Setting up OSX on a completely empty SSD
Setting up OSX on a completely empty SSD
Maverick marked the initial release of this operating system. Before Maverick, users needed to install it via flash drive or optical disc. Snow Leopard was the first Mac OS designed exclusively for Intel processors. If your Leopard ran on an Intel chipset, you could switch to Snow Leopard, though you’d still purchase the $29 disc and transfer it to a USB drive. Lion and Mountain Lion were the earliest versions available for direct download through the App Store at launch. Snow Leopard launched the App Store for Macs, but the OS itself came before that feature. Maverick introduced a new way to reinstall Internet Recovery.
I realized my mistake after all. My Macbook Pro from late 2011 did offer a recovery option for reinstalling, but we lacked the necessary details to fully address his question. The issue really hinges on what counts as "old"—plastic models, unibody designs from 2010, or even the 2014 version?
Consensus reached on this point. Clarification is welcome. Complex queries receive thorough responses. Note - Apple Inc. indeed employs the word 'old' for systems one year past AppleCare expiration. On Macs, Applecare lasts three years, so early 2013 models qualify as 'old'. I don't fully concur with this view, but it mainly concerns whether they'll provide replacements for manufacturer defects. The last models with notable use of this feature were the plastic Macbooks from 2009, where palmrests began to deteriorate. They phased out replacements around late 2012, prompting a switch to anodized aluminum chassis. This decision seemed sensible.
Unfortunately this won't function. OSX relies on EFI, distinct from UEFI. Without a bootloader compatible with OSX such as Clover, you won't be able to start or install it. You'll also need a functional Mac for setup. I still can't suggest it, since I'm uncertain if simply replacing it in a MacBook works. In theory, though, it might. If you have another Mac available, you could link your MacBook via a Thunderbolt cable. From there, boot either the working Mac or the MacBook using Command+T (or Option+T, not sure). Once started, you can utilize the recovery from the functional Mac to install on your MacBook's SSD.
Internet recovery install was accessible on my 2011 MacBook air. I often reinstalled it. It has been consistently available since the beginning. It remains functional now (I recently reinstalled it). However, it only installs Snow Leopard by default. Therefore, you must upgrade to Sierra instead of installing directly to Sierra.
It remains tied to an EFI firmware upgrade. Maverick was the first to include it within the operating system. Before this, you needed a separate update. This explains why the Internet Recovery interface resembles Lion’s design even when switching back to Snow Leopard 10.6.8. The EFI Firmware update debuted with Lion. It’s unclear why it wasn’t bundled with Mountain Lion initially, but it was still a distinct update and not all systems received it. I think they likely tested it on the Mac Air, since optical drives vanished shortly after that.