it to download, you can make an installer with a flash drive and later on install it to the older MBP.

As for upgrade cost, it depends. If you add the price of an SSD and SATA cable, you're probably going to spend around $150 to $200.

 

[chscag]

Okay, i found another link which allowed me to download El Capitan. Try this:

How to download OS X El Capitan from the App Store even if never downloaded before macOS Sierra was released or purchased is grayed out

I know that in the past if I've previously downloaded OS X El Capitan from the App Store I could download it again from the Purchased tab in the App Store, however now that macOS Sierra is out I'm ...

apple.stackexchange.com

 

[MarkAllread]

I just tried to download El Cap from that site and it worked fine for me. (I'm running Sierra)

Suggestion..I don't know if both your Macbooks have FW ( I think they do). Connect them with a FW cable. Boot up your 2012 into the OS, then start your 2009 pressing the T key. Your 2009 will boot as a hard drive that should appear in your 2012 Finder. (Target mode)
If it doesn't mount, then the drive is very likely kaput. If it does, then you should be able to run First Aid from your 2012 on the drive and install the OS from that if you can get it. If your 2012 is running El Cap, you can even uses recovery mode from that machine.....just another option to consider.

 

[BMWe24]

My 2012 MBP is running High Sierra. I tried downloading the El Capitan installer from this link (https://apps.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12), which took me to the App Store where it said I could download El Capitan, and then when i clicked it, it said I could not download it because "OS X can’t be installed on “WD Blue 500GB SSD” because the version of macOS is too new." How did you guys get around this?

 

[BMWe24]

Also, when i tried to repair the 2009 MBP HD, the reason it gave for the first aid failing was 'unable to unmount volume for repair'. If that helps diagnose anything

 

[MacInWin]

You cannot repair the drive from which you are booted. To repair that drive, you need to boot from something else, either an external bootable drive or a recovery partition.

 

[MarkAllread]

Or you can use Target Disk Mode as I suggested above

 

[BMWe24]

You cannot repair the drive from which you are booted. To repair that drive, you need to boot from something else, either an external bootable drive or a recovery partition.

Gotcha.
I found a website (https://justapplestuff.com/mac-os-x-yosemite-download/) where I downloaded Yosemite. I put in on a USB drive after reformatting the drive in Mac OS Extended Journaled. I then plugged the drive into the 2009 MBP and held option and I don't see the bootable drive. This is what I see on the 2009 MBP. Did I create the bootable drive correctly? For some reason, I don't think the bootable USB drive looks right as I view it in Utilities on the 2009 MBP. I also tried resetting the PRAM on the 2009.

Or you can use Target Disk Mode as I suggested above

I will do this, but I don't have a FW cable. Just ordered one though, so I want to keep pursuing other solutions.

 

[MacInWin]

I put in on a USB drive after reformatting the drive in Mac OS Extended Journaled. I then plugged the drive into the 2009 MBP and held option and I don't see the bootable drive.

What is OS/X Installer? The one the arrow is pointing to? If that is bootable, is that the Yosemite bootable?

It's more than just copying the installer to a USB stick, you have to create a bootable USB that has the installer on it. If that OS/X Installer is it, then go here: https://diskmakerx.com/download/ and get the Diskmaker for Yosemite (I think it's Diskmaker 6.) Then follow the directions it gives to make the USB bootable and with the installer on it. Boot holding down Option until the drives show up and the USB should appear. Follow the directions to install Yosemite.

 

[MarkAllread]

That screen only shows bootable volumes. A USB stick that had stuff on it but wasn't bootable wouldn't show up. What happens if you try to boot from "OS/X Installer"??
If that fails, then you need to follow MacInWin's recommendation.

 

[BMWe24]

What is OS/X Installer? The one the arrow is pointing to? If that is bootable, is that the Yosemite bootable?

It's more than just copying the installer to a USB stick, you have to create a bootable USB that has the installer on it. If that OS/X Installer is it, then go here: https://diskmakerx.com/download/ and get the Diskmaker for Yosemite (I think it's Diskmaker 6.) Then follow the directions it gives to make the USB bootable and with the installer on it. Boot holding down Option until the drives show up and the USB should appear. Follow the directions to install Yosemite.

Gotcha. So I did that, and got the USB drive to show up as OS X 10.10 Install Disk in the 2009 MBP Utilities. Then I tried restarting and held alt/option to choose the USB drive but it still doesn't show up. What am I missing here?

That screen only shows bootable volumes. A USB stick that had stuff on it but wasn't bootable wouldn't show up. What happens if you try to boot from "OS/X Installer"??
If that fails, then you need to follow MacInWin's recommendation.

When I boot from OS/X Installer it tries to install OS X (no name other than that) and ultimately fails. When I tried booting from the Recovery drive it tries to install El Capitan, but also fails (it does get further than the OS/X installer attempt).

 

[Quinten]

Hello,
Your problem is an easier fix than you think.
Use the recovery to boot in the installer for OSX El Capitan.

1. use disk utility and clean drive you will install on...
2. Connect to a wifi or plug in ethernet and download os x It will download and then try to install itself and then fail with no packages were eligible message with option to restart ....
3. shut off wifi (top right) or unplug ethernet cord
4. go to utilities -terminal- type this and only this, date 0115124517
5. it will show new date with new time it should be jan 1 12:45 2017
6. now hit restart ( wifi will reconnect automatically)- if using ethernet hit reset and connect ethernet cord

This problem lies in the El Capitan installer and not on your machine I have run into this issue multiple times with my old Macs.
Of course a 10 year hard drive is not one to be trusted with your important family photos but if no errors are on the disk you should just be able to use it.

 

[BMWe24]

You cannot repair the drive from which you are booted. To repair that drive, you need to boot from something else, either an external bootable drive or a recovery partition.

I inserted my USB drive and was able to repair the main Mac HD, and it was successful. So it appears my main HD is still good