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TechDestroyer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 12, 2021
20
2
I wanted to wipe and reinstall High Sierra on this macpro. Little did I know the installer requires downloading most the os from the apple servers, and it appears that they are not longer active. So know I have a pile of junk unless I can find a way to recover that OS right? I was getting the Message:
"the recovery server could not be contacted"
I'm sure I'm connected via Ethernet and Wifi. The drive is formatted correctly.

I tried a recovery from the Disk Utility app but that failed. I was trying to use TestDisk but I'm not familiar enough with it to do this type of operation and don't know if it is even possible?

Someone please help me use this mac again. Even though it is old I can still use it for some stuff.
 

TechDestroyer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 12, 2021
20
2
Mr Macintosh is a great resource for finding installers for older Mac system software.
Thanks Bigwaff, I was also curious as to weahter or not I could install Monteray as one youtube video said. But I don't have a mac to do it on, and all the tutorials are doing so with mac?

Also, I have the HighSierra installer but it is a web installer, and as I said the servers no longer have this os up.
 

aespana

macrumors regular
Feb 21, 2020
131
112
Yeah, as Bigwaff says, you need to download the installer from another site since there is no more the option to install through Internet Recovery.

Remember that you won't be able to update High Sierra through App Store anymore. You need to install first Security Update 2020-4 and then 2020-5 to update your system and then, you will be allow to install the other available updates and access to your App Store purchases.

You can find those updates here in the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_High_Sierra

Navigate nearly to the end of the page
 
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TechDestroyer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 12, 2021
20
2
Yeah, as Bigwaff says, you need to download the installer from another site since there is no more the option to install through Internet Recovery.

Remember that you won't be able to update High Sierra through App Store anymore. You need to install first Security Update 2020-4 and then 2020-5 to update your system and then, you will be allow to install the other available updates and access to your App Store purchases.

You can find those updates here in the Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacOS_High_Sierra

Navigate nearly to the end of the page
Little did I know the installer requires downloading most the os from the apple servers, and it appears that they are not longer active. I already downloaded and tried the installer, if you would google the message below you would have seen what I'm talking about. There is no fix for this, I tried them all, there is no OS on the servers anymore!!!!!

I was getting the Message:
"the recovery server could not be contacted"
 

Bigwaff

Contributor
Sep 20, 2013
2,698
1,809
I'm on Ventura (MBP 2019 16"). Using the MIST app, I just downloaded High Sierra 10.13.6 Full Install installer app. MIST will also create a bootable USB installer. Just installed High Sierra in a Parallels VM. Worked like a champ. Use the Mr Macintosh link I provided, scroll down, and review the MIST app.
 
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DCBassman

macrumors 6502a
Oct 28, 2021
755
577
West Devon, UK
I did it this way.
First, get from Internet Archive an iso of El Capitan. If possible, torrent the download, it's much faster. On your other mac, download balena etcher.
Use that to make your USB installer.
Boot to it in your 'new' mac. Use disk utility to completely erase, not restore.
Close disk utility and go to Install macOS and away you go.
Assuming you have another computer of some sort, try as above, substituting High Sierra for El Capitan.
 

TechDestroyer

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 12, 2021
20
2
I don't have a mac to do that on!

I was wondering, are you able to use FaceTime or Skype on your Mid-2011 iMac 12? One of the purposes I would like to use this mac for is FaceTime or Skype.

I wonder if LibreOffice will install too! I think I looked it up and one of the older installers will work?
 
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