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Cannot Install OS El Capitan on my 2012 Macbook pro

Karver1109

Karver1109

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 9, 2018
14
0
Salt Lake City
I purchased a used 2012 Macbook pro 15 inch (A1278) and the previous owner did a hard factory reset. I have tried every option that I can find online and still can't get the OS to install. I have taken it into apple Genius Bar and they were of no help. Internet Recovery mode will not boot. In recovery mode when I'm trying to install the OS the Recovery HD is locked. When I choose the Mac OS HDD it gets to the install portion where it asks for an apple ID.

I enter it and then it says "this item is temporarily unavailable" with an App store logo next it.

I have created a USB with El Capitan on it and an SD card with EL Capitan on it. I cannot make it bootable in the terminal though bcuz when I try to type in the code to make it bootable it always says the command is not found.

When I try to install in Disk Utility Recovery mode in the white box where there should be a Hard drive there is nothing in the white box.

Please help. I spent $500 on this mac and haven't been able to use it for 2 months.
 
Some questions:

What did the people at the Apple Genius Bar tell you about your computer? Did they suggest computer repairs or replacement of components? Did they try to install an OS for you? Did they test your computer? Did they open it up?

How did you create the El Capitan installer on the USB flash drive? Did you follow the instructions in the following link:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Do you have another working Mac you are/can use?
 
treekram said:
Some questions:

What did the people at the Apple Genius Bar tell you about your computer? Did they suggest computer repairs or replacement of components? Did they try to install an OS for you? Did they test your computer? Did they open it up?

How did you create the El Capitan installer on the USB flash drive? Did you follow the instructions in the following link:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Do you have another working Mac you are/can use?
Click to expand...
They told me to take it back to the person I bought it from on KSL and have them help me. They are ridiculous. I expected more from THE APPLE STORE!

There is videos on youtube of how to create a boot drive. I had to install transmac and do it on my PC.
 
So what command are you using that gives the "command not found" message?

You may need to format the disk if it's not appearing as a candidate for installation.
https://www.macworld.com/article/2990837/storage/how-to-format-a-startup-drive-in-el-capitan.html

The mid-2012 MBP models have problems with the HDD cable and if the HDD itself is original to the computer, it may have problems as well due to it's age and use as the system disk. The problems may not result in obvious failure but erratic behavior. Just keep that in mind.
 
https://www.macworld.com/article/29...le-os-x-10-11-el-capitan-installer-drive.html

I'm trying to do this. And I'm typing in the commands that are on this page and it says command not found every time I type anything.
[doublepost=1533910076][/doublepost]I'm gonna end up taking it back to the original owner. If nobody can help me.
[doublepost=1533910112][/doublepost]But he is a young kid and I know more about computers than he does.
 
The former owner told me to purchase an install dvd with mac os x on it and then when I have it to bring it over. But he says he is busy for the next 3 weeks bcuz he is still in school. He irritates me and I basically feel ripped off by him. Mommy and Daddy bought him a brand new 2018 macbook pro so that's why he doesn't need this one anymore.

I think he erased the OS and didn't do the factory reset properly and now this device is screwed.
 
is your occupation a telephone repairman?
(old joke....TV quiz show from the 1960s)

you might need the original OS X that came with the macbook or a perfect copy of el capitan.
did you get the copy of el capitan from the apple store?
keep trying and let us know how thing develop.

the apple store was not profession in not helping you, they had changed in recent years
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Karver1109 said:
Yes we tried that at the Apple store. No luck.
Click to expand...
Don't think I would rely on "luck" here, but what does that mean to you?

What actually happens if you try to boot to Internet Recovery now?

You would likely HAVE better luck if you could create the bootable OS X installer that you need.
If you struggle with the terminal commands (and you can't do this from a Windows command line. You need to be booted to an actual Mac system to get that to work) but terminal just won't do it for you, then get one of the dedicated apps that make that task simple, such as DiskMakerX. (You need to do this on a Mac, too)
 
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Karver1109 said:
I ordered the el Capitan reinstall disc off of Amazon. Apple told me they don't carry discs anymore.
Click to expand...

Delta Mac knows his stuff and helped many reboot their macs.

if what he typed does not work, somehow
try to get a copy of ElCapitan from someone, you might have that in your account.
i used terminal only once to reboot elcappitan in may, this a website i saw had incredible usb drive instructions.

we are all counting on you!
 
I tried the usb flash drive route and tried with an ad card. They won't show up when I hold down option to go into boot mode. But they do show up when I'm in disk utility.
 
If you are booted to the "option-boot" screen, try unplugging, then re-inserting your bootable USB flash drive. Give it a minute or two to do something, then pull it again, re-insert. Then, boot up to your normal boot drive, and check to see if that flash drive will appear in your Startup Disk preference pane. If neither works, then your flash drive is simply not prepared correctly (and is not bootable). Showing as a device in your Disk Utility does not mean 'Bootable", but just the drive is showing up as a device.
In Disk Utility, select your USB drive (the line with the volume name, not manufacturer's info), then press Command-i to get info on the drive. There will be a line for Bootable (probably about 25 lines down on that info window) If it says NO, then it won't be bootable (and can't appear as a bootable device) - that flash drive is NOT prepared correctly. Copying the installer app to a flash drive is NOT enough. The drive has to be made bootable as part of that process. That's what the terminal commands do for you, and also the various installer creator apps do that job quite well.
 
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Expobill said:
this site helped me re install el capitan>http://osxdaily.com/2015/09/30/create-os-x-el-capitan-boot-install-drive/

since today is sunday, SLC probably has laws forbidding using a USB drive today.
Click to expand...
LMAO I know right?!!!
[doublepost=1534170245][/doublepost]
DeltaMac said:
If you are booted to the "option-boot" screen, try unplugging, then re-inserting your bootable USB flash drive. Give it a minute or two to do something, then pull it again, re-insert. Then, boot up to your normal boot drive, and check to see if that flash drive will appear in your Startup Disk preference pane. If neither works, then your flash drive is simply not prepared correctly (and is not bootable). Showing as a device in your Disk Utility does not mean 'Bootable", but just the drive is showing up as a device.
In Disk Utility, select your USB drive (the line with the volume name, not manufacturer's info), then press Command-i to get info on the drive. There will be a line for Bootable (probably about 25 lines down on that info window) If it says NO, then it won't be bootable (and can't appear as a bootable device) - that flash drive is NOT prepared correctly. Copying the installer app to a flash drive is NOT enough. The drive has to be made bootable as part of that process. That's what the terminal commands do for you, and also the various installer creator apps do that job quite well.
Click to expand...


I understand everything you are saying. I ordered the re install disc off of amazon and it should be here in the mail within 3 days. Do you know if you use an install disc if it will still ask for my apple ID? Because when it asks for apple ID when I try to install El Capitan from Disk Utility once I type in my apple ID it says this Item is temporarily unavailable. WHY?
 
Have you tried installing another hard drive and doing a total fresh install for the USB installer you made?
 
videotape74 said:
Have you tried installing another hard drive and doing a total fresh install for the USB installer you made?
Click to expand...


I ordered a dvd disc with el capitan on it for $10.00 and it installed. I think my HD might be failing though bcuz I had to download the OS onto the 64 gb SD card that was in the slot. THE original Mac HD wouldn't show up on my MBP
 
Karver1109 said:
I ordered a dvd disc with el capitan on it for $10.00 and it installed. I think my HD might be failing though bcuz I had to download the OS onto the 64 gb SD card that was in the slot. THE original Mac HD wouldn't show up on my MBP
Click to expand...

oh, it is most likely the HDD then. Do yourself a favour and invest in a SSD...the difference in boot and load times is well worth it, and the prices are very reasonable now. :)
 
Yeah I might have to I think that my hard drive failed. I got a kernel panic cpu 1 blah blah blah when I was trying to boot up my mac today. IT was stuck in a loop. I restarted it and tried to boot into safe mode and it kept going through the loop again. Then it went to a white screen with a grey circle and a line through it.

IS this possibly from a failed HDD? Does anybody know if I can just reinstall my OS X el capitan and if it will fix the corrupted files/software.

I guess I'll try and if not then I'll have to order a SSD from Ifixit.com and put a SSD in.

I do have a 2 TB external HDD will that work in the mean time until I get the SSD in the mail?

I have to be able to use this mac for certain things like school in the mean time.

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the feedback. Sorry to come to this thread with more questions/problems. =)
 
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