2012 MacBook Pro can't download Catalina from app store

[volkwagen1300]

Recently was given a mid-2012 MacBook Pro 9,2. These are compatible up to Catalina. I put in an OWC 256GB HD and have it running a fresh install of High Sierra, with all the updates to that. Signed it into my iCloud account. Now when I go to the App store via Safari, click on the Catalina "download" button I get an error-
"We could not complete your purchase. This version of macOS 10.14.6 cannot be installed on this computer"
I have had no luck finding any solutions to this. Most people with this problem just couldn't find the page on the App Store. I can't even upgrade to Mojave either. Any ideas?

thanks in advance!

 

[rovostrov]

Recently was given a mid-2012 MacBook Pro 9,2. These are compatible up to Catalina. I put in an OWC 256GB HD and have it running a fresh install of High Sierra, with all the updates to that. Signed it into my iCloud account. Now when I go to the App store via Safari, click on the Catalina "download" button I get an error-
"We could not complete your purchase. This version of macOS 10.14.6 cannot be installed on this computer"
I have had no luck finding any solutions to this. Most people with this problem just couldn't find the page on the App Store. I can't even upgrade to Mojave either. Any ideas?

thanks in advance!

Not sure if this is your situation but is your HD formatted as APFS or Mac OS Extended Journaled? If not APFS, you might need to create a bootable USB installer for Catalina.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Use an external drive or secondary volume as a startup disk from which to install macOS.

support.apple.com

 

[B S Magnet]

I have had no luck finding any solutions to this. Most people with this problem just couldn't find the page on the App Store. I can't even upgrade to Mojave either. Any ideas?

Yes, although it’s going to be an interesting workaround.

Most important: you will need a thumb drive for this method — ideally at least 16GB, but you might be able to get by with 8GB.

I went through, step-by-step, in a somewhat similar situation with another person earlier this week who was trying to install High Sierra on their iMac the traditional, Apple Store/recovery method, and was having trouble.

The method I outlined to them is exactly the same for you, except you’re going to want to grab the dosdude1 Catalina patcher from his web site.

Upon opening the Catalina patcher utility, the installer wizard will let you download a copy from Apple directly:

In the method linked above (and, I believe, covered as well on dosdude1’s embedded tutorial video on his Catalina page), the utility helps you to put the downloaded Catalina installer onto the thumb drive you plan to use — setting it up so that your Mac can boot from it. There won’t be anything for you to need to patch, as Catalina needs none for the MacBookPro9,x series (which you already know). There is one thing you should de-select: de-select Options > Auto-apply Post Install Patches, as no patching is needed for your system.

As @rovostrov noted, your new SSD will need to have an APFS partition on which you plan to install Catalina, as Apple dropped the ability to install macOS on HFS+ starting with Catalina (it was still possible to do so with High Sierra and Mojave, to the benefit of anyone still using an HDD spinner).

This ought to get you to where you need to be without having to deal with the Apple Store throwing errors into the mix.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

Could you try this first, right now?
Print out this reply and keep it for reference as you proceed.
1. Power the MBP down, all the way off.
2. DISCONNECT ALL external drives
3. Press and hold "command-OPTION-R" (keep holding down), and press the power on button
4. After a while, you'll be prompted for your wifi password -- let go of the other keys now and enter it.
5. This should get you booted into INTERNET recovery.
6. The internet utilities take a while to load, be patient.

CAN YOU GET THIS FAR?

If so, open disk utility.
Go to the VIEW menu and choose "show all devices" (it's VERY IMPORTANT that you do this, otherwise you won't see the internal drive)
Now look at the "list on the left".
The topmost item is the internal drive -- can you see it?
If so, click on it and click "erase".
Choose APFS, GUID partition format.
When the erase is done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.
I believe the installer will offer you Catalina (last OS to be supported for the 2012 MBP).

Start clicking through.
The Mac will reboot one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no indication of activity. Be Patient.

When done, you should see the initial setup screen "Choose your language".
Start clicking through.
Now you have a decision to make.
If you want to import user data, apps, etc. from the external drive you have, CONNECT IT.
When setup assistant asks if you wish to migrate from another drive, YES, you want to do this.

So... "point the way" for setup assistant to the external drive, and give it time to digest everything.
Setup assistant will present you with a list of stuff to migrate.
I suggest you choose everything, and just "let 'er go".

When done, you should see your login screen, just as it was on the external drive.
Good luck.

Again, TRY INTERNET RECOVERY FIRST.
If that doesn't work, try BS Magnet's suggestion for dosdude1's "Catalina Patcher" (which I was in the process of recommending when he posted right ahead of me).

 

[volkwagen1300]

Well I formatted the new SSD as...macOs extended journaled. Sounds like 3 out of 3 experts here agree I need to re-do it with APFS. Since I still have the High Sierra install flash drive, so I will go back, re-format my new SSD with APFS and re-load High Sierra and get it going, then hopefully pull down Catalina from the app store. I really don't feel like making a new Catalina install drive. Not in a super hurry here, I'm using this as a guinea pig to try out the dosdude patch (as B S Magnet pointed out) to eventually take me into Monterey or Ventura, just want to get things nice and solid first.

Just for the record - can I use my High Sierra install flash drive and load it onto an APFS formatted SSD? Or is High Sierra MacOs extended journaled only? In which case I would have to make a new Catalina install flash drive.

Re: Fishrrman - yes, I can get the recovery mode/disk utility screens so with enough time this should work out...

 

[B S Magnet]

Just for the record - can I use my High Sierra install flash drive and load it onto an APFS formatted SSD? Or is High Sierra MacOs extended journaled only? In which case I would have to make a new Catalina install flash drive.

No, High Sierra was the first version of macOS to be designed around APFS.

That said, High Sierra will run on an HFS+ partitioned volume. This is handy only for those users of High Sierra (or Mojave) who are still using spinning HDDs (my iMac is one such example of this). But if you have an SSD, stick with APFS (which was purpose-designed around the expected use of solid-state storage).

 

[volkwagen1300]

No, High Sierra was the first version of macOS to be designed around APFS.

That said, High Sierra will run on an HFS+ partitioned volume. This is handy only for those users of High Sierra (or Mojave) who are still using spinning HDDs (my iMac is one such example of this). But if you have an SSD, stick with APFS (which was purpose-designed around the expected use of solid-state storage).

Just to be clear - High Sierra will install into an APFS formatted drive, correct?

 

[Fishrrman]

"High Sierra will install into an APFS formatted drive, correct?"

I believe for HS, you want HFS+ (Mac OS extended, journaling enabled, GUID partition format).
It will convert that if needed.

For LATER THAN HS (Mojave, etc.) you want APFS right off-the-bat.

 

[volkwagen1300]

"High Sierra will install into an APFS formatted drive, correct?"

I believe for HS, you want HFS+ (Mac OS extended, journaling enabled, GUID partition format).
It will convert that if needed.

For LATER THAN HS (Mojave, etc.) you want APFS right off-the-bat.

Noted - and I'll be upgrading to Catalina shortly which as discussed requires APFS - but I can format the SSD to APFS, use the High Sierra install flash drive I already have, or does High Sierra not work at all with APFS?

 

[B S Magnet]

"High Sierra will install into an APFS formatted drive, correct?"

I believe for HS, you want HFS+ (Mac OS extended, journaling enabled, GUID partition format).
It will convert that if needed.

For LATER THAN HS (Mojave, etc.) you want APFS right off-the-bat.

@Fishrrman — this is incorrect.

As we speak, I’m running High Sierra on a MacBookPro8,x (late 2011) on an APFS partition, because for SSDs, High Sierra and later need APFS.

@volkwagen1300 — for High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, and everything later, you need to use an APFS partition scheme if installing on an SSD. Apologies for any confusion laid out by Fishrr.

If that doesn't work, try BS Magnet's suggestion for dosdude1's "Catalina Patcher" (which I was in the process of recommending when he posted right ahead of me).

Please check my about page. Thank you.

 

[winxmac]

When you are on version X, you can only download X - 1, X, and X + 1

When you are running High Sierra and went to the App Store, you can only download High Sierra [10.13] and Mojave [10.14] while Sierra [10.12] can be downloaded as a DMG file... When you are running Mojave and went to the App Store, then you can download High Sierra [10.13], Mojave [10.14], and Catalina [10.15]

Since you are currently on High Sierra and you want to download X + 2, then you will need a workaround like dosdude patcher or OCLP to download way newer versions...

This is what I have learned after attempting to download X + 2, X + 3, with X as the current installed macOS...

Also, even if the current file system is macOS extended journaled, you can still upgrade to High Sierra or newer since the installer will do the APFS conversion... No need to do the formatting yourself, unless you really want to do it on your own...

You just need to format the USB flash drive as macOS extended journaled... You cannot use APFS on it...

For a clean install, I format the drive as HFS+ [macOS extended jornaled] and just leave the conversion to APFS to the installer...

 

[Wokis]

Sounds weird that the installer simply wouldn't convert your system drive to APFS like it did for the rest of us back in the day.

But "This version of macOS 10.14.6 cannot be installed on this computer" is also interesting, as Catalina is version 10.15.

It's probably easiest to just take any imporant files off the Mac, start in Internet Recovery (command-option-R), it should boot into Catalina recovery where you can prep the drive with APFS and install Catalina with ease.

I would not take any side-track first going through High Sierra. Unless you're stranded on an island without Internet, forego that USB-drive.

 

[volkwagen1300]

Sounds weird that the installer simply wouldn't convert your system drive to APFS like it did for the rest of us back in the day.

But "This version of macOS 10.14.6 cannot be installed on this computer" is also interesting, as Catalina is version 10.15.

It's probably easiest to just take any imporant files off the Mac, start in Internet Recovery (command-option-R), it should boot into Catalina recovery where you can prep the drive with APFS and install Catalina with ease.

I would not take any side-track first going through High Sierra. Unless you're stranded on an island without Internet, forego that USB-drive.

I'm forced to use the USB drive because even when plugged into Ethernet, it says it can't contact the Apple Server when I try to use internet recovery. This has been tough going.

 

[CaptTee]

I'm forced to use the USB drive because even when plugged into Ethernet, it says it can't contact the Apple Server when I try to use internet recovery. This has been tough going.

Bad ethernet port? I have an old Mac Mini that I have to use a USB hub with an Ethernet port, because the one on the main logic board has not worked since a nearby lightning strike took out a router.
The AUKEY model I have is discontinued, but something like this https://www.amazon.com/USB-Ethernet-Splitter-HUB-Network/dp/B07G8VZ51Z/ref=asc_df_B07G8VZ51Z/ is not that expensive and handy to have even if you don't need the the ethernet port.

 

[winxmac]

I'm forced to use the USB drive because even when plugged into Ethernet, it says it can't contact the Apple Server when I try to use internet recovery. This has been tough going.

I was able to use internet recovery before to downgrade my MacBook Pro 2015 to High Sierra but not anymore... I am also getting recovery server could not be contacted... Since that happened no matter how many attempts, I have downloaded Yosemite [10.10.5], El Capitan [10.11.6], Sierra [10.12.6], High Sierra [10.13.6], Mojave [10.14.6], Catalina [10.15.7], Big Sur, and Monterey and created a bootable flash drive... Now I can install whatever compatible version I want... I am not going to use anything newer than Monterey even though it can be done through OCLP...

Something weird but out of all the compatible versions, I can no longer download security updates for High Sierra even though I still can for Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra, all of which gets the security update through App Store...

 

[volkwagen1300]

Yeah, the Ethernet port works for sure, it worked when I was able to boot into HS. I have some more urgent and important things going on this week, will get back to this next week. But yesterday i erased the SSD and reformatted to APFS (I think the HS installer did already convert it to APFS, but just to be sure) and now it won't boot from my flash drive. It see it, I can choose it, and it the little LED in the flash drive blinks for a while, but it never boots into HS, just get that gray screen with the four recovery mode options. I sincerely appreciate the time people took to answer my questions.

 

[ToniCH]

Sorry, didn't read it all so if this is irrelevant then ignore it.

Did you make the HS installer using the createinstallmedia -command?

Like this: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

I too had problems of getting the various OS's from the Appstore for my many machines so I found the link above a valuable help as it has worked for me every time. I even made an external USB-drive with several bootable partitions with different OS-versions. More handy than making a new USB thumb drive every time I need to install something.

 

[B S Magnet]

Sorry, didn't read it all so if this is irrelevant then ignore it.

Did you make the HS installer using the createinstallmedia -command?

Like this: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

I too had problems of getting the various OS's from the Appstore for my many machines so I found the link above a valuable help as it has worked for me every time. I even made an external USB-drive with several bootable partitions with different OS-versions. More handy than making a new USB thumb drive every time I need to install something.

I recommended the use of disdude1’s Catalina patcher utility to prepare the thumb drive for bootability. The utility relies on, as memory serves, the createinstallmedia command on the back-end.

 

[eyoungren]

I have the "Install macOS Catalina.app" installer app if that'd make any difference to the OP. 8+GB. I can put it up on Dropbox for download if OP wants.

I keep all the installers (or most of them anyway).

 

[TheShortTimer]

I've found Internet Recovery to be frustratingly inconsistent. I have the same model as the OP and I've been able to install and reinstall Catalina without issue using Internet Recovery but I had to use the USB method with my 2011 MacBook Air to reinstall the operating system.

 

[ToniCH]

This page has direct links to HS and up in the App Store. To me they work and I have downloaded them to my drive and then used the ready prepared createinstall-media commands in my previous link to successfully create bootable OS-installers.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

Ps. when using the commands your thumb drive or hd partition name must match the commands. Easiest way is to rename your target thumb drive to MyVolume. That way the commands work as is. And please note that the OS-installer file must be inside the Applications-folder.

 

[ToniCH]

I recommended the use of disdude1’s Catalina patcher utility to prepare the thumb drive for bootability. The utility relies on, as memory serves, the createinstallmedia command on the back-end.

When you have the installer-file downloaded to your Applications folder just format a thumbdrive and then rename it to MyVolume and copy-paste the correct command from Apples site to the terminal. Then sit and wait for few minutes and follow instructions on screen if needed (enter your password, enter Y etc). IMO could not be much easier.

 

[volkwagen1300]

FOLLOW-UP: I had to focus on some other stuff for a while but got back to this the other day. I decided to pull the new SSD out and reformat it to HFS/MacOs Extended with my other Mac. I put it back into the laptop and this time it tried to boot from my High Sierra USB drive but it stopped partway thru with an error that it couldn't write - the Installer Log had a bunch of comments that made it look like it was trying to boot but something was in the way.

After googling this issue, I found a suggestion to remove the SSD again and hook it back up to my other Mac, reformat it to macOS again, and afterwards close Disk Utility and select the SSD in Finder. Chose "Get Info" and scrolled down to the bottom, and checked the box to ignore ownership (I think...maybe it was already checked and I unchecked it, I don't remember), see link where I got this idea:

Mac won't boot from USB drive: Prohibited sign

I tried to clean install OS X El Capitan on my Mac, but it won’t boot from the USB drive. Here are the steps I took to create the bootable USB drive (I have a Mid-2014 MacBook Pro with Retina Displ...

apple.stackexchange.com

While there I also changed permissions so that everyone can read/write just to be sure.

Put SSD back in laptop, while booting held down option key to try to boot from USB drive. Took me to the grayish screen with four options - chose "reinstall MacOs" and selected the USB drive - this time it booted into High Sierra fine!

Once HS was running OK I downloaded the dosdude Catalina patcher as was suggested above (did it on my other Mac) - it downloaded OK and I followed its instructions and made a bootable USB thumb drive (different one). Repeated procedure of holding down option key on laptop, eventually wound up at the gray screen and chose "reinstall MacOS", selected drive with the Catalina installer - installed on second try (got an error on first try).

This was not a scientific study but it seemed like High Sierra wanted to install onto a drive with HFS+/MacOS extended. MAYBE it was because my thumb drive had been formatted to HFS/MacOS extended. Also I don't know why changing the ownership on the SSD made a difference but it seems like it did. It's also possible that with an APFS formatted SSD with the "ignore ownership" box checked would have installed Catalina OK too.

Thanks to all who replied. Will play around in Catalina for a while but also thinking about downloading the patch to upgrade to Monterey or something just for fun.

 

[Kent W]

FOLLOW-UP: I had to focus on some other stuff for a while but got back to this the other day. I decided to pull the new SSD out and reformat it to HFS/MacOs Extended with my other Mac. I put it back into the laptop and this time it tried to boot from my High Sierra USB drive but it stopped partway thru with an error that it couldn't write - the Installer Log had a bunch of comments that made it look like it was trying to boot but something was in the way.

After googling this issue, I found a suggestion to remove the SSD again and hook it back up to my other Mac, reformat it to macOS again, and afterwards close Disk Utility and select the SSD in Finder. Chose "Get Info" and scrolled down to the bottom, and checked the box to ignore ownership (I think...maybe it was already checked and I unchecked it, I don't remember), see link where I got this idea:

Mac won't boot from USB drive: Prohibited sign

I tried to clean install OS X El Capitan on my Mac, but it won’t boot from the USB drive. Here are the steps I took to create the bootable USB drive (I have a Mid-2014 MacBook Pro with Retina Displ...

apple.stackexchange.com

While there I also changed permissions so that everyone can read/write just to be sure.

Put SSD back in laptop, while booting held down option key to try to boot from USB drive. Took me to the grayish screen with four options - chose "reinstall MacOs" and selected the USB drive - this time it booted into High Sierra fine!

Once HS was running OK I downloaded the dosdude Catalina patcher as was suggested above (did it on my other Mac) - it downloaded OK and I followed its instructions and made a bootable USB thumb drive (different one). Repeated procedure of holding down option key on laptop, eventually wound up at the gray screen and chose "reinstall MacOS", selected drive with the Catalina installer - installed on second try (got an error on first try).

This was not a scientific study but it seemed like High Sierra wanted to install onto a drive with HFS+/MacOS extended. MAYBE it was because my thumb drive had been formatted to HFS/MacOS extended. Also I don't know why changing the ownership on the SSD made a difference but it seems like it did. It's also possible that with an APFS formatted SSD with the "ignore ownership" box checked would have installed Catalina OK too.

Thanks to all who replied. Will play around in Catalina for a while but also thinking about downloading the patch to upgrade to Monterey or something just for fun.

I just upgraded my MBP mid 2012 (16 gb RAM and 480 GB SSD) to Sonoma 14.1.1 through Opencore Legacy Patcher. (OCLP) It works flawlessly and it´s snappy. No freeze, glitches or so. My daughter has a M1 MacBook Air and my 2012 works just as great performing daily tasks. Of course the M1 outperforms it in video rendering, but it still work well on the 2012 (not core functionality for me, but good that it´s still working).