Reinstall MacOs 10.12.6

[leachim]

Hi

 

Brother was given a 2017 laptop by his daughter, but she deleted the OS.

 

On startup it says it can't reinstall

 

Is there a process to download 10.12.6 on a stick from an Apple computer, and reinstall that way ?

 

Thanks

 

[3s-gtech]

Yes.

Go to https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102662

 

You may as well install a newer version if going from fresh - that should natively run MacOS 12 at least.

[MatthewL]

I think if you hold command and R it boots you into a recovery mode, I think from there you can re download once connected to WiFi.

 

I did it a very long time ago and don't have a Mac to hand but I'm sure its possible from there.

[leachim]

23 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Yes.

Go to https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102662

 

You may as well install a newer version if going from fresh - that should natively run MacOS 12 at least.

 

Thanks

 

Sadly clicking on the link High Sierra 10.13 goes nowhere !

 

[leachim]

24 minutes ago, MatthewL said:

I think if you hold command and R it boots you into a recovery mode, I think from there you can re download once connected to WiFi.

 

I did it a very long time ago and don't have a Mac to hand but I'm sure its possible from there.

 

Ah

 

Thought that was the missing link.... tried it, but

 

Sadly it failed again

[3s-gtech]

2 minutes ago, leachim said:

 

Thanks

 

Sadly clicking on the link High Sierra 10.13 goes nowhere !

 

Just checked and the 10.13 link works - it opens up the App Store. You must be using a Mac to do this.

 

Note that I used this method yesterday to update an old Mac.

[leachim]

21 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Just checked and the 10.13 link works - it opens up the App Store. You must be using a Mac to do this.

 

Note that I used this method yesterday to update an old Mac.

 

 

This is the spec before it was wiped

 

I went to the website - what version is the most up to date that would work on this machine ?

 

Thanks

 

[3s-gtech]

Officially, MacOS 13 I think, that’s a guess based on the year.

 

Unofficially, MacOS 15 but that’s another process entirely.

[leachim]

12 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Officially, MacOS 13 I think, that’s a guess based on the year.

 

Unofficially, MacOS 15 but that’s another process entirely.

 

You mean click on Ventura 13

 

And not High Sierra 10.13

 

 

Brother has another Mac, so if he goes to the App Store and clicks on a link, it won't install it on HIS working Mac will it ?

 

Guessing he will have to make a USB with it on from the download ?

 

[3s-gtech]

Not 10.13, no. Out of support.

 

No, it won’t install it on his. It should just download the installer which can be made into a bootable USB.

 

if his isn’t compatible with that version, try older ones. You can always upgrade within the OS later on.

[leachim]

30 minutes ago, 3s-gtech said:

Not 10.13, no. Out of support.

 

No, it won’t install it on his. It should just download the installer which can be made into a bootable USB.

 

if his isn’t compatible with that version, try older ones. You can always upgrade within the OS later on.

 

 

So I try Ventura then ?

 

 

[3s-gtech]

Yup!

[leachim]

On 21/08/2025 at 08:44, 3s-gtech said:

Yup!

He downloaded it to his computer, but it gives the impression it wants to install it on that one

 

how does one make a usb boot drive to install it on the failed laptop ?

 

Thanks

[3s-gtech]

That’s good. It downloads to the Applications folder, and can be copied to USB from there. Instructions to do that are further down the page here https://support.apple.com/en-gb/102662 or you can use OpenCore Patcher to make one.