Fix It Episode 6: The $40 Macbook Pro

Episode 6: The $40 Macbook Pro. Can we combat e-waste by putting an old computer listed as ‘non-working, spares or repairs’ back into working order?

Steps for making an OSX 10.11 boot USB under linux:

  1. Download correct disk image (http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2019/cert/061-41424-20191024-218af9ec-cf50-4516-9011-228c78eda3d2/InstallMacOSX.dmg) Internet install won’t work anymore, too old. Error 403.

With access to a current MacOS install, you can just run this, give it a USB stick and go.
For Linux, however:

  1. Install package tools: sudo apt install dmg2pkg genisoimage hfsprogs kpartx

  2. Extract ESD package from installer:
    dmg2pkg InstallMacOSX.dmg InstallMacOSX.img
    Copy out InstallESD.img

  3. Mount and prepare ESX image:
    sudo kpartx -a InstallESD.img
    sudo mkdir /mnt/OSX_InstallESD
    sudo mount /dev/mapper/loop0p2 /mnt/OSX_InstallESD

  4. Mount and prepare Base image:
    dmg2img /mnt/OSX_InstallESD/BaseSystem.dmg BaseSystem.img
    sudo kpartx -a BaseSystem.img
    sudo mkdir /mnt/OSX_BaseSystem
    sudo mount /dev/mapper/loop1p1 /mnt/OSX_BaseSystem

  5. Insert 8GB+ flash drive, verify the mount point (don’t mount it) - /dev/sdb for me
    sudo sgdisk -o /dev/sdb
    sudo sgdisk -n 1:0:0 -t 1:AF00 -c 1:“disk image” -A 1:set:2 /dev/sdb
    sudo mkfs.hfsplus -v “OS X Base System” /dev/sdb1
    mkdir /mnt/usbstick
    sudo mount /dev/sdX1 /mnt/usbstick

  6. Copy all the files over (takes a long time):
    sudo rsync -aAEHWv /mnt/OSX_BaseSystem/ /mnt/usbstick/
    sudo rm -f /mnt/usbstick/System/Installation/Packages
    sudo rsync -aAEHWv /mnt/OSX_InstallESD/Packages /mnt/usbstick/System/Installation/
    sudo rsync -aAEHWv /mnt/OSX_InstallESD/BaseSystem.chunklist /mnt/usbstick/
    sudo rsync -aAEHWv /mnt/OSX_InstallESD/BaseSystem.dmg /mnt/usbstick/
    sync

https://superuser.com/questions/505821/how-to-make-a-bootable-mac-os-x-usb-flash-drive-from-a-dmg-on-linux
https://gist.github.com/coolaj86/9834a45a6c21a41e8882698a00b55787?permalink_comment_id=3594163
https://github.com/ilian/mkosxinstallusb/tree/master
https://github.com/kholia/OSX-KVM/tree/master
https://easyosx.net/2023/04/10/making-an-el-capitan-installer-and-recovery-drive-in-2023/
https://www.thegeekdiary.com/mkfs-hfsplus-command-not-found/
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Part 2: Software
This time checking out the experience of 6 year old OSX software.
For more up-to-date browsers, try:

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Host specs and info. Next up will be hardware!

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I’ve got 16gb of DDR3 RAM ordered for it, just need to get a new battery and it’ll be all set for a hardware upgrade video.