Wiped MBP, now cannot reinstall - help

[jpd751]

Computer: Macbook Pro 13", used to have OSX Mountain Lion on it, but I had to wipe/reinstall.

So, I hadn't done a reformat/reinstall in quite a while. So, I followed these steps:

1) Plugged in flash drive with OSX Mountain Lion

2) Restarted Mac (Holding down [Option] key)

3) Chose to boot to the flashdrive (disk image for Mountain Lion on it)

4) I then chose the disk utility tool chose the "Mac Osx" partition and chose to erase. After some time it stopped stating an error about encryption of the partition.

5) The drive as it stands, is recognizable if I restart and press Option Key, but, if I just try to boot from my flash drive and install... it starts loading to reinstall OS, but then cannot find the harddrive anymore.. it just says "Searching for harddrive" ... forever.

6) I then tried running the disk utility and "verify disk" and it came back with "the volume is OK".

What can I do from here ?????

 

[Macman45]

It sounds like you tried to combine two separate steps into one.

First job should be to erase and re-format your HDD / SSD without the USB copy in the drive.

Once you have done that, then plug in the USB stick, boot holding OPTION and choose the stick from the items list.

Before you try again, I would make a fresh copy on the stick, just in case the old one has become corrupt.

 

[maflynn]

If you had mountain lion on it (and didn't delete the partition) why not boot into the recovery partition and reinstall OSX that way?

 

[jpd751]

It sounds like you tried to combine two separate steps into one.

First job should be to erase and re-format your HDD / SSD without the USB copy in the drive.

Once you have done that, then plug in the USB stick, boot holding OPTION and choose the stick from the items list.

Before you try again, I would make a fresh copy on the stick, just in case the old one has become corrupt.

I know, I did it the wrong way

The question is: HOW do I try again if I cannot even see the harddrive outside of the "disk utility" ? I do not have a restore tab either under this harddrive either (under Disk Util)

And if try to run it from the flash drive, it starts loading and it prompts to choose a source drive... in which i choose the flash drive and then a destination drive (which would be my mac hd, but it just does a never ending "Searching for Destination" .

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If you had mountain lion on it (and didn't delete the partition) why not boot into the recovery partition and reinstall OSX that way?

I am not sure if this even exists anymore. I believe it was upload from lion-> mountain lion through the app store (via download).

I even tried restoring from a few week old "backup", but it said the Mac HD was "busy"

 

[Macman45]

I know, I did it the wrong way

The question is: HOW do I try again if I cannot even see the harddrive outside of the "disk utility" ? I do not have a restore tab either under this harddrive either (under Disk Util)

And if try to run it from the flash drive, it starts loading and it prompts to choose a source drive... in which i choose the flash drive and then a destination drive (which would be my mac hd, but it just does a never ending "Searching for Destination" .

----------



I am not sure if this even exists anymore. I believe it was upload from lion-> mountain lion through the app store (via download).

I even tried restoring from a few week old "backup", but it said the Mac HD was "busy"

You need to enter DU from a safe boot, and perform the format again. My guess is that it's corrupt due to an unfinished format, or confusion with the USB drive.

Once you have formatted it fro DU, then use the USB ( or internet recovery ) to re-install):


Format Procedure:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718


The article also covers Internet recovery.

 

[jpd751]

You need to enter DU from a safe boot, and perform the format again. My guess is that it's corrupt due to an unfinished format, or confusion with the USB drive.

Once you have formatted it fro DU, then use the USB ( or internet recovery ) to re-install):


Format Procedure:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718


The article also covers Internet recovery.

Would a "repair disk" in DU fix this problem?

 

[Macman45]

Would a "repair disk" in DU fix this problem?

Possibly, but I'd go ahead and perform a full format.