Re-installing OSX without DVD?

Audigex · 19 Jul 2013 at 10:33

Hey

I'm about to reformat my Macbook (White, Mid-2010) for the first time. I'm not sure where my original install media is.

I've heard there's an option to use something like CMD+OPT+R on boot which loads a restore partition... but I'm intending to switch to an SSD I've just bought off the MM, so I won't have the correct partition.

Is it possible to make a recovery DVD from the existing HDD and then use that to install onto the SSD, or am I limited to just finding my original copy of the DVD (which is about 300 miles away) and using that?

Deleted member 77746 · 19 Jul 2013 at 10:39

Just get a copy of the OS you have now on the laptop and then create a USB boot stick.

Have a read here.

http://www.apple.com/uk/osx/recovery/

Tunney · 19 Jul 2013 at 13:22

What version of OS X were you running? You can do an Internet recovery on Lion and Mountain Lion.

morkfromork · 19 Jul 2013 at 16:45

When i took mavericks off my iMac i just put mountain lion onto an external hard drive and did it from there. There are loads of how to's on the net if you have a look. Was really easy to do.

uniQ · 19 Jul 2013 at 17:02

Ignore above posts (they're all Lion/ML related and not applicable to Snow Leopard). Download Carbon Copy Cloner > Profit.

Audigex · 22 Jul 2013 at 10:56

The problem with Carbon Copy Cloner etc is that I actually want a clean install - I've gunked the drive up a bit over the last 2 and a half years of Uni+personal development: now that I'm working I want the laptop to become a hobby development machine focused very differently to the previous use.

I'm running Lion or Mountain Lion (I can't remember which), if that helps? Or will my restore partition still contain Snow Leopard? (If present at all). I vaguely remember seeing a "Recovery HD" somewhere, but that may be on my Girlfriend's newer MBP, not my MB.

My girlfriend's MacBook Pro is definitely either Lion or Mountain Lion and didn't come with a disk, would I be able to use a disk created from her machine to re-install on mine? Or will I only be able to re-install Snow Leopard and upgrade from the App Store?

ChrisD. · 22 Jul 2013 at 13:10

If you have a license tied to your Apple ID, just boot it up and press CMD + R and it will launch internet recovery and you can install from there.

uniQ · 23 Jul 2013 at 18:53

Audigex said:
The problem with Carbon Copy Cloner etc is that I actually want a clean install - I've gunked the drive up a bit over the last 2 and a half years of Uni+personal development: now that I'm working I want the laptop to become a hobby development machine focused very differently to the previous use.

I'm running Lion or Mountain Lion (I can't remember which), if that helps? Or will my restore partition still contain Snow Leopard? (If present at all). I vaguely remember seeing a "Recovery HD" somewhere, but that may be on my Girlfriend's newer MBP, not my MB.

My girlfriend's MacBook Pro is definitely either Lion or Mountain Lion and didn't come with a disk, would I be able to use a disk created from her machine to re-install on mine? Or will I only be able to re-install Snow Leopard and upgrade from the App Store?

If you have a recovery partition it will contain SL. If you don't and you wan't a clean installation then you need the SL DVD £14:
http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

ChrisD. · 23 Jul 2013 at 20:07

As above though it can be done without the install media over the internet.

http://www.apple.com/uk/osx/recovery/

Unsure if it's built into the OPs Mac though.

If not this will work:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1433

Audigex · 30 Jul 2013 at 11:19

Thanks chaps, I've decided to wait until I've had my lid/screen repaired on warranty before swapping my SSD in and re-installing, so I'll let you know how it goes. I won't be wiping the Apple disk until I've got it working anyway, so worst case I'll always be able to swap it back.