Help installing macOS Sonoma on 2017 Macbook Air

[Super Spartan]

Can someone help me with a step by step guide to install MacOS Sonoma on an old 2017 MacBook Air please?

 

[gilby101]

There is a whole thread on installing Sonoma on unsupported Macs. Start with the links to OCLP software.

I suggest, it is not for those inexperienced with macOS.

 

[Bigwaff]

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

What OS are you using now?

If it's Monterey, I'd just stick with it.
UNLESS... there is some compelling reason why you NEED Sonoma.

As gilby cautions above, messing with OCLP may become a pathway fraught with obstacles...

 

[Super Spartan]

OP:

What OS are you using now?

If it's Monterey, I'd just stick with it.
UNLESS... there is some compelling reason why you NEED Sonoma.

As gilby cautions above, messing with OCLP may become a pathway fraught with obstacles...

It originally High Sierra and when my friend wiped her laptop to sell it, now it cannot even recover the OS, sit gives her a message saying The recovery server could not be contacted

 

[Super Spartan]

The problem is I don't have any Mac computer and the OpenCore Patcher is designed to run from a Mac. Is there a way to create the USB installer through a Windows machine?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Why are you fussing with Sonoma on an unsupported, wiped Mac? Try these:

• Command-R: When you press and hold these two keys at startup, macOS Recovery will offer the current version of the most recently installed macOS.
• Option-Command-R: When you press and hold these three keys at startup, macOS Recovery might offer the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
• Shift-Option-Command-R: When you press and hold these four keys at startup, macOS Recovery might offer the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

 

[Super Spartan]

Why are you fussing with Sonoma on an unsupported, wiped Mac? Try these:

• Command-R: When you press and hold these two keys at startup, macOS Recovery will offer the current version of the most recently installed macOS.
• Option-Command-R: When you press and hold these three keys at startup, macOS Recovery might offer the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.
• Shift-Option-Command-R: When you press and hold these four keys at startup, macOS Recovery might offer the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

none of those worked, I just keep getting the question mark icon with the black screen.

I have no OS installed now so I don't know how to create a USB installer with the latest macOS since the video above needs OpenCore patcher which is a MacOS app.

 

[Bigwaff]

@Super Spartan Caveat emptor

How to Create macOS Bootable USB from Windows 10/11?(Latest)

Learn the steps to create a macOS bootable USB from Windows 11, 10, 8, 7.1, and 7, applicable for creating a High Sierra bootable USB from Windows or with another macOS version.

iboysoft.com

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

none of those worked, I just keep getting the question mark icon with the black screen.

I have no OS installed now so I don't know how to create a USB installer with the latest macOS since the video above needs OpenCore patcher which is a MacOS app.

You’re not holding them at the right time.

 

[Super Spartan]

You’re not holding them at the right time.

so I managed to create a USB installer for macOS Sierra, the installation goes all the way through the end until it says 15 seconds remaining then gives me this error message:

"An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again"

I downloaded the image directly from Apple and used TransMac to create the USB

 

[Bigwaff]

so I managed to create a USB installer for macOS Sierra, the installation goes all the way through the end until it says 15 seconds remaining then gives me this error message:

"An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again"

The Installer has a log console. What are the errors in the log console?

 

[Super Spartan]

The Installer has a log console. What are the errors in the log console?

I have tried so many images of Sierra, High Sierra, Sonoma, all with no luck, finally managed to download a torrent of Mojave then used TransMac to create a bootable USB and this time it worked! Thank you everyone for your help!