Used Mac Mini - Won't Install OSX

Hello!

This is my second go in the last few years, trying to get into the world of OSX with a used Mac. Unfortunately, I bought a Mac Mini without OSX installed, and I thought it would be a lot easier.

It's a Mac Mini MC815LL/A Core i5 2.3GHz, and I knew it didn't have an OS. I purchased an OSX Mavericks USB drive on eBay.

The Mac boots to the pen drive, but instead of going to the Startup Manager, it goes directly to the Language selection, then into installation... and there's no hard drive to select. I think I need to format the drive, but without the Startup Manager to use the disk utility... (I think) I'm stuck.

Thank you in advance for any help!

a. I'm not too sure about purchased OS X on USB; however, I would have expected the disk format utility to be installed.

b. Are you comfortable that the hard drive is functional?

Your problem is going to be whoever you purchased the USB thumb drive off, Mavericks will be registered to their Apple ID, so if you get it on you will not be able to update. To overcome this when up and away register an Apple ID first, then download Yosemite OS X.10 from the App Store and burn it to another 8GB thumb drive using DiskMaker X.

In the meantime, connect the thumb drive, reboot and hold down 'C'. Leave the Installer and go to Utilities > Disk Utility and format the hard drive Mac OS Extended (Journaled), and name it, back to the Installer and then run.

Then we can discuss the merits of how much memory etc you have installed.


https://appleid.apple.com/account


http://liondiskmaker.com

Thank you for the responses and help!

Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing for sure whether the HD is good, but I purchased it as "it was working fine, I reformatted the hard drive to make sure all my personal info was removed, so it needs OSX installed from scratch."

When I boot from the thumb drive and hold down 'C', I get:
- Use English for the main language. (only one selection, confirm/right arrow).
- Install OSX / To set up installation of OSX, click Continue. / To repair your disk using Disk Utility, restore your computer from a Time Machine backup, or perform other tasks using utilities, choose an option from the Utilities menu."
(There are only 2 options - back/left arrow to the language screen, or Continue, which takes me to T&C, then disk selection.)

I've tried pressing the "C" at different times --- right before, during, and after the startup sound.

I feel like I'm either missing something... something I can click to get to the Utilities... OR the pen drive is missing the Utilities...?

I'm totally open to other solutions, like getting another pen drive that does have the utilites... or opening the Mini and pulling the hard drive (not even sure... is it SSD?) to replace or reformat it...

Thank you again!!

harryb2448 said:

Your problem is going to be whoever you purchased the USB thumb drive off, Mavericks will be registered to their Apple ID, so if you get it on you will not be able to update. To overcome this … ….

Click to expand...

Hmmm… just curious where this info - "...Mavericks will be registered to their Apple ID…" comes from or anything to support it??

I've never encountered any such thing installing a downloaded Mavericks on another user's Mac.

Nor have I read of any user having trouble using a single downloaded Mavericks install on multiple Macs. Even Apple suggests a method of doing so with a network,classroom of Macs.

MacJohn said:

Hello!
The Mac boots to the pen drive, but instead of going to the Startup Manager, it goes directly to the Language selection, then into installation... and there's no hard drive to select. I think I need to format the drive, but without the Startup Manager to use the disk utility... (I think) I'm stuck.

Click to expand...

With a retail OS X install this is normal. It doesn't go to the Startup manager.

If you need to sanitize (partition/format) the disk, go a couple of screens, then you can select Utilities at the top > Disk Utility. Do your mangling, close Disk Utility, and your disk will show as installable.

Yes, this is very not-intuitive.

Dear oh dear.

He who buys Mavericks owns it as it is not sold by Apple on a thumb drive. Should you be using your Mavericks on another's machine you are breaking the EULA. If you are using Mavericks downloaded on their machine it is theirs. Someone has to supply the Apple ID for the download unless it is coming from illegal sources.

harryb2448 said:

He who buys Mavericks owns it as it is not sold by Apple on a thumb drive.

Click to expand...

Point taken. EBay in particular is so hyper-vigilant about the letter of the law for this type of thing, I suspect it barely complies, because the seller is selling "the pen drive" or "their time/labour" or such.

As you recommended in your earlier post, certainly my first move will be to download a fresh copy of Yosemite using my own Apple ID.

Now, to figure out how to address the hard drive issue...

Thanks, all, for the help and support so far!

When you get to the installer, Look up top for the Utilities menu. Click on it and on Disk Utility. Disk Utility will partition or erase the drive. Then you quit and it will take you back to the installer!