Clean install OSX on MBP without DVD

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I recently upgraded my MBP (2009) to Mavericks. It has slowed down the machine so much that I would like to do a clean install and put on Mountain Lion again.

The problem is I dont have a working DVD player, which will make this harder.

I have watched various YouTube videos that show how to do a clean install from the repair disk, however, it doesnt tell you which OS will be re-installed. I would guess it would be Mavericks?

Can someone either confirm this or let me know how to do a clean install withOUT a DVD to an earlier version of Mac OSX?

Thanks!
 

pigoo3

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Can someone either confirm this or let me know how to do a clean install withOUT a DVD to an earlier version of Mac OSX?

This is really not a problem. No Mac OS version has come on DVD since Snow Leopard (OS 10.6). OS 10.7, 10.8, and 10.9 have been primarily a downloaded OS from the Mac App Store. And the most common way to create a "backup" of an OS installer for 10.7, 10.8, 0r 10.9 (since there is no disk)...is to create a bootable USB drive.

So the solution is:

- Redownload Mountain Lion (OS 10.8) from the Mac App Store.
- Get a large enough USB stick (usually 4-8gig).
- Create a bootable OS 10.8 USB stick.

There are a bazillion websites which have written instructions on how to do this. Just search for "Mountain Lion bootable USB".

HTH,

- Nick
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
A 2009 - never done a clean install since the machine was new?

If you're going to do a clean install, you might as well put Mavericks back on it. The clean install - all by itself - is likely to take care of the slow downs you are experiencing.
 

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