How to install Mac OS X without OS X Recovery or the DVD that came with the Mac? I'm having an issue installing Mac OS X on my MacBook Pro, here is what I have:


MacBook Pro "Core i7" 2.66 15" Mid-2010.
Mac OS X install DVD that is not for the above model I don't have the one it came with.
New 1 terabyte HD that I just bought and installed on the Mac. The original HD is broken and can't be recovered.


When I try to use the Mac OS X install DVD I get the following error:


  Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer


What I tried:


Boot from your OS X Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button.  When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be reported  on external drives. Otherwise, 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. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Apply 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 Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
Click on the Erase button.


But this didn't work for me.
You don't indicate which OS X you are starting from, but your MacBook Pro shipped with Snow Leopard.

One course of action is to purchase the retail packaged Snow Leopard generic installation DVD and then the downloadable Lion from the Apple store for US$19.99 each. You will need to install Snow Leopard first from disc, update to 10.6.8, then download and install Lion. There are no Lion or later install DVDs available from Apple.