How do I resinstall mountain lion without an install disk?

I have an older macbook that doesn't support Lion or Mountain Lion. The person who owned it previously said they "deleted" the system preferences application. I didn't believe them, but sure enough, nothing will allow you into system preferences. I want to reinstall the operating system and clean it out, but I don't have any install disks, not even an old OS X disk.
Any suggestions? Is there a way to make a bootable OS X 10.6 disc? Is there a legitimate ISO available? I've seen a bunch on torrents that look like they're bloated.
Thanks

Call apple care at 1 800 692 7753 - give them the computers serial number. You can purchase replacement discs for that computer. They charge $16 for each disc. You need two of them.

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How can I buy Mountain Lion without download etc. Just associate with apple id to do reinstall on Mountain Lion Macbook

I am trying to reinstall a Macbook Pro that had previously been upgraded to Mountain Lion x by the old owner. When I try to reinstall I need to input an apple ID that has purchased Mountain Lion. My ID hasn't. How can I either revert back to the original OS or associate Lion with my apple ID. I have happy to pay the $19.95 just cannot find where.

You can purchase Mountain Lion using your Apple ID at the App Store. You cannot use the version installed by the old owner. In fact it should not have even been installed by the old owner when he sold it.
You can install Snow Leopard and update it to 10.6.8 in order to purchase Mountain Lion under your Apple ID.
Upgrading to Snow Leopard
You can purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.
After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store. Access to the App Store enables you to download Mountain Lion if your computer meets the requirements.
Upgrading to Mountain Lion
To upgrade to Mountain Lion you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or Lion installed. Purchase and download Mountain Lion from the App Store. Sign in using your Apple ID. Mountain Lion is $19.99 plus tax. The file is quite large, over 4 GBs, so allow some time to download. It would be preferable to use Ethernet because it is nearly four times faster than wireless.
     OS X Mountain Lion - System Requirements
       Macs that can be upgraded to OS X Mountain Lion
         1. iMac (Mid 2007 or newer) - Model Identifier 7,1 or later
         2. MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer) - Model Identifier 5,1 or later
         3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         4. MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer) - Model Identifier 2,1 or later
         5. Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         6. Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         7. Xserve (Early 2009) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later
To find the model identifier open System Profiler in the Utilities folder. It's displayed in the panel on the right.
     Are my applications compatible?
         See App Compatibility Table - RoaringApps.
     For a complete How-To introduction from Apple see Upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion.

How to update to Mountain lion without credit card

Hello,
I use Aperture on a Snow Leoard iMac. To update Aperture, I need Mountain Lion, available only via Apple Store.
On Apple Store, they accept wired transfert, but for a Apple ID, you need an American bank card. (European Bank Card like Mister Cash, Bancontact... aren't authorised).
So, how can I do ?
Thanks
Et Photo-Web

If you can't supply a credit card of the type required, the only other option is to get a prepaid iTunes card or get someone to give you a gift certificate of sufficent value to cover the cost of the purchase, if either is available in your country.
Regards.

How can I download Mountain Lion onto an external disk?

Hello everyone
My macbook pro hard drive was failing and at a genius appointment the technician said I could either pay for them to do the replacement or do it at home, since it would cost me nearly three times less. I bought the hard drive which is physically installed but my mac was not working before the replacement so I couldnt create any copies of the content, sofware, etc which means that now I have no idea how to install the sofware again... I've read about downloading Mountain Lion off the Apple Store onto an external disk and then rebooting the Mac from the external disk but I cant use my apple ID on any other Mac that isnt mine so I'm totally lost... Any help, please?

I'm assuming the grey disks are installation CDs that came with the mac?
Correct. But since you're trying to get back to Mountain Lion, you don't need them. If you had created a Mountain Lion bootable flash drive from your original download, you could have started up to that and installed ML directly.
Since it appears you don't, than what you do need is a retail Snow Leopard disk. If you don't have one, it can be purchased directly from Apple for $20. Install that and update it to at least 10.6.6 to get the App Store app on the drive. Then you can login to your App Store account and retrieve and install Mountain Lion.

How do I erase my computer without an install disk?

I just got a new macbook, and am looking to give my old one away. I am running OSX 10.5.8, and I want to erase all of my personal data, programs and settings without losing the OS. Is that possible? All of the instructions I've found for wiping the memory start with the install disc, but I don't have one of those (OS came pre-installed). How do I set about wiping the computer without an install disc?

Is it any wonder that I called this thread unhelpful when from begining to end it has been bristling with comments like yours: "It would not be bad for you to read how to behave in society" and people assuring me that I must be lieing or crazy about the discs?
I asked a very simple question, met with rude remarks on my character, and solved the question myself in the end. The macbook is still being given away, but to someone I trust not to try to recover my deleted files. I wanted a clean memory for her to use.
My husband works in IT (Windows, usually), so I am familiar with the frustrations computer gurus face when the uninformed like me ask (apparently) the wrong question. I am also, however, familiar with good customer service and the way good companies take care of the poor shmucks who don't know how to phrase what they want. "How to behave in society"-- maybe try it yourself. I sincerely hope the people represented here, with the exception of Mr. Walter Milano who was actually polite *and* helpful, aren't Apple service representatives. The rudeness is not what I had come to expect from this company.

How to download Mountain Lion without the App Store?

How I'm able to download and purchase Mountain Lion without App Store?
I removed the App Store since it was annoying in my application bar and I didn't use it anyway. Right after I searched up all files connected to it and deleted them. This was about 6 months ago.
Now I need to run a program that requires Java 7, which is only available for Lion+
Since Mountain Lion was coming out in a few days I waited on it, now it's out and I can't purchase it >.>
Screenshots:
App Store:
Trying to open it:
Trying to purchase Mountain Lion from the site:

Restore your system from your Time Machine backup.
Or if you do not have a full system backup make one using Time Machine. Then download the 10.6.8 combo updater and appy it to your system <http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399>.
Or, you can purchase OS X 10.8 on your Macbook Pro, download, transfer the installer to iMac and install it. Just be sure and backup the installer to an external HDD BEFORE you install it on the iMac.
In the future just remove the icon from the Dock and you won't have this problem. Also, make backups.

How do I download Mountain Lion to the other computers at my home without additional cost? I downloaded 10.8 to my main IMac but have two additional computers in my home.?

How do I download Mountain Lion to the other computers at my home without additional cost? I downloaded 10.8 to my main IMac but have two additional computers in my home.?

Install 10.6.8 on the other computers. Sign into the App Store with the same Apple ID used to purchase Mountain Lion. Click on the Purchases icon in the toolbar. Locate your Mountain Lion purchase entry which will show an active Install/Download button to the right of the entry. Click on it to download to the computer. If you don't wish to download Mountain Lion twice, then do this:
Make Your Own Mountain/Lion Installer
1. After downloading Mountain/Lion you must first save the Install Mac OS X Mountain/Lion application. After Mountain/Lion downloads DO NOT click on the Install button. Go to your Applications folder and make a copy of the Mountain/Lion installer. Move the copy into your Downloads folder. Now you can click on the Install button. You must do this because the installer deletes itself automatically when it finishes installing.
2. Get a USB flash drive that is at least 8 GBs. Prep this flash drive as follows:
Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
After DU loads select your flash drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to an hour depending upon the flash drive size.
3. Locate the saved Mountain/Lion installer in your Downloads folder. CTRL- or RIGHT-click on the installer and select Show Package Contents from the contextual menu. Double-click on the Contents folder to open it. Double-click on the SharedSupport folder. In this folder you will see a disc image named InstallESD.dmg.
4. Plug in your freshly prepared USB flash drive. You are going to clone the content of the InstallESD.dmg disc image to the flash drive as follows:
Double-click on the InstallESD.dmg file to mount it on your Desktop.
Open Disk Utility.
Select the USB flash drive from the left side list.
Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
Select the USB flash drive volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
Drag the mounted disc icon from the Desktop into the Source entry field.
Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
When the clone is completed you have a fully bootable installer that you can use without having to re-download Mountain/Lion.
Note: The term Mountain/Lion used above means Lion or Mountain Lion.
As an alternative to the above you can try using Lion DiskMaker 2.0 that automates the process.

How do I redownload mountain lion for a clean install on the same machine without purchasing again?

I purchased mountain lion and upgraded my OS. The system seems to still be having some issues and I'd like to do a clean install with the new OS. How do I redownload mountain lion so that I can make a bootable disk and do my clean install?

You should be able to just go to the App Store and select Download again. If that doesn't work, try holding down the option key while selecting "Buy".
Good luck,
Clinton

How to rename home library in mountain lion without reinstalling OS

How can I rename mountain lion home directory without

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH10932
http://georgeharito.com/2013/02/changing-short-name-mountain-lion/

Mountain Lion causing apps not to work, how can I downgrade to Lion without Time Machine Back-up?

Since installing Mountain Lion, I have found applications that don't work. I want to go back to Mountain Lion, unfortunately I had trouble with my Time Machine back up hard drive a couple days after installing Mountain Lion and I don't have any back up to work from. Tried to go to App Store and redownload Lion from there under purchases, but I got message that said "You can’t upgrade this version of Mac OS X because a newer version is installed."
I have another mac that I can download the Lion install package to and then drag it over to this computer, so the question is, Will I be able to re-install Lion over the upgraded Mountain Lion without any problems?

Babowa - By On Screen, I mean it still shows up in the disk utility and reads the following:
MATSHITA DVD-R   UJ-898:
Firmware Revision:    HE13
Interconnect:    ATAPI
Burn Support:    Yes (Apple Shipping Drive)
Cache:    1024 KB
Reads DVD:    Yes
CD-Write:    -R, -RW
DVD-Write:    -R, -R DL, -RW, +R, +R DL, +RW
Write Strategies:    CD-TAO, CD-SAO, DVD-DAO
Media:    To show the available burn speeds, insert a disc and choose File > Refresh Information
There are several links here on the support forums with manyyy others having the same problem: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4150905?start=30&tstart=0

How can I downgrade my Os x Maverick to Os x mountain lion without time machine

downgrade os x maverick to os x mountain lion without time machine back up and disc

To downgrade you have to have a copy of the Mountain Lion installer, download from the Mac App Store but be sure to go to System Preferences > App Store first and uncheck boxes that will automatically install the download.
You will have to erase the hard drive and then install from a saved copy of the installer, saved to a flash drive for instance.
This is going to be a time consuming exercise, so is there a specific reason for wanting to downgrade?

HT4854 How can I load Mountain Lion to multiple Macs

How can I load Mountain Lion to multiple Macs without downloading the huge 4Gb file to each machine?

I've never done that, but I don't see why it wouldn't. There is no verification or authentication keys in the installer.
If you need 20+ licenses*, then you might take a look at the volume licensing: http://www.apple.com/mac/volume-licensing/
It describes the same process I described.
* I think 20 is the minimum. Not sure, though.

How do you erase mountain lion to install snow leopard?

Hi, My mother now has a new to her late 09 mini that originally shipped with snow leopard. When she bought it it came with mountain lion preinstalled from a private seller. We were thinking that to be on the safe side that it might be better to erase and install what's on it just to be sure it is secure. I tried to erase and install snow leopard from a disk but it says that the installer is not compatible with this version of osx(mountain lion). Question: How do I erase mountain lion and install snow leopard?
I've read here that there is possibly a built in recovery disk that I can use to erase and reinstall mountain lion. Q: Is there a built in recovery disk available in my situation? and if so should I use it or be even safer by installing snow leopard instead?
Thank you,

I think I found the answer (from sl install disk use disk utility to erase then install sl). Thanks for looking.

I do not have a high speed internet connection. How can I get Mountain Lion on a disk for install?

I do not have a high speed internet connection. How can I get Mountain Lion on a disk for install on my 24" Imac?

As long as you use your Apple ID to purchase it, I don't see why they wouldn't let you download the installer on one of their Macs and put it on a pocket drive.
Or, a friend with a high speed connection?
I agree with you about the delivery method, just trying to help you get what you want.

Clean hard drive before selling; how do i get mountain lion on a disk for re-install?

Hope to resell old macbook pro and wish to clean hard drive. Need a CD of OSX to reinstall after cleaning. How do I get mountain lion on a CD?

Mountain Lion does not come on discs of any kind. But you don't need one. You'll find instructions for getting your machine ready for sale here:
How to prepare your Mac for sale

How do I resinstall mountain lion without an install disk?

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