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pctechtv

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 3, 2013
52
1
I have a MacBook Pro model A1286. I have been trying to install a fresh version of macOS Sierra with no luck. I even loaded it on another computer and then put the hard drive back in the A1286 and It just hangs at bar with Apple above it. Should this computer be able to install macOS Sierra? Is there something I may be missing like a firmware upgrade? Thanks
 

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
21,026
4,616
New Zealand
Please go to the Apple menu > About This Mac and tell us what it says in brackets, for example "MacBook Pro (Early 2011)".
 

monkeydax

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2012
391
123
I have a MacBook Pro model A1286. I have been trying to install a fresh version of macOS Sierra with no luck. I even loaded it on another computer and then put the hard drive back in the A1286 and It just hangs at bar with Apple above it. Should this computer be able to install macOS Sierra? Is there something I may be missing like a firmware upgrade? Thanks
Try recreating the bootable drive, or load OSX El Capitan then update from App Store, that could do the job.
 

pctechtv

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 3, 2013
52
1
Try recreating the bootable drive, or load OSX El Capitan then update from App Store, that could do the job.
I made a bootable thumb drive with El Capitan. For some reason when I hold down Option key when starting it does not show the start up manager. Is there another key sequence I should try? Thanks
 

monkeydax

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2012
391
123

Gudi

Suspended
May 3, 2013
4,590
3,267
Berlin, Berlin
Should this computer be able to install macOS Sierra?
List of Macs compatible with macOS 10.12 Sierra is as follows
  • MacBook Pro (2010 and later)
  • MacBook Air (2010 and later)
  • MacBook (Late 2009 and later)
  • Mac Mini (2010 and later)
  • Mac Pro (2010 and later)
  • iMac (Late 2009 and later)
 
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pctechtv

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 3, 2013
52
1
Hmm can't tell from here, can only suspect that your bootable thumb drive isn't correctly set up. l
Hi, but weather or not boot USB drive not set up correctly (I am sure it is, because it boots my other Macs) shouldn't I get boot option when I hold down Option key? I am trying to figure out why it does not recognize the alternate start method. Thanks
[doublepost=1479056661][/doublepost]
Please go to the Apple menu > About This Mac and tell us what it says in brackets, for example "MacBook Pro (Early 2011)".
I realized that another Mac is the same exact model. I have seen the way you describe it many times. However on this model what I get to identify it does not have it put that way (e.g. Early 2011). Can we still tell what year?
Here is what I get. Thanks

indentMac1.jpg indentMac2.jpg

Yes, when I hold option and power on the unit that is working. I get an option to choose a boot device (here only the main hard dive is an option because that is all I have connected). Could it be a malfunction that does not allow this on the problem unit? Note I do have a hard drive with macOS Sierra installed also. Could this not allow boot options? Thanks
 

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pctechtv

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 3, 2013
52
1
Also I said let me ask this one... because I have been wondering if it is silly to ask. But... the battery in the problem unit does not hold a charge. Could that have something to do with the problems? Thanks
 

Tycho24

Suspended
Aug 29, 2014
2,071
1,396
Florida
A1286 would be MacBook Pro (Late 2008), right? Penryn Core 2 Duo, DDR3 RAM, and nVidia GeForce 9400M.

From his post.... the MacBook Pro 8,2 w/ i7 is the 2011 (early & late had same model name- two were released that year); as such, it should be able to run Sierra quite handily.
I'd try updating from Mac Store.
 

happyslayer

macrumors 65816
Feb 3, 2008
1,032
579
Glendale, AZ
I just installed Sierra on a 13" Early 2011 with i5 and 4GB RAM so if yours is a 2011 model it should work. Though I did mine by upgrading El Cap. Not booting from USB. Can you do the Internet recovery. I just tried it and it will work but it wants to put Lion on it. You could maybe do that then do a few upgrades. Good luck
 

pctechtv

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 3, 2013
52
1
Luckily enough I did have the computer that is the same exact model. I was able to take a clone of that computer with Shirt Pocket SuperDuper. After cloning it I put it in the problem unit and I finally was able to get ti to boot with and OS. Yosimite is the one it has now. My question is if there are any know critical updates for that computer will the Appstore detect them. Or do I have to seek them out myself? Also thanks to all that offered help on this topic! Thanks
 
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