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Cant download El Capitan Installer anymore

T

thewolfro

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 27, 2009
53
20
Hi Guys,

I have two macbook pros. One is 13-inch, Late 2011 and the other is RMBP 15-inch Early 2013.
I tried to download El Capitan from app store and first thing i noticed was that in every store i checked (diffrent countries) El Capitan could not be found. Finally i did a search on apple website and i came across this link : https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12 and i could see an "Get" option but when i click it, it says: "This version of OS X 10.11 cannot be installed on this computer."

This is very strange because both laptops should be supported for El Capitan.

Is there any other way to download the El Capitan installer? I want to mention that i never had El Capitan running before so the file is not in my purchased list. I want the installer because i want to make a clean install on my mac pro 5.1 that i just bought and i just don't want to go and install Sierra (i am not an early adopter of software).

Thanks!
 
If Apple will not provide you with a legal way to download El Capitan… well… you'll just have to seek it out from "other sources"…. (polite cough)
 
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thewolfro said:
That's the link i tried already :( i really don't onderstaand why apple is doing such BS to people that want to use 1 year old software.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have a slew of apps that have not been vetted against Siera, I cannot afford to waste time by potentially running into bugs.
 
The solution (I realize it doesn't help the OP right now) is to maintain a long-term "archive" of ALL Apple installer software that you can "reach back into" at a moment of need. I maintain a separate drive partition for just this purpose.

Otherwise, the only way to get ahold of a copy of the El Cap installer may involve accessing it via "unauthorized channels".

I have no qualms about doing so when I can't get something "the authorized way". If Apple won't be reasonable about obtaining earlier versions of its OS and other software, I'll find them as I can.

Whether YOU wish to do so… is up to you.
 
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Reactions: T'hain Esh Kelch and hallux
I agree with @Fishrrman In fact, I currently have USB drives for installation of Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra, plus the files to build the drive for all 3 of those plus Mavericks and I can get the file for Mountain Lion if I don't still have it cached on one of my systems.

Not that I've had a NEED for them, but I guess I'm just a digital packrat like that...
 
I just downloaded El Cap to remake my USB installer on Monday. I'm *pretty* sure the error message is something along the lines of "You can't install that version of OS X because you are running a newer version" with a dialog box to "download anyway."
 
I think the trick for most folks is to at least download the newest releases every year from the App Store just to have - don't need to update then and there, just download them and have them attached to your Apple ID. This even plays into Fisherman's point of keeping a backlog of all OS releases. If you download from the App Store, you'll always have the OS in your "purchases" tab.

I'm on a 2010 MBP and am on the last El Cap release. Don't want to update to Sierra yet.
 
hallux said:
I agree with @Fishrrman In fact, I currently have USB drives for installation of Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra, plus the files to build the drive for all 3 of those plus Mavericks and I can get the file for Mountain Lion if I don't still have it cached on one of my systems.

Not that I've had a NEED for them, but I guess I'm just a digital packrat like that...
Click to expand...

Can you maybe share the El Capitan installer with us/me?
 
Yes i've tried but I get the message that I have the latest macOS.. It really would be awesome if you could share yours with me.. I can't get it anywhere
 
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