Help with installing OSX on an old A1212 Macbook Pro 17"

[angelhair0]

Hello. I inherited an old Macbook Pro 17" from my father. A1212 to be exact. I want to get OSX on it. I understand I can't upgrade it fully, but I want to use the latest possible OS. I am using a different hard drive than it came with. It's a 750 GB HDD.

I believe the operating system that came with it is 10.4.8, and it should be able to be upgraded to 10.7.5. Does that mean I should acquire an installer for 10.4.8, or can I start with 10.7.5?

The CD drive does not work, but the USB ports do. I have a USB drive with plenty of space, so if I made an installer disk from it, everything should work okay, right?

I could also access the new hard drive with a SATA adapter, and use my main laptop to create an installer disk out of that, right?

I may have answered all of my own questions but I would like to be sure.

Thanks everyone!

 

[HenryAZ]

I believe the operating system that came with it is 10.4.8, and it should be able to be upgraded to 10.7.5. Does that mean I should acquire an installer for 10.4.8, or can I start with 10.7.5?

I can at least answer this one question, as I had the same machine. Yes, you can do a fresh install of 10.7.5 without going through all the upgrades. And that is as far as that machine will go with regard to OS versions. Just wipe the disk first. You will probably need to contact Apple to get (purchase?) a key to download the 10.7.5 install app. The OS was still being sold back then. $20 IIRC. Then make a USB installer stick from that. Here is a guide:
http://osxdaily.com/2012/02/17/make-bootable-os-x-10-8-mountain-lion-usb-install-drive/
It says Mountain Lion, but the instructions are the same for Lion. You can use any later Mac to make the USB installer stick.

 

[angelhair0]

perfect. thank you!!