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Model A1311 / Late 2009 / 3.06 or 3.33 GHz Core 2 Duo processor

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After SSD install, OSX? (iMac 2011)

I just put a new SSD in an old iMac and ran up against the “OSX Lion" won’t install” issue (not sure why Apple discontinued the ability of Lion to install in recovery mode). Thinking I will have to create a bootable USB, but does it have to be Lion?

Can I put Sierra or even High Sierra on the system?

I assumed that, since this system was never updated beyond Lion, the firmware never updated and it wouldn’t install an OSX later than Lion from a bootable drive.

Am I wrong?

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Here’s the source of the older OS’s How to get old versions of macOS

As you can see you’ll need to run through a few upgrades to get the highest version your iMac can support. So from Lion you’ll need to get to macOS Sierra 10.12.x then if you want go to macOS High Sierra 10.13.x.

I’ll warn you High Sierra created a big change with the file system jumping from HPS+ to APFS if you have a SSD installed. I would hold off jumping to High Sierra which is the last official OS version your system supports.

Here’s the needed steps to create a bootable Sierra OS installer

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