macOS installer for a Mac mini (2011)

TidBITS Talk
1

I apologize for starting this sort of topic in this forum, but I am stumped.

My wife died.
– I thought I knew the administrator password for her Mac mini (mid 2011). But… nope.
– Then tried all the usual approaches to dealing with lost password.
– So I used Recovery to erase the encrypted drive and then to launch Install Lion (the only OS choice). To keep this short, that fails. Magnificently.
– So I went to the Apple App Store for the High Sierra the installer. I click Get and the process starts, then fails: “Update not found.”
– So, somehow, I found a link directly to a copy on Apple servers. Bug Sur on a macPro (2019) refused to download that file, stating security considerations.

I urgently need to repartition a hard drive, keeping HFS+ encrypted.
The mini is perfect for that. And I have other uses for it.

If no advice, then what forums?

Cordially,* Joaquin

* and plaintively

2

Oops. It was Sierra I tried to download
(from How to download macOS - Apple Support ).

“File not downloaded. Potential security risk.”

3

As you probably know, the highest macOS for this Mac is High Sierra 10.6.3, it came with Lion when new.

You may find useful tips for your download here:

4

So sorry to hear of your wife’s passing, Joaquin.

Some useful links in that article, thanks @mHm.

5

Thanks to both.

The article sure is comprehensive. Does not have an immediate solution for me. I’ll be busy for a day or two with other matters, then will report further.

6

I think you meant 10.13.6 for High Sierra.

7

Yes of course, sorry for the silly typo.

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