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I am trying to create a fresh install of OS X on a MacBook Pro (2009 - A1278 - El Capitan 10.11.6 - 2.26Ghz - 8GB DDR3 - 240SSD) so I can sell it.

My problem is, I have created a USB bootable drive with Yosemite, which does not show in the Startup Manager.

I have formatted the USB to Mac OS (Extended Journal) and made 1 Partition in the GUID format. I used the file command in Terminal from Apple (for Yosemite) which all appears to be working. I tested the USB on my 2011 iMac and can view it on that Startup Manager. However on the MBP 2009 running EL Capitan I am not given the option to boot from.

Can anyone help?

P.S I upgraded the HDD to a SSD and cloned an old version of my El Capitan off my Time Machine Backup I had.

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  • I used the file command in Terminal from Apple... - I'm not familiar with any "file" command. What command are you referring to specifically? If it works in the iMac, it's likely not faulty. Simply put the USB into the MBP, and reboot while holding the Opt key. See if it shows up in the Boot menu. If it shows up, the USB is fine.
    – Allan
    Jul 27, 2020 at 17:24
  • Also, you should have a Recovery partition that will allow you to reinstall macOS (no need for the USB). Have you tried holding Cmd-R while booting?
    – Allan
    Jul 27, 2020 at 17:28

2 Answers 2

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The USB drive should have an EFI partition, which contains files needed to make the drive bootable, in addition to the MacOS formatted partition containing the actual system to boot. The below command should handle all of that for you though.

I have formatted the USB to Mac OS (Extended Journal) and made 1 Partition in the GUID format. I used the file command in Terminal from APPLE (for Yosemite) which all appears to be working. I tested the USB on my 2011 iMAC and can view it on that 'Startup Manager'. However on the MBP 2009 running 'EL Capitan'I am not given the option to boot from.

I'm not sure if the below command is what you refer to here. Running the command in Terminal where you have "Install OS X Yosemite.app" in your applications folder should create a bootable USB drive.

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume '/Volumes/MyVolume' --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app

Be sure to replace /Volumes/MyVolume with your USB drive which you can find with ls /Volumes

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

If you've already tried the above solutions which I assume to have, try resetting the PRAM:

You can reset the pram by doing the following:

  1. Shut down the Mac.
  2. Locate the following four keys: option, command, p and r. You'll need them in the next step.
  3. Power on the Mac, then immediately hold option, command, p and r. You need to do this before the grey screen appears.
  4. Hold down the keys until you hear the startup sound twice, then release them.
  5. Plug in the bootable USB stick, restart the Mac, and hold option.

https://apple.stackexchange.com/a/163327/383607

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  • The OP states that it works on an iMac so it's safe to assume that the USB has that partition. also, it's called NVRAM for all Intel based Macs. PRAM was only on the PPC Macs.
    – Allan
    Jul 27, 2020 at 17:27
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Make sure you download the latest installers for Yosemite and El Capitan as the signatures were all expired last October 24th 2019. Apple republished the installers with a new signature.

I would just install El Capitan as that is the latest that hardware supports.

Yosemite: (run the InstallMacOSX.pkg it creates /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite)

http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2019/cert/061-41343-20191023-02465f92-3ab5-4c92-bfe2-b725447a070d/InstallMacOSX.dmg

El Capitan: (same as Yosemite, installs /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan)

http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2019/cert/061-41424-20191024-218af9ec-cf50-4516-9011-228c78eda3d2/InstallMacOSX.dmg

Create bootable USB:

Format the flash drive and name it "MyVolume"

El Capitan:

sudo "/Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" \
  --volume /Volumes/MyVolume \ 
  --applicationpath "/Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app"

Yosemite

sudo "/Applications/Install OS X\Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" \
  --volume /Volumes/MyVolume \ 
  --applicationpath "/Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app" --nointeraction
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