Need help with clean install of Big Sur on Macbook Air mid 2013

[JohnDoe1980]

Hello. I am new to Macs and I am trying to install Big Sur onto a Macbook Air mid 2013.
I have checked compatibility and it says it's fine.
I put in a new 256GB SSD.
I tried formatting to APFS.
I formatted in HFS and was able to get the drive to show and it started the install process from my USB triage drive, and then rebooted and I get nothing.
I tried making a new Big Sur bootable USB drive with Transmac tool on my windows PC, formatted for mac and added the DMG file and put it in the mac and hold option key to start and the only thing that comes up is internet recovery. When I click that I get an option to reinstall macos but it's maveric. I could really use some help here. Thanks.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

You're doing this the hard way.

What's stopping you from installing Mavericks and then upgrading?

I'm not sure how to do that.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

You're doing this the hard way.

What's stopping you from installing Mavericks and then upgrading?

I went ahead to install Mavericks and it says "Select the disk where you want to install OS X" and there is nothing showing.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

What happens if you try the same thing with an un-partitioned drive (either your SSD or a scratch HDD)?

How would I do that? Disk Utility?

 

[JohnDoe1980]

Yes, that would work.

You know how a professional cookbook will say things like "make five litres of Hollandaise sauce in the usual way" while a home cookbook will walk you through every step?

Welcome to Technibble.

Thanks, but I'm still unclear on the process. I'm not seeing the disk show up in Disk Utility.

 

[overburnz]

@JohnDoe1980 you just need to boot the MacBook pressing “cmd + opt + r” and the internet recovery will start to the latest compatible version of macOS for that machine, then select disk utility format the SSD in APFS, close disk utility and select the installer and follow the steps

 

[JohnDoe1980]

@JohnDoe1980 you just need to boot the MacBook pressing “cmd + opt + r” and the internet recovery will start to the latest compatible version of macOS for that machine, then select disk utility format the SSD in APFS, close disk utility and select the installer and follow the steps

Thanks for the advice. The problem is, the disk isn't showing in Disk Utility. It's just showing my triage drive.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

@JohnDoe1980 you just need to boot the MacBook pressing “cmd + opt + r” and the internet recovery will start to the latest compatible version of macOS for that machine, then select disk utility format the SSD in APFS, close disk utility and select the installer and follow the steps

Ok, I was able to get the disk to show, using paragon disk program to delete the partitions, then formatted in Disk Utility as APFS and GPT. I then reboot into internet recovery and go to disk utility and it's not showing.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

@JohnDoe1980 you just need to boot the MacBook pressing “cmd + opt + r” and the internet recovery will start to the latest compatible version of macOS for that machine, then select disk utility format the SSD in APFS, close disk utility and select the installer and follow the steps

If I select Big Sur from the triage drive on boot, then go into disk utility, the drive shows. I reboot into internet recovery and go into Disk Utility and it does not show.

 

[phaZed]

It's 10 years old. I really wouldn't put any time or money into it.

 

[overburnz]

If I select Big Sur from the triage drive on boot, then go into disk utility, the drive shows. I reboot into internet recovery and go into Disk Utility and it does not show.

Follow this: https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/disk-utility/dsku1c614201/mac

 

[timeshifter]

I plan B'd an old MacBook Pro to run as a Chromebook using this technique. Has come in handy once or twice to have a "Chromebook" lying around.

How to Turn Your Old Mac into a Chromebook

If you have an aging Mac lying around that struggles to run the latest macOS and has stopped receiving security updates from Apple, it's possible...

www.macrumors.com

 

[JohnDoe1980]

K, so I've got the disk showing in Disk Utility. Formatted as extended (journaled). I go to install an OS (I've tried this with a few different ones including high sierra, Catalina, big sur and mavericks). I'm prompted to select a disk. I select the disk. I click continue. It starts installing and says xxxminutes remaining, the bar fills up about halfway then it reboots and then I just get a flashing question mark.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

K, so I've got the disk showing in Disk Utility. Formatted as extended (journaled). I go to install an OS (I've tried this with a few different ones including high sierra, Catalina, big sur and mavericks). I'm prompted to select a disk. I select the disk. I click continue. It starts installing and says xxxminutes remaining, the bar fills up about halfway then it reboots and then I just get a flashing question mark.

So I tried internet recovery and the disk is not showing in DIsk Utility.

 

[Markverhyden]

So I've got to ask. What was the reason for starting this endeavor? What is the serial number for the machine?

 

[JohnDoe1980]

So I've got to ask. What was the reason for starting this endeavor? What is the serial number for the machine?

I was given this Macbook Air to install a fresh OS on a new 256GB nvme drive and then restore with time machine for someone. I have been working with windows based PC's for years but am totally new to apple. That's why I came here.

 

[JohnDoe1980]

So I've got to ask. What was the reason for starting this endeavor? What is the serial number for the machine?

S/N C02MG29CF5V7

 

[overburnz]

So I tried internet recovery and the disk is not showing in DIsk Utility.

Have you opened the machine? is the flash storage Apple or other brand?

 

[JohnDoe1980]

Have you opened the machine? is the flash storage Apple or other brand?

I did open it up in order to install the new drive. I can't remember now what brand it was.

 

[overburnz]

I did open it up in order to install the new drive. I can't remember now what brand it was.

maybe there's your issue, if it is a OWC one, then it requires the MacBook to be ate least on macOS High Sierra (on the original drive) because of firmware issues, if it's another brand you need to check the requirements to see if it is the same thing