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Model A1311 / Mid 2011 / 2.5 & 2.7 GHz Core i5 or 2.8 GHz Core i7 Processor

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Trying to install Lion on new SSD drive

I have a 2011 iMac which I came across. It has a bad hard drive... So I bought it for 60 bones.

I thought I could install a SSD which I did. When I tried to re install OS-X Lion I get a temporary unavailable...

I'm guessing it's happening due to the previous owners iCloud info being the username & password. So I wiped the drive and figured I could hard reset it in a mode.

But command S is not working...

Everytime I go through recovery it gets me to try and install but does not accept my iCloud info.

Read it has to be same as when first installed but it was someone else's PC.

Help

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Joseph, You're facing an expired certificate issue! Apple sets a window when the installer expires. Here's a good write up that gets into the premature expiration Apple had on some of its newer macOS's If you've got an old macOS install image, it will probably stop working today.

While this dealt with the newer OS's. Older OS's like Lion need a different approach! Here we need to alter the systems date so the installer thinks its' back in time to work properly. If you are limited to Lion then you’ll need to first back date the year following this guide

Block Image

Otherwise using a second system you can create a bootable external drive which you can them boot up your system. You will need to limit your self to High Sierra or older. Frankly, I recommend sticking with Sierra and here's a patched macOS for it How to upgrade to macOS Sierra jump to Step 4 for the file.

Follow this guide to setup the drive How to create a bootable macOS Sierra installer drive

You also have a second issue if you took the original HDD out as the system leverages a built-in thermal sensor within the HDD which is now gone! To replace it you’ll need this OWC In-line Digital Thermal Sensor for iMac 2011 Hard Drive Upgrade

Let’s see if this works.

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Joseph Perez will be eternally grateful.
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