Install High Sierra on my old Imac late 2009

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Level 1

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Install High Sierra on my old Imac late 2009

Hi folks.

Houston - I have a problem!! I have a nice old iMac late 2009. Harddisc chrashed. I had another disk I changed. And I have the originally DVD that followed the Imac MAC OS X Snow Leopard. But it will not read and install the OS?? OK ThenI thought I could have help from my Macbook Pro M1 2020 with Sequoia 15.3.2 installed. And I have found a place where I could download the "macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra.dmg" BUT unfortunately I'm not able to create a bootable USB on my Mac. In panic I tried to install windows 10 on the iMac. Install worked - then I was hit by black screen and now I'm not able to install the Windows. WHAT TO DO? I do off course not want the Windows 10 on the disc - But High Sierra.

Hope anyone can give an advice!

Posted on Apr 21, 2025 06:44 AM

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Answer 1

Apr 21, 2025 09:40 AM in response to 9200sv

I don't suppose that you ever made any bootable clone backups of your old iMac– backups that you could start up from now, while you attempt to recover.

The following Support article indicates that you hold down "Option (⌥) or Altb while starting up the Mac to "Start up to Startup Manager, which allows you to choose other available startup disks or volumes."

Mac startup key combinations - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Apr 21, 2025 01:15 PM in response to 9200sv

You can use most any newer Mac desktop or laptop computer, built 2009-2017, to create a bootable usb installer for macOS 10.13 High Sierra. Do you know anyone else with a Mac of that vintage?

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

If you have the original Mac OS restore DVD, you might also try using an external usb DVD drive to boot from. It may be that your internal drive is the problem when reading that DVD.

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Answer 3

Apr 21, 2025 01:20 PM in response to 9200sv

If the DVD appears to be scratched or dirty, you could try washing it gently with hand dishwashing liquid (diluted with a lot of water), rinsing it off, then letting it thoroughly dry before putting it into the computer.

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Answer 4

9200sv Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 21, 2025 12:07 PM in response to Servant of Cats

Hi. Thx for hint. I knos how to choose start up discs. But problem is that the old dvd gives error when Reading. And I have had no succes’s with creating a Bootable USB on My M1 Macbook pro.

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Answer 5

Apr 21, 2025 01:15 PM in response to 9200sv

So the answer is that you never created a bootable backup on an external hard drive in all of these years – and thus don't have one that you could use now?

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Install High Sierra on my old Imac late 2009

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