iMac A1225 and A1224 - Startup Manager Issue

[ocf]

Hello Fellow Macers,

I have the machines stated in the title, I am trying to install OSX on them, I have el-capitan on a HFS formatted USB.

I don't have a Mac keyboard available so I am using a PC one.

When I hold ALT during startup I get a mouse cursor on the screen but no options to select drives, same thing happens on both machines.

I have tried NVRAM reset to no effect.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks in advance

-OCF

 

[ferrarr]

The problem may be how you put El Capitan onto the USB. Did you create a "bootable installer"? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Is/was there an OS X version on these machines when you acquired them?

It sounds like the USB is not bootable, if the Mac is not seeing it. Have you tried Recovery? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

 

[ocf]

The problem may be how you put El Capitan onto the USB. Did you create a "bootable installer"? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Is/was there an OS X version on these machines when you acquired them?

It sounds like the USB is not bootable, if the Mac is not seeing it. Have you tried Recovery? https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

It was an already created bootable USB drive image I got from the usual sources. Restored to a HFS formatted USB using R-Drive

The machines came from a computer recycling centre, they probably pulled the drives and wiped them with a windows machine. They may have been formatted with an incompatible file system.

I will try the recovery options, will they be intact of the HDD has been formatted?

 

[ocf]

Tried booting to recovery options, using a windows keyboard, CTRL+R held during bootup gives me nothing. Mac boots to flashing folder with a ? on it

 

[ocf]

I'm going to try with a DVD of OSX 10.7.2 and see if I get anything. I know how imacs can be picky with DVD installs. Any idea if this will work, the version I have is Mac OSX 10.7.2 Lion build 11C74

 

[Slydude]

It was an already created bootable USB drive image I got from the usual sources. Restored to a HFS formatted USB using R-Drive

I'm a little confused by that statement. What exactly do you mean? Is this a disk image on a USB drive, a clone from another install, or something else?

I think the problem is that whatever is on that USB drive was not created correctly. If the entire drive has been formatted the Recovery partition won't be intact. I'd try either of the following:
1. If you have another Mac go back to the App Store and download whichever installer is available. Which one it is will depend upon what is in your purchase history.Use DiskMaker X to create a bootable flash drive to do the install.
2. Use the Internet Recovery Method

 

[ferrarr]

I'm going to try with a DVD of OSX 10.7.2 and see if I get anything. I know how imacs can be picky with DVD installs. Any idea if this will work, the version I have is Mac OSX 10.7.2 Lion build 11C74

I think the Lion DVD will work. You may need to format the internal drives before installation. Hold "C" to boot to the CD.

 

[ocf]

I'm a little confused by that statement. What exactly do you mean? Is this a disk image on a USB drive, a clone from another install, or something else?

I think the problem is that whatever is on that USB drive was not created correctly. If the entire drive has been formatted the Recovery partition won't be intact. I'd try either of the following:
1. If you have another Mac go back to the App Store and download whichever installer is available. Which one it is will depend upon what is in your purchase history.Use DiskMaker X to create a bootable flash drive to do the install.
2. Use the Internet Recovery Method

I have a feeling your right, the USB image wasn't from a reliable source.

I tried getting the internet recovery - Plugged in a LAN cable to the iMac, turned it on and held Windows + ALT + R Key and also tried Windows + CTRL + ALT + R. iMac boots to the same flashing grey folder.

I think the Lion DVD will work. You may need to format the internal drives before installation. Hold "C" to boot to the CD.

I am burning the ISO now, I will try and boot from DVD with C key and report back.

 

[chscag]

I'm going to try with a DVD of OSX 10.7.2 and see if I get anything. I know how imacs can be picky with DVD installs. Any idea if this will work, the version I have is Mac OSX 10.7.2 Lion build 11C74

Lion does not come on DVD. It was and is distributed two ways: Direct download from Apple, and on a USB Flash Drive sold only by Apple. How did you get Lion on DVD?

 

[ferrarr]

Lion does not come on DVD. It was and is distributed two ways: Direct download from Apple, and on a USB Flash Drive sold only by Apple. How did you get Lion on DVD?

You can put Lion onto a DVD, it was small enough, and the first LionDiskmaker supported it.

 

[ocf]

Tried the Lion DVD, Mac just spits it out and goes to same grey folder screen


edit -
ITS ALIVE! Inserting the installation disc when the Mac was sitting on the grey folder screen got it to load.

Now Installing Lion. Are upgrades free? Can I get el capitan on this without paying. Its an intel based dual core machine so I am 99% sure it's el capitan compatible

 

[ferrarr]

It looks like you are going to need to visit an Apple Store, or a friend that has a mac you can borrow, to make the bootable USB you need.

 

[harryb2448]

Both machines will run El Capitan, but how well is another question as they are 2007 and 2008 models with limited memory and graphics. El Capitan is free from the App Store however you will need an Apple ID to be able to download. Make an +8GB thumb drive before riunning the installer. Easiest way is using DiskmakerX.


http://diskmakerx.com