How to Install OS X or macOS onto a new blank Hard Drive (Fresh Installation)

[@njtom00]

Thank you for a great video. I had a Mac Mini that a neighbor had from her son. It did not have the recovery partition or a supervisor account. I formatted the drive but was unable to install a new OS. Your video allowed me to clone my Mac to a usb drive and then boot into the Mini. Success, not to clean it up as if to sell and let her set it up as she needs to. Thanks again, I learned a few things about the issues with newer OS and Carbon Copy and SuperDuper.

[@KeywordManagement]

Really appreciate this video. I've done tons of installs over the years using CCC and / or TimeCasule on my own machines, but never a clean install on a new drive for someone else's machine. Trying to help a friend install new SSD and this will help me get the job done.

[@DreamerVic]

Still watching in 2022. Great vid

[@nikkilesley2525]

This video is now a couple years old. But you still saved me! Thank you so much!

[@paulomatusse2228]

"Thank you so much for your tutorial, it solved my issue. I had been trying to fix my laptop problem for a week with no success. Best of luck to your channel. You've gained a new subscriber."

[@undercrackers56]

Thank you for your tip on changing the date and time. I was struggling to install High Sierra onto my 17" Macbook Pro (A1297). The install process stopped with the error Install "MacOS Application is Damaged...". I learned that this was due to an expired certificate. So I used your information to change the Macbook date and time to something shortly after High Sierra, disabled WiFi and tried again. This time the install worked. Thanks again and I hope my information helps someone else with the same problem.

[@TannerShootsFilm]

4 year old video and I am going to do this today! I installed a new SSD in my 2017 iMac 5k Retina. I have a Macbook Pro M2 now, but would still love to use my iMac as a secondary. It absolutely will not install Sierra using wifi. So FINALLY ordered a bootable USB and it get's delivered tonight. So glad I saw the date change info...

[@johne1599]

The only video I've encountered that goes over all 3 methods in a single video. Very well done!!

[@MrDmitry1981]

This is the clearest tutorial. First part (cloning) is invaluable.

[@Distop_]

It is useful if your old HDD still works and you want to upgrade it to SSD

[@carloskelly6235]

Sir !!! You are the man!!! I have been stuck for the last few days... with a ton of errors on install. Your date change trick worked like a charm!!! Thank you so much!

[@ryce_jnes]

who watching this in 2020 use the first method, Thanks so much the first method works.

[@kpsitwala1]

Thank you recovered my by mistake formatted and locked NVMe ssd with my older version of macOS after 10 days of struggle

[@rishivilogs-ss3pw]

Thanku so much this Help for me have good Experience for me

[@rishivilogs-ss3pw]

You are great Sir👌👌👌👌

[@johnstamp1837]

I had been struggling for several days trying to install el capitain with no success. The tip about the error and changing the date via terminal worked great. Install done very quickly after that. Great video and advise. A big thank you.

[@alaminshuvo3815]

I can't thank you enough! The idea of changing the date in terminal was a life saver!

[@HamadAllo]

thank you so much, the shortcut alt+command+R saved me a whole 3 day searching for DMGs!!

[@WorldvsTruth]

Method 1 implemented successfully. After struggling 15+ hours with multiple bootable usb downloads, working in terminal changing the date, cutting the internet connection, multiple attempts using both Recovery methods ... I finally said "I've exhausted all possible solutions with this approach. I need a better idea, something more efficient." And there it was. Here, I found it. It took me more than 2 days to realize I had all the equipment needed to solve the problem. Thank you very much. For the record: My late 2011 MacBook Pro will stay with El Capitan until the day it dies. Have a blessed day. 🙏🏽

[@GRIBSOFT]

Thanks for sharing and I'm glad the video helped.

[@markmiller7426]

Had a 2012 MacBook Pro which had a hdd puke out on me and could not extract info...Installled a new blank SSD thanks to this video and so far works great...

[@itsicee2693]

You're a life saver. I installed windows on mine and deleted the mac partition but windows is just really slow. Thanks!

[@Overxpossed]

I've a folder called "God"; this video went there. Thanks a lot man!

[@rashidbinzaiyed7149]

Then you suck like a tomboy

[@LilYetiTv]

*Eye am God*

[@rashidbinzaiyed7149]

@@LilYetiTv sh88 up idio88

[@chrishainstock330]

thank you very much - this is one of the clearest explanation videos I have seen ( and no annoying music in the b/g gives you extra points!!) appreciate your help

[@lourdesalvarez9120]

Really helpful. I used the last step accidentally then I clicked on this video. Thank you so much for saving apple dollars.

[@paulschaffhausen8612]

Can not thank you enough for this video! The 3rd option worked perfectly for my needs.

[@Pasztor_Zoltan]

thanks for the instructions on doing this to save my macbook

[@jordanhare935]

This is so extremely helpful and the cloning method may work for me. It seems that I cannot even access or have removed the base os tools for recovery, and my drive needs disk utility or terminal to be formatted

[@sidensvans67]

Good advice . I have used Carbon Copy Cloner for years . Straight forward easy to use .

[@humbulanimaganya3815]

I used the recovery method. Thank you so much, you just earned yourself a new subscriber. Keep up the good work.

[@bri13wvu1]

Thanks very much, am trying to do a clean install on new SSD in an old MacBook (install CD roms are lost) and was having a lot of trouble making a thumb drive work. Your cloning method with the software worked great. Many thanks!

[@GRIBSOFT]

Glad I could help

[@BenPinson]

Been searching for this for days! Thanks!

[@beatmanbam]

After 1,753 videos , you came through and saved my life lol

[@benja00188]

I dont believe you took 12 days just watching videos.

[@mrsinewave]

Thanks man. I just wish you had the ability to explain every other thing else technically as you are very clear and precise. Even an armature would actually understand. Ive watched many vids trying to repir my macbook but your is the one that helped me. Thanks alot!

[@EchoAce04]

I’m wanting to to add a bigger ssd for my Mac Pro 5,1 have Mac OS on the bigger ssd and use old ssd for boot camp

[@ME-ge6yu]

Thank you so much the commands at end of the video helped me put the operating os back on.

[@Overxpossed]

Indeed! I had to restart the process few times, but I finally could install HighSierra from zero!!! Thank you very much!!!

[@michaelvanwinkle5376]

8⅞

[@Overxpossed]

@HARSH TYMEZ that's sad mate. I tried many times, without a hurry, and it worked, finally. Sometimes you have to force shut down and so... but it should work. I installed it from zero on a new SSD drive, then installed all the stuff I had on the original HD drive.

[@Overxpossed]

@HARSH TYMEZ I was thinking on your answer and I just remembered something VERY IMPORTANT. Somehow, the SSD drive couldn't be formated into the new formatting system of Mac OS; but after some tries it's possible. You must format your disk to APFS format instead of the HFS+. Can't remember if related with your problem but I just remembered that. Hope it helps!

[@SeamusBerkeleyFineArt]

Solved the issue of Install error "application can't be verified" message. (See video ~5:34). Thanks!

[@GRIBSOFT]

That one is a bugger!

[@chancesareshewears]

the shift option command R saved me after hours of fails..THANK YOU!

[@GRIBSOFT]

You're welcome!

[@Yeoffrey]

Thank you, had just the information I needed. I forgot to format my blank drive before putting installing it into my mac book, luckily your video reminded me that I can access disk utility from the bootable installation media.

[@WhereAmEye2187]

The video for creating a USB bootable drive says it's been taken down by Apple. any alternatives?

[@wesss9353]

Use windows like a normal person?

[@jeffroyer5218]

Perfect. The method with the SATA connector worked like a charm!

[@ProjectNotSoSlow]

The best video how to install on new hard drive!!!

[@zucca492]

Help please! When I put my usb (with the osx) to the mac mini and holding the option key, it didn’t recognise anything, still the only option is the internet. Internet recovery is not working, loading for like 30minutes in 24:00 then says apple/support and -2106F

[@john9291]

you are a complete legend mate, had been struggling getting a new MacOSX onto my MBP when disk util would consistently fail to see HDD when using usb installer. Fired up my MBP in target disk mode and cloned my iMac HDD onto it with Carbon Clone Copy software. Bingo, worked beautifully. Thanks again.

[@GRIBSOFT]

I personally use it for every installation, I only suggest things that I personally use in the field. I want every viewer of @SaveAppleDollars to learn something useful that saves time and money. I’m glad that it worked for you. Thanks for the supportive comment :)

[@xMysterixPlays]

i need help please! i hava an macbook pro 2007 A1226 I replaced my hard drive because the original one died. how can i install macos on it now? i do not have access to another mac

[@MauBertoni]

This is also my case.... I downloaded El Capitan in my PC and now I don't know what to do

[@isabadpassword]

Recently my macbook air has not been recognizing my external hard drive with my os on it and has just been opening the os on the macbook itself. Do you know how I solve this?

[@isaacaniu]

You saved me after search for months. Thank you

[@soksvann9987]

This guy saved me. Good stuff man! Had error message. Corrected the date in terminal and bang. Wifi install went to work. Thank you!!!!!!

[@sonukaushik1586]

To the point best video that I was looking for...great cover on topics with great value . Good sound and visuals too.well explained.

[@timallen6025]

Lovely patient clear run through thank you sir

[@quiteplease5587]

Thank you very much. Very simple and clear for all cases. Good luck to you in all your projects!

[@pb871]

I wished I'd come across this video a week ago. I had this exact problem which took me multiples attempts to fix. This would have saved a lot of time (and cussing!)

[@tayloriginals999]

Is internet recovery available if I install a new hard drive?

[@Billy123bobzzz]

Excellent tutorial! From now on I will send the moochers (the friends that wont pay my consulting fe because are "friends" LOL) to this video so they can migrate to a new drive themselves. Well done!

[@GRIBSOFT]

Love it!

[@GRIBSOFT]

Send them to this New water damage one too lol kzbin.info/www/bejne/j5_RZniki9J_hqM

[@azersamaali2016]

hi guys, the best info that ive had was by following the Mels Speed Method (i found it on google) definately the no.1 treatment that I've tried.

[@charlie4christ536]

All have sinned and so all are worthy of death and deserve hell, for God’s standard is perfection and none of us could meet it by doing good deeds. Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” But God loved us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place as a substitutionary atonement for our sins. He is the only way to Heaven that God has provided. If you believe in Him, then you will be saved. John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

[@Tech.Library]

@@GRIBSOFT you don't need a clone app to do this. Your disk utility in your Mac can do everything. Just connect the new HDD to the Mac via sata cable. Drag the original HDD to source, drag the new HDD to destination,,, click restore,, if there is error, u then unmount both HDD.... You do it by restarting the system and doing it in recovery

[@micaannsantos7111]

Is internet recovery (3rd option) working on macbook pro mid 2009? I've been try it but the spinning globe is not showing... the apple logo is the one shown even I press down the correct button.

[@SaMA-nm9qt]

So I have a Mac Book Air , that as I was trying to factory reset the whole computer I accidentally deleted he Mac OS Sierra Drive , now it’s with out a drive; any way I can fix this ? I do have another Mac book if that helps ; hope you can help , thank you , great Video BTW keep up the great work

[@GRIBSOFT]

Well you can create a usb drive but Apple made me take down the video for that, you can also watch this data recovery video kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJOUaquDacqasLM maybe it can help.

[@chrissygizmo6057]

I'm trying to install a downloaded os onto an old 20" imac (mid 2007) mainly just to see if I can do it, I'm using transmac on Windows 10 to make a bootable USB drive.. I've followed the instructions but with no success as of yet, however I'm trying again , this time trying the GPT partition option, I'm not sure it's going to work but I'm still giving it a shot

[@adrianbugeja5989]

Amazing ! ! a very well explained, straight to the point explanation of what has to be done in such situation... thank you ! Life saver .

[@jehovahifollow]

thanks your video was helpful i searched many others and none could help me with my problem but your video had the exact solution i needed, the second key commands on downloading from the web is what did the trick for me.God bless you for your help brother you have a blessed life.🙏

[@malcolmjones6856]

Hi Thanks So much for this tutorial, your comments about the date mismatch solved my problem and I have been able to upgrade my old iMac to El Capitan. I have one other problem that you might be able to help me with. I was on Mavericks and updated my OS to El Capitan (all working fine now) however. before upgrading, I did a back up of my drive to a NAS using Disk utility. I saved the back up as a dmg. I transferred the file back on my freshly installed OSX (completely erased and reformatted drive). Now I am unable to mount and read the data (in El Capitan but not sure if that is important). I've tried a number of things via the terminal but no success yet. Any clues on how to approach this. The size of the file looks to be about right (226 GBytes) for what was on the drive previously.

[@azrilsyazrin]

thank you kind sir for the lenghty and meaningful explanation.. I'm basically a new mac user coming from windows pc and currently wanting to upgrade my late 2012 mac mini using ssd but not wanting to do dual drive yet because I don't have the kit. this video helps a lot for me to understand the how to process for doing fresh install os from bootable drive..

[@Jorge.O85]

After upgrading to Catalina i lost my wifi connectivity, the wifi logo is grey out, 🙄 in recovery mode i only have the internet connection option 🙄 what should i do ? Buy a bootable disk ? Bootable usd drive ? I have an imac late 2013 please and advice...thanks.

[@bookseller2577]

Thank you so much for a very Professional, clean and to the point video. I usually do not write a comment but you have helped me a lot with this useful video. Thanks again and keep up the good work!

[@irepairinglewood8537]

Excellent video, thank you very much. One thing, the links for the bootable OS for USB do not work. Cheers

[@YouTube2ndOfficial]

I used an apfs sd card and a flash drive with the iso.

[@beetlejuice1239]

Thank you. This contains all the possible problems and solutions to this! Got a new ssd for my hdd macbook pro. Thanks to you i got it all now.

[@GothicKittyMadness]

Also will the first method work if i'm going from a 2.5" drive to an SSD?

[@tookallyourmoney]

Yup just did one a few weeks ago

[@MRREVILOable]

Nice. Really wish I could copy out a friend's os. They are not here and my internet is slow to download up to 35gig OS! 😢

[@budthechud3408]

What does it mean when you get a White screen after booting from DVD? Takes a heck of a long time to load from DVD but when it finishes the system goes to a white screen. Give it more time? Or is there a problem?

[@aileen732]

Just upgraded my 2017 Mac Air to a 1T hard drive. I've gone through the recovery but do I select APFS encrypted or journaled?

[@Phiz787]

Your KZbin link for older OSX bootables was hit with a copyright strike from Apple. Sad days, thats what I needed.

[@GRIBSOFT]

Yup Apple went crying to YT because they don't want people to fix their own stuff.

[@NSTYZL1]

Thank you very much, I needed the command+option+R command and I didnt find it anywhere but your site.I am a dj and I was trying to mirror my 2 laptops, but migration assistant doesnt work if you try to migrate to an earlier software and both MAC's are monterey compatible but the backup had high sierra after i erased the drive as part of the recovery mode. Thank YOU !!!

[@altonbailey9702]

So I don't need my old drive at all to use the internet recovery option and Command Option R?

[@MXb7R]

I can't install Mac os Catalina, I've created a booteable Catalina Usb, taken off the original 128gb SSD on MacBook air 2017 and installed a WD Blue sn550 NVMe SSD using a M.2 PCI-E AHCI SSD adapter, booted from the USB and tried to install onto the new SSD but after a selecting install Mac os it shows a prohibited or "do not" sing, what could be happening? By the way, the disc are being recognized because it shows in disk utility and also i've deactivated firmware password to allow booting from external devices

[@nicolasalejandroordonez7747]

For older OS X is down, could it re-upload?

[@thepunisherdarts2123]

Thanks for your great videos. Question. Have the bootable usb done as you showed. All goes well until the end. Gets stuck on apple icon installing, with time remaining text. I have a 2010 MBP. Do I have to have original snow leopard loaded first? If so, why?Ive tried both usb bootable el cap and high sierra. I was able to get catalina patcher on it but it crashed and wont go back on. Ive used all the button options. Thanks again

[@Misterioso62]

If i don't have the admin password and can't get in recovery mode on an old mac from 2008 (10.6.8) would putting a new hard drive solve the old admin password requirement?

[@double-you5130]

thank you so much : ) im fixing a mac for my friends son, and the hdd was dead and he had windows on it.so when i put in a fresh drive all igot was a dos prompt with "insert bootable device" lol i forgot the button to press with the letter R i was trying all sorts of combos then googled it and got your video with the answer! once again, thank you kind sir : ) its loading from the cloud as im writing this.wooooooooohoooooooooooooooooo!

[@kkittycityy]

I tried doing this but got an error saying “An internal error occurred while preflighting your volume for APFS conversion” is there a way to fix this issue?

[@MarkNorman_NXTLVL]

Hey Team, my 2015 Macbook pro wont pass the "LOG IN BOOTUP" screen. There is no space on the main drive and now I have no way to access and to delete files to open space up for it to log in. I have read that there is a solution to boot up another drive from a flash drive or the like then log into the main drive and delete files that way. Do you have a tutorial on this?

[@connormccloy9399]

Thanks for the guide! I'm thinking of selling my Mac mini, and I wanted to catch start with a fresh drive and OS.

[@StanGleezy]

(Internet recovery method) when I go to download the OS X El Capitan, I get (this item is temporarily unavailable.) I’m not sure what to do next. Help!!

[@heathenthatheretic5960]

Hope you’re still responding. But I have an apple that doesn’t have an OS. MY QUESTION IS CAN I USE a computer (of any kind) to upload the os program I need onto a external hard and upload into my apple MacBook?

[@GRIBSOFT]

Yes you can. Key thing to note is that while apple can read NTFS formatted drives, it can not write to them by default, that’s the only limitation to data swapping between Apple and window drives. In general usb drives a formatted fat 32 or exfat and so you can read and write to them on a Mac or a windows, you can download a .dmg (Apple application image) on to a Windows Computer and save it to a usb, plug the usb into a Mac and mount and install the dmg. I hope this answers your question.

[@heathentheheretic4909]

Thanks for yourresponse. . Much appreciated. One more question. My macbook air is a Catalina system 2014 I believe. Can I use that to upload a OS system to my macbook pro 2011 via file transfer cable?

[@heathentheheretic4909]

Also does the copy clone work using a basic flashdrive

[@kurtapajama1941]

Sir, this video is amazing but I needed the one for the USB. When I click ur link in ur description it says that the video is private. Please help me out by contacting me ?

[@fredministryofjesus]

Same I would like the USB reinstall video

[@davey3765]

been trying to make a working bootable drive - I have many professional thumb drives but I only have access to a windows machine and have been using TransMac to 'burn' the .dmg image after formatting the drive to apple specs -but the imac never lists the drives when selecting boot drive, all i get is the primary recovery drive. Ive even made a burn of the image on a blu ray for an external drive but it wont show up either. I dont think tranzmac is properly making the disk bootable somehow. Although I did burn a hackintosh image and it DID show up on the imac boot drive list but wouldnt post when attempting to run (not suprising).

[@shawnbunderson9438]

I am working to replace the hard drive in my Mid 2010 Macbook Pro. I am trying to follow your process of using an external USB drive to install the new OS of High Sierra on to it but I am now getting an error that states "You may not install to this Volume because your computer is missing a firmware partition". What recommendations do you have for this? Thanks, Shawn

[@yogowong]

Hi, your information is very thorough. Well done. But I have a question. I don't have another mac to create a bootable disc. So I use TransMac (popular method), however now that my USB had been formatted the right way, the start up doesn't detect the USB boot. Please shed a light

[@steepfrugut]

Same issue.

[@Skjolven]

Hi, I upgraded my CPU a couple a days ago to 12 core Intel Xeon Processor E5-2697 v2 30M Cache, 2.70 GHz, and I bought a 2.0 TB Aura SSD for internal HHD upgrade. The question is: The 12 core CPU supports 668GB memory, so I obviously need to partition the 2TB SSD HD before removing the system back with CCC. Why I wanted the 2TB SSD in the first place, is because i do music home production, and it takes up a lot of space, and I have moved files to external HDs, but it is not supported with TimeMachine, and i like the possibility to version-saving. When I partition will I be able to use Timemachine on all drives? And do you have any suggestions, what would be best to do here?

[@rickp5987]

Help!! I have a 2013 air book with empty hard drive . I also have a 2012 air book that works great!! I’d like to clone one drive exactly and keep word and excel, and clone it to the newer 2013?

[@FRB2U]

Hi, I have an old iMac mid 2007 with a bluetooth keyboard, will the internet recovery work with the same keys? Thanks.

[@andersongadelhafontoura4346]

I have a problem... my original ssd burned and I bought a new SSD, only this time I bought NVME with an adapter (cheaper, with greater capacity and performance). The problem is that my Mac is not recognizing the ssd even via diskutil. I believe because the original version of my MacOS was Yosemite (10.10) that does not have native support to NVME. As I can not start the Mac and I only have it, I can not do it recognize the SSD and install the most current MacOS. Version of my MacBook Pro is mid-2014 of 15 "(Macbook11,2)

[@GRIBSOFT]

The SSD you have is not compatible. Make sure to triple check that the next SSD you purchase will 100% work on your specific unit. Many Macbooks were released with only one type of SSD working for that specific year.

[@andersongadelhafontoura4346]

@@GRIBSOFT thanks for answer, but my ssd was compatible (i said that because i bought a new mac last year). The solution is to boot the recovery from internet and update to the newest compatible OS avaliable (in my case, the Big Sur). After the diskutil usage, my ssd worked fine, but limited to the transfer bus of mac (about 700MB/s).

[@ndrzejdj]

Finally thanks a bunch

[@alexradke5566]

If I’m cloning a new MacBook OS with the intention of copying it to a blank SSD going in a mid 2012 unibody, would that method allow me to bypass the eternal update process needed from the default OS?

[@stephenjones6262]

Even using Command R the IMAC still is asking me for the original Apple ID. Any way around this problem?

[@kaoutar8656]

Does this work if you erased your Mac running El Capitan late 2008 with apfs and whipped the whole internal drive .. could i do this process to reinstall El Capitan .. ? Because now I only get a flashing folder with a (?).. when I boot my Mac :(

[@mrjcportillo]

Thank you 🙏🏽

[@ghomerhust]

i sure wish this worked on the 3 mac pro's im trying to refurb for a family member. command r simply does nothing on all 3 of the units, and all 3 were fully running units. due to hippa compliance, the drives had to be removed and wiped, so im trying to install from a mojave usb that i made (in windows, no other option) but all i get is the flashing folder icon. nothing works on all sites that i search.

[@taneesescu]

best tutorial ive seen on this (ive seen 50 + by now). Mojave is killing me with SSD mid 2011. i had an ssd in there but new replacement is exact same and won't boot. How can I test my internal SATA ribbon?

[@GRIBSOFT]

Best to just by the replacement ribbon without testing. It’s cheap enough that if you open the Imac to troubleshoot, you might as well replace it.

[@taneesescu]

@@GRIBSOFT ok thanks. I think my ssd is bad also. Not letting me partition it. I'll replace both. Thanks for replying6

[@learntheharvway9431]

Could I clone and old SSD hard drive onto a new one via a NVMe adapter and then just install the new one in the computer and turn on the computer normally? Would the new hard drive boot the computer the same way as the old cloned one did?

[@wilsonjosemagadia9871]

Sir i'm using internet recovery. But it didn't work☹️ Macbook pro mid 2012 Installing Mac OS X on the disk "Macintosh" Time remaining : About -2 minutes and higher☹️

[@mastekillerKurD]

Same thing happening to me

[@ru2285]

Happened to me... i guess they are beinf phased out lol

[@coffeecupblue]

USB method at 3:45

[@DJSHABAZZ1]

THIS WAS A GREAT HELP .........THANK YOU GREATLY SIR.