Apple MacBook Pro A1278 install

[zebedee2001]

Hi,

Got given the above MacBook Pro. It came with no hard drive. I have put a SSD in but need to install the operating system. I don't have another Mac only a PC. I've asked around and no one I know has any Mac install media. How do I go about installing it?

Thanks in advance

 

[Mr Chibs]

You need the installer DVD I suspect.

You can contact apple, they 'might' send you a link to download an old OS... but yours might be too far, you are looking at a 2010 model.

Hate to say it, but I've had Mac's for a long time, including a laptop of that age... get a second hand MacBook Air with SSD, it's excellent.

I'll look in my shed tomorrow, but I think I got rid of all my DVD's.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You can download the OS from Apple (you'll need to create an Apple account if you don't already have one) as an .iso or ready to go.
Does the Macbook have a DVD reader- if not you might have to acquire one.

EDIT Look up your machine on the Apple site, find out what version of OS it started with and install that first. If that works ok it'll update OTA once you sign into Apple on it.

Do you have any provenance for this machine? If its an ex-corporate one thats been sanitised you should be fine, if its been reported as stolen at any time you may hit problems

 

[foxhole]

No dvd or Apple account required just follow this.
Restart your Mac. Choose Apple menu > Shut Down, press and hold the power button until “Loading startup options” appears, select Options, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions. In the Recovery app window, select Reinstall for your macOS release, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Very simple process .
If you are still struggling the other options are here.

How to install macOS or OS X on a new hard drive for your Mac

You may need to install a fresh version of macOS or OS X if you get a new hard drive in your Mac. We've explained exactly how to do it!

appletoolbox.com

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Cool. I had to follow a slightly different route but that was to build a VM, assumed the real install was the same.