Installing OS X on 2010 iMac

[jonthephotoguy]

Any help would be appreciated on this topic!

I have a coworker that brought their 27" 2010 iMac (11,3) to me for a cleanup / reset so they could repurpose it for their kids. This iMac is pre-Internet Recovery and my coworker no longer has their installation discs. I've tried different ISO / DMGs files, but when attempting to install they either won't boot or the one that does indicates that it can't be installed on the iMac. I'm a little rusty on this since the Macs that I have owned were made in the Internet Recovery phase.

From everything that I've been reading, it may need to be the specific 10.6.3 build 10D2322A (non-retail install) for this particular iMac. Does know if this is true? I have seen some of the original install discs on eBay listed as "iMac OS X 10.6.3" (picture attached). I'd be willing to buy these if they would work since the iMac is sitting without an OS right now.

Or does anyone know of a place that the appropriate ISO / DMG could be downloaded?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jack Neill]

That machine shipped with 10.6.3 and officially can go to 10.13.6. I would go HS, you can download it from Apple and make a USB installer or use DosDudes tool. Archive.org/Macintosh Garden have 10.6.3 retail images if you're dead set on SL.

If you want a browser download straight from Apple, this will get you low Sierra.

macOS Sierra

 

[Amethyst1]

I've tried different ISO / DMGs files, but when attempting to install they either won't boot or the one that does indicates that it can't be installed on the iMac.

As far as the iMac's original version of Mac OS X, v10.6 "Snow Leopard", is concerned...

The iMac shipped with a machine-specific builld of v10.6.3.
If you try a disc that has an earlier version than v10.6.3, it won't boot because the Nehalem (Core i5/i7) CPU is causing it to kernel panic.
If you have a disc that has v10.6.3 or a later version but is for a different Mac, it will fail with a "[...] cannot be installed on this computer" error message. You need to modify the installer to make it work on all Macs.

If you want to try an image, I'd give this one a try. It's v10.6.4 but came with 2010 iMacs according to Mactracker.

https://archive.org/details/691-6732-A2ZiMac._Mac_OS_X_Install_DVD._Mac_OS_v10.6.4._Disc_v4.0_DVD_DL

 

[jonthephotoguy]

As far as the iMac's original version of Mac OS X, v10.6 "Snow Leopard", is concerned...

The iMac shipped with a machine-specific builld of v10.6.3.
If you try a disc that has an earlier version than v10.6.3, it won't boot because the Nehalem (Core i5/i7) CPU is causing it to kernel panic.
If you have a disc that has v10.6.3 or a later version but is for a different Mac, it will fail with a "[...] cannot be installed on this computer" error message. You need to modify the installer to make it work on all Macs.

If you want to try an image, I'd give this one a try. It's v10.6.4 but came with 2010 iMacs according to Mactracker.

https://archive.org/details/691-6732-A2ZiMac._Mac_OS_X_Install_DVD._Mac_OS_v10.6.4._Disc_v4.0_DVD_DL

Thanks for the reply! I'll give that ISO a shot, if not see about modifying the installer. I remember reinstalling Mac OS X Snow Leopard on another coworkers MacBook Pro and not having nearly the issue that this has been.

Makes me like the Internet Recovery option more and more all the time!

 

[chrfr]

This iMac is pre-Internet Recovery and my coworker no longer has their installation discs.

Did you actually try internet recovery? The 2010 Macs got a firmware update very early on that enabled it. The chances that the computer never got that firmware update are actually pretty slim.

 

[jonthephotoguy]

Did you actually try internet recovery? The 2010 Macs got a firmware update very early on that enabled it. The chances that the computer never got that firmware update are actually pretty slim.

I attempted the Internet Recovery, but the iMac would never boot to that option. I would say this iMac never had much for updates installed. From my understanding the way-back-when ex set a local password on the thing and they have never been able to do much with it.

Once I get the original Mac OS X Snow Leopard reinstalled, I'm hoping I can walk it through all the updates to the latest version that it will run.

 

[Jack Neill]

latest version that it will run.

Why not just make a High Sierra USB and install from that?

 

[jonthephotoguy]

As far as the iMac's original version of Mac OS X, v10.6 "Snow Leopard", is concerned...

The iMac shipped with a machine-specific builld of v10.6.3.
If you try a disc that has an earlier version than v10.6.3, it won't boot because the Nehalem (Core i5/i7) CPU is causing it to kernel panic.
If you have a disc that has v10.6.3 or a later version but is for a different Mac, it will fail with a "[...] cannot be installed on this computer" error message. You need to modify the installer to make it work on all Macs.

If you want to try an image, I'd give this one a try. It's v10.6.4 but came with 2010 iMacs according to Mactracker.

https://archive.org/details/691-6732-A2ZiMac._Mac_OS_X_Install_DVD._Mac_OS_v10.6.4._Disc_v4.0_DVD_DL

Downloaded the ISO while I was at work and tried when I made it home. I was able to create a USB from the ISO and the iMac took the install like a charm! Thanks again for your help on this one!

I have Snow Leopard installed and now I'm working on getting it stepped through the update stages.