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User profile for user: BILLSACTO
BILLSACTO Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Why won't a bootable USB with High Sierra load on my late 2011 macbook pro?

I created a bootable USB with High Sierra loaded on it. Then I replaced the HDD with a new SSD. Started reinstall with "Option" key pressed. The USB with High Sierra shows up and I selected it. Reinstall goes well for a couple of minutes, but then I get a gray screen with a circle and a line through it. I understand that it's because it's the wrong version, but that's the version that was on it before I made the switch to a new SSD. What am I doing wrong?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Dec 10, 2020 7:33 PM

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
60,452 points

Posted on Dec 10, 2020 7:40 PM

How did you create the bootable macOS USB installer? Did you follow the instructions in this Apple article?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372


Try using a different USB stick since the quality of USB sticks is extremely poor plus Macs can be picky about the drives used for booting.


If macOS 10.12.6+ was installed on this Mac as some point, then you can try using Internet Recovery Mode (Command + Option + R) to access the online High Sierra installer (sometimes it will instead launch the installer for the OS which originally shipped on the Mac).


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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
60,452 points

Dec 10, 2020 7:40 PM in response to BILLSACTO

How did you create the bootable macOS USB installer? Did you follow the instructions in this Apple article?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372


Try using a different USB stick since the quality of USB sticks is extremely poor plus Macs can be picky about the drives used for booting.


If macOS 10.12.6+ was installed on this Mac as some point, then you can try using Internet Recovery Mode (Command + Option + R) to access the online High Sierra installer (sometimes it will instead launch the installer for the OS which originally shipped on the Mac).


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User profile for user: Eau Rouge
Eau Rouge
User level: Level 8
42,596 points

Dec 11, 2020 12:18 AM in response to BILLSACTO

Did you format the SSD before you tried installing the OS.


When you boot to the USB stick open Disk Utility.

Click View in the menubar and select Show All Devices.

High light the uppermost disk in the left hand panel

not any indented Volume.

Click Erase.

Give the Disk a name.

Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled or APFS.

Scheme: GUID Partition Map.

Click Erase.

When Done quit Disk Utility.


Go to Install OS and press Continue, the installation should

stat up, follow the prompts.

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Why won't a bootable USB with High Sierra load on my late 2011 macbook pro?

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