Can't install win10 to blank SSD via usb flash drive.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

my iMac is a constant source of problems, and NO despite all of apple's people telling me otherwise, the keyboard (and I have a USB and apple original) do not evoke a response until well into the boot cycle.

I do not have a clean copy of high-sierra any more so I cannot do a re-install, the problems are legion.

Thank you for the help.

[thinkdifferent]

You do not need a physical copy of the OS.

Have you tried booting into recovery mode? Command (⌘) and R on boot up, from here you can reinstall the os without a copy of the OS.

If there is a problem with the built-in macOS Recovery system, try internet recovery mode (Option-Command-R or Shift-Option-Command-R) this will boot the machine directly from Apples servers.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

I believe I do.

The iMac is circa 2011 and recovery etc is not a feature like on the more modern ones.

The keyboard is ignored until late into the process, so even with me using  2 keyboards and spreading my fingers out like Liberace nothing happens.

Usually if I wait a few weeks or months the memory dies, as the CMOS battery is flat and then maybe I can achieve something.

But thanks for the help.

[thinkdifferent]

Internet Recovery mode is available on macs made after 2009. On 2010/2011 models, you may needed to update to the latest version of macOS and/or perform an EFI and SMC firmware upgrade to enable Internet Recovery. Internet Recovery will only install the OS version that shipped with the iMac (2011 would be Snow Leopard/10.6).

Recovery mode was introduced in 2010 with 10.7/Lion and will install the current OS installed. So if your iMac is 2011 it should have access to both especially if it was running 10.13/High Sierra.

If the keyboard is not responsive have you tried a SMC reset.

[Lil_Boy_Blue]

Hi

Thanks you are a fount of knowledge.

You have no idea of the sins I have perpetrated on that machine.

EG: After sitting unused for 2 years 2 months it reverted to a date/time code of 1970.

6 years before Apple was formed.  been downhill ever since.

I will persevere.