Managed to rescue my dads mid-2011 iMac from the bin. Was working fine until the HDD died but my data is technically inept so wouldn’t entertain replacing it and got a replacement machine. I’m in the process of installing a new SSD but it seems the latest version of Mac OS has a bug where it wont run previous Mac OS installers, so when I try to install High Sierra onto the SSD it wont run.

I’ve managed to copy the installer over to the SSD (connected to my iMac via a USB to SATA cable), but not sure if I now go and install the SSD that it can run the installer from the old machine when I fire it up. Can anyone confirm if my thinking is correct? Thanks.

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Had a similar issue with a 2009 Mac recently.

With your new SSD in the iMac, restart the iMac holding the option key (alt) it should find the installer through utilities.

If not.

Do you have access to another Mac? It’s possible to make a bootable USB drive with any version of OSX.

Do you have a time machine backup or clone of your old drive? If you do, restore all your data to the new drive, then upgrade to a newer OS (not sure which ones a 2011 iMac will run).

Apple has got funny in recent years and doesn’t like people using old machines so they make it had to install older versions.

I had one of a similar vintage which also had a hd failure- at the time there was a recall due to a dodgy batch of segate drives I think. From the research I did at the time, you had to replace the drive with the identical model which was apple specific. Have you checked the compatibility of the SSD- I also looked into this idea at the time but it was not simple to make it compatible. I think where was a specific way of formatting the sdd to make it compatible.

Didn’t realise you could install an old copy from time machine to a different drive…will look into that. Probably the easiest way rather than finding someone with an old machine running an old OS. Don’t fancy messing around with my iMac.

Thanks.

Have you checked the compatibility of the SSD- I also looked into this idea at the time but it was not simple to make it compatible. I think where was a specific way of formatting the sdd to make it comp

I have thanks. Should work fine as long as I can get the correct version of Mac OS for the iMac which was High Sierra. Just remembered that my iMac probably came with a Mac OS of a later vintage so wouldn’t work.

Might just install the drive and see if I can run the installer through the older machine via option/alt

Didn’t realise you could install an old copy from time machine to a different drive…will look into that

It’s perfect for hard drive failure. Makes a fully working OS. Just need to go through and clear your old files. Or make a new user account as admin then delete your old account.

Just found my old 2009 MacBook that was working fine up until a few years ago before the battery blew so can clone that and copy over to my new SSD. Would it work if I just copied the contents of the entire drive into a desktop folder and unplugged, plugged in the SSD and copied the files over to the SSD as I only have one SATA to USB cable so can’t plug them in simultaneously.

Just found my old 2009 MacBook that was working fine up until a few years ago before the battery blew so can clone that and copy over to my new SSD. Would it work if I just copied the contents of the entire drive into a desktop folder and unplugged, plugged in the SSD and copied the files over to the SSD as I only have one SATA to USB cable so can’t plug them in simultaneously.

It will copy the files fine but won’t be bootable. Try downloading Carbon Copy Cloner and installing a free trial to fully clone from one drive to another.

Assuming your Macbook switches on from the charger, you could connect it to your iMac with an ethernet cable. Restart the iMac holding “t” to boot in target disc mode and it will appear as a external drive on your Macbook. Clone the drives that way and it should boot up fine.

Suspected that would be the case. My MacBook is not functioning. The battery has swelled and damaged the remaining internals. The case bust open the pressure was so high. Luckily the HDD still works. I could just install the HDD but wold prefer to use the SSD I got to help with speed. I’ve ordered a second usb to SATA cable so should just be able to clone direct from one drive to the other via Carbon Copy Cloner. Thanks.

I had the HDD fail on my mid-2011 iMac a few years ago and replaced it with a much bigger HDD and a smaller SSD setup as a fusion drive. The easiest way I found of installing the os was to make a bootable USB drive. There are instructions readily available on how to do that and where to get a copy of the os from. The issue with drive compatibility is to do with the temperature sensor on the drive. If not done properly the os will run the fan at full speed because it is not getting a temperature input. I used a stick on sensor that gets around this problem if using a standard drive (HDD or SSD) or you have to use a specific Apple drive with the correct temperature sensor setup. IFixit.com has some really good guides on how this works. Good luck.

Thanks. Not decided how I’m getting around the fan issue. Either the hardware fix or there are software hacks too.

Can’t create a bootable usb at the moment due to an issue with the latest versions of big sur. they won’t allow an earlier is version of installers to be run. Apple are aware apparently but yet to release a software fix. Lucky I had my old MacBook or I would have been stuffed unless I could have found someone running al older version of the Mac OS.

Don’t forget to enable TRIM on the new SSD there’s a terminal command to use readily accessible online and involves a restart. You may also need a fan speed controller as the temperature sensor on the old spinning disc will have nowhere to mount on the new device.