Help with reinstalling OSX on corrupt system

[misterjaggy]

Hello everyone,

I am in need of help. My wife's iMac (2.4ghz, 24", I think from 2008) boots in loop.

I went into Recovery mode, and the disk is fine but OSX needs to be reinstalled. Internet Recovery does not work, apparently due to a firmware issue. We get past the part where it asks for the Apple ID, and it accepts it, but then gives an error about the OS.

I have the DMG file for the same OSX version she has installed, El Capitan, from another Mac we have. I attempted to make a bootable USB from Windows, however when going to Boot Options menu (Option key during boot-up) it doesn't show the USB, only Recovery and Macintosh partitions.

I am wondering, what can I do to get this working? Am I able to start the reinstall from the terminal console in Recovery Mode? Is it possible for me to put the DMG file on another USB drive, boot into Recovery Mode, and then make a bootable USB from Disk Utility within Recovery Mode on a second USB drive?


I found these notes about starting the install from the Terminal Console in Recovery Mode, but I am not sure if they apply?

Try this find the InstallESD.dmg inside the Install OS X Mavericks.app should be in the SharedSupport dir and mount it, then find the BaseSystem.dmg inside the mounted OS X InstallESD and mount that. then run the cmd sudo /Volumes/OS\ X\ Base\ System/System/Installation/CDIS/OS\ X\ Installer.app/Contents/MacOS/OS\ X\ Installer /Volumes/OS\ X\ Install\ ESD/Packages/OSInstall.mpkg you might have to prefix the volume you want to install onto at the end of the command cant quit remember but I have used this cmd before to install OS X from the terminal.
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[pigoo3]

I am in need of help. My wife's iMac (2.4ghz, 24", I think from 2008) boots in loop.
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Can you give us more detail on the "boots in a loop" situation (be as detailed as possible)? May help with ideas.

- Nick

 

[misterjaggy]

Hello pigoo! thanks for responding

When OSX is starting up, it spins and spins, and then shuts down.

Initially when i went into Recovery mode and Disk Utility, it detected some problems with the HD which it then repaired. It all looks fine but didn't resolve the boot loop. That's why I figured at that point I'd try to reinstall OSX, and unfortunately Internet Recovery isn't working, so I'm looking at my options through Recovery Mode, possible command line or other

 

[pigoo3]

When OSX is starting up, it spins and spins, and then shuts down.

Thanks for the extra detail. This isn't exactly what I wold call a "loop"…if the computer turns on, spins & spins for a while, then shuts down. A "boot loop" (which I've seen in the past)…is when the computer keeps rebooting (on it's own)…and never shuts down. This isn't really important in this case…just wanted to mention it.

Since this is a 2008ish iMac…and assuming you've had this computer since new…do you have the original gray discs (DVD's) that this computer came with? If so…you could try rebooting from the DVD & see if it helps (remember to press the "c" key on reboot to boot from the disk).

Or…if you have an original Snow Leopard OS install DVD (OS 10.6)…you could try it. If you try booting from a DVD…this can help up determine if the problem is the iMac's hard drive (mechanical problem)…or a software/OS problem on the HD.

Looks like this:

- Nick