macOS install issues

[pcgamr348960956]

hi,

I have a MacBook Air 2015 that boots to recovery and needs a new os, I installed a new nvme ssd and It dosent show,  I have read on an ifixit forum that I might need to install a os and boot to macOS Mojave or newer so the firmware will update then the new ssd will show, problem is I can't really get a new macOS, I tried to connect the flash drive and install macOS from the recovery, dosent work. I just get an error at the end, I tried to create a bootable installer and install it to a flash drive, but it just shows the flashing folder, dosent work, I can't install it from my other Mac because it can only install macOS Ventura from the recovery which is not supported by the 2015 MacBook Air. 

any suggestions?

thanks!

[Crunchy Dragon]

I've used this guide from Apple in the past to get macOS installers: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683

I used a Mac to download High Sierra, make a bootable installer, then I was able to reinstall it on another Mac with no problems.

 

What I find usually works best, albeit taking more time, is downloading the oldest compatible OS version and letting it auto update or manually updating it after the installation to the newest one that system will support.

 

In my case, I was limited to High Sierra because my 2010 iMac doesn't support Metal(found in Mojave), so that's the farthest I could go.

[pcgamr348960956]

21 minutes ago, htimsenyawed said:

It looks like the original operating system shipped with your 2015 MacBook Air was Mac OS X 10.10.2 (14C2507) which is Yosemite. It supports up to macOS Monterey as well. 

 

Doing internet recovery, have you attempted to install the original OS that your MacBook Air shipped with? When I put a new SSD in a 2012 Mac Mini it pulled the installer for Mountain Lion - and after installing Mountain Lion I was able to install Catalina (the last supported Mac OS for the 2012 Mac Mini) via internet recovery.

yes I tried to do the internet recovery and I get a error message, and when I try a flash drive I just get a folder with a question mark flashing.

[pcgamr348960956]

1 hour ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

I've used this guide from Apple in the past to get macOS installers: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683

I used a Mac to download High Sierra, make a bootable installer, then I was able to reinstall it on another Mac with no problems.

 

What I find usually works best, albeit taking more time, is downloading the oldest compatible OS version and letting it auto update or manually updating it after the installation to the newest one that system will support.

 

In my case, I was limited to High Sierra because my 2010 iMac doesn't support Metal(found in Mojave), so that's the farthest I could go.

yes I was originally going to do that, I found the same forum but when I create the bootable installer and put it in the machine I get the same flashing folder with a ?.

[pcgamr348960956]

9 minutes ago, htimsenyawed said:

 

Did you open disk utility and format the newly installed SSD to APFS format?

It dosent even show the new Ssd, I think you misunderstood the problem.

[pcgamr348960956]

1 minute ago, htimsenyawed said:

 

Even when you select Disk Recovery and then View > Show All Devices - the new drive isn't there?

Yes not there 

[pcgamr348960956]

Just now, htimsenyawed said:

 

Interesting. Are you positive the drive has been installed properly with firm seating into the NVME slot?

Yes, it was installed with an adapter though because it’s a regular nvme drive, although I’m almost 100% sure the adapter works because it had really good reviews on Amazon, and I even bought another one thinking the one I originally bought came defective.

[pcgamr348960956]

1 minute ago, pcgamr348960956 said:

Yes, it was installed with an adapter though because it’s a regular nvme drive, although I’m almost 100% sure the adapter works because it had really good reviews on Amazon, and I even bought another one thinking the one I originally bought came defective.

Also I bought another nvme drive, to see if the other one was the problem but still dosent work, it’s also nvme gen 3, because I know that gen 4 isn’t compatible 

[pcgamr348960956]

1 minute ago, htimsenyawed said:

 

Curious. And this is the View > Show All Devices that you're using?

 

If the drive isn't being recognized, which in the side bar it would potentially be greyed out as it's not formatted correctly, then either the adapter or the drive is bad unfortunately.

For sure can’t be

[pcgamr348960956]

12 minutes ago, htimsenyawed said:

 

The troubleshooting steps I would take now would be to verify that both the adapter and drive are correctly installed into the slot. I'd reseat all of them and then load into internt recovery - not regular recovery as you do not have a recovery partition on your Mac now, and verify if they're in disk utility. If they are, then format the drive and install Mac OS X Yosemite and go through the installation, boot back into internet recovery and upgrade to macOS Monterey.

 

If they drives do not appear, I would be under the assumption that the adapter is faulty (2 faulty is possible, I tried 3 batteries on my fiancee's MBP and all three were faulty even though highly reviewed). I would reinstall the original drive to see if it's still recognized by your MacBook, and if it is, I would source an adapter from a repubtable aftermarket Mac parts brand like OWC and attempt again. If the original drive is not recognized, then there is the potential that the fauly adapters have damaged the slot on the logic board unfortunately.

 

Please keep me updated on this issue.

no, its still not showing, i have another adapter from a different brand thats being delivered today, ill try it when it comes later and reply back to let you know if it works,

thanks for your help.

[pcgamr348960956]

3 hours ago, htimsenyawed said:

 

Not a problem. Keep me updated! There might be some more things we can try once I do some digging if the new adapter also doesn't work.

hey, just got the new adapter, it still dosent show anything, what would be the next step.

thanks

[pcgamr348960956]

Just now, htimsenyawed said:

 

Have you tried the original drive to see if it's still recognized?

i dont have an original drive, i bought it used on ebay it shipped without an original drive

[pcgamr348960956]

2 minutes ago, htimsenyawed said:

 

Interesting. It's possible that the logic board could've been damaged by whomever removed it. You could try an OWC Aura Pro X2, which is a direct connection to the logic board with the right key and from a reputable brand.

yea i dont think its worth $100, i paid $35 for the macbook, and the other ssd and the adapter were purchased with a gift card. any other ideas,

thanks

[pcgamr348960956]

Just now, htimsenyawed said:

 

I understand what you mean. Not right off, if different adapters from different brands aren't working, it makes me think it's the logic board has a hardware issue. It sucks that you can't make it work, but you could always try some more tinkering I suppose - if it's already broke, you can't break it anymore and if you get the drive detected, that's even better!

thanks for the help anyways, its a shame because it was the cheapest macbook on ebay and its a 2015, it needs "only an ssd is missing" according to the seller, i was planning on reselling it for alot more than $35, i might buy a logic board or maybe another macbook thats broken and take some parts from this because the exterior is still in good condition. 

thank you so much for the help and quick response.