need High Sierra installer to refurbish my old iMac

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Level 1

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need High Sierra installer to refurbish my old iMac

The App Store link to High Sierra actually leads to Venture. Anybody have a link that works to get the High Sierra installer?

Posted on Dec 17, 2022 2:57 PM

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Answer 1

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den.thed

Level 10

82,528 points

Dec 17, 2022 4:12 PM in response to jdh9846

What year model is the iMac?

see> Identify your iMac model - Apple Support

You can only install the original or a later macOS version.

Go back to the link that Old Toad posted and try Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur or Monterey. Again the earliest macOS version that you can install, hinges on the year model that you have.

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Answer 2

den.thed

Level 10

82,528 points

Dec 17, 2022 4:25 PM in response to jdh9846

A Late 2009 iMac can only run up to High Sierra.

Try starting up in Internet Recovery Mode Option-Command-R install the offered OS X version and upgrade to High Sierra if needed.

Use macOS Recovery on an Intel-based Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

jdh9846 Author

Level 1

21 points

Dec 17, 2022 3:51 PM in response to Old Toad

Thank. Actually, I just finished a chat with an Apple advisor. It turns out that because I'm trying to download a very old OS on a relatively new iMac, the system won't let me do it. I'll have to do some kind of workaround, or possibly see if I can use an older Mac to download the High Sierra installer and create the USB installer stick.

It would have been nice if the App Store had said "you can't download HS on your current system" rather than linking to Ventura with no explanation.

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