Can't restore OS on a 2011 iMac.

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Level 1

30 points

Can't restore OS on a 2011 iMac.

I am giving away a 2011 iMac. The most recent os was High Sierra 10.13.6. I erased all content and settings. Now I can't restore OS. I don't have a bootable USB drive. I tried recommended steps to restore but haven't had any success. I've used terminal to change the date, a recommendation. No luck. Another recommendation was to hold down opt + com. + R to enter restore, and I've used shft.+opt.+com.+R. and end up not being able to proceed. It wants to install Lion os. I then get the error message "Can't download additional components needed to install Mac OS X"

I have a new 2024 iMac. I'd like to create a bootable thumb drive but there are only two ports, both USB-C. I'm searching for adaptors to allow me to use my USB drives. Is there a simpler way?

iMac 27″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Nov 22, 2025 10:27 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 9, 2025 8:43 AM in response to Tom Crouch

Re: the problem with downloading the High Sierra installer, please see Fix #3 of this article:

https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-fix-the-recovery-server-could-not-be-contacted-error-high-sierra-recovery-is-still-online-but-broken/

If the USB installer does not appear as a choice when Option rebooting the Mac, then it's likely not properly prepared. Double check your process and perhaps try again.

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Answer 2

Nov 22, 2025 4:01 PM in response to Tom Crouch

You won't be able to use the 2024 iMac to create a bootable thumb drive for the 2011 iMac because the new one cannot run - is not qualified to run - any OS that the old iMac can run.

To create that bootable installer, you'll need a Mac from the era 2011-2017 roughly.

The Mac must qualify to run whatever OS you are trying to create the installer for, presumably 10.13 High Sierra, being that is the latest OS the 2011 iMac can run.

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Answer 3

den.thed

Level 10

90,874 points

Dec 9, 2025 8:53 AM in response to Tom Crouch

While giving away or donating an old iMac feels like a noble cause. Sadly it is a curse to whomever ends up receiving it.

IMHO the best thing to do with that iMac, is to just erase and recycle it.

Proper recycling can be done thru Apple or by dropping it off at your local E-Waste Recycler.

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Answer 4

Tom Crouch Author

Level 1

30 points

Dec 9, 2025 8:38 AM in response to den.thed

I have had mixed success with restoring my 2011 iMac. I found downloadable installers from Mist. It wouldn't complete the download of High Sierra. It got stuck at downloading disc image. I did have success downloading an earlier OS, Lion. Lion was the original OS that shipped with the machine I think.

Now my problem is that I can't boot from installer USB on my old machine. Online instructions say to reboot while holding down Option key. A window is supposed to come up where I can specify boot volume. Never did. It finished rebooting into High Sierra recovery mode. I can't do anything from there either.

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