Cant download El Capitan

[Uplift]

I am trying to download El Capitan from the App Store, it's going so slow it's saying it's going to take days to complete. My connection is fine, during tests I was getting 7MB/sec, however, this download has taken the best part of a day to download 600MB.

I need this to restore a Macbook back to factory for a sale, the guy was supposed to be collecting today and i've had to delay it.

Is there any way I can speed this up?

[edit] I downloaded a torrent and it said it couldn't verify it or had been tampered with.

 

[simon lefisch]

I am trying to download El Capitan from the App Store, it's going so slow it's saying it's going to take days to complete. My connection is fine, during tests I was getting 7MB/sec, however, this download has taken the best part of a day to download 600MB.

I need this to restore a Macbook back to factory for a sale, the guy was supposed to be collecting today and i've had to delay it.

Is there any way I can speed this up?

[edit] I downloaded a torrent and it said it couldn't verify it or had been tampered with.

If you're trying to restore your Mac to factory, use the Internet recovery (Command + Option + R), assuming your Mac originally came with El Capitan as this option will reinstall the OS it originally came with.

 

[Uplift]

Its a 2012 rMBP so it's a few version back

 

[DeltaMac]

If your internet connection is slow, it will be slow whatever you download, eh?
Give up, and use Internet Restore.
The Internet Restore will download the version of OS X that your MBPro shipped with.
That's good one, you know.
Tell the buyer that you were hoping to download El Capitan, but you couldn't get a working download. The buyer can upgrade if they want to upgrade (maybe they will be fine with Mavericks, or whatever the Internet Restore will offer.)

 

[Uplift]

If your internet connection is slow, it will be slow whatever you download, eh?
Give up, and use Internet Restore.
The Internet Restore will download the version of OS X that your MBPro shipped with.
That's good one, you know.
Tell the buyer that you were hoping to download El Capitan, but you couldn't get a working download. The buyer can upgrade if they want to upgrade (maybe they will be fine with Mavericks, or whatever the Internet Restore will offer.)

No my internet connection is fast. I'm getting 7+MB/Sec every where else... it's just this particular download. It's a common issue if you google it, but there is no real suggested fix other than change DNS to OpenDNS, which didn't work for me.

If it doesn't speed up soon i'll try the internet restore.

 

[richard2]

The transfer speed is also very slow on my Mac.

 

[lavem]

Very slow for me too. Rebooting and resuming the download gives an initial burst and then it slows right down. I wonder if iOS updates are taking priority?

 

[Uplift]

I tried the internet restore and got back on with Lion. (Reminds me how bad the old OS X interface is)

Had the same issue downloading El Capitan from the AppStore. I think it's a fault at their end, it's very consistent and speeds drops around the same time for it to be something like iOS taking priority, their infrastructure should be able handle both iOS and OS X... either that or they need to buy more bandwidth

 

[flowrider]

Why not just download it from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1869?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Combo Update

Or

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1868?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Point Update

Lou

 

[lavem]

Why not just download it from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1869?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Combo Update

Or

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1868?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

Point Update

Lou

I think the thread starter needs to do a full clean install rather than an update.

 

[twistofmatt]

I've been having some issues with slow downloads myself. I've used three different DNS settings, with the same result with all of them. I am having slow downloads even downloading 50 MB apps from the app store on my devices. I think it's just because their servers have been overload from all the releases.

 

[Uplift]

To be honest, now that I'm on a clean version of Lion i'm happy to update this version, so I can just use the combo update? @flowrider

 

[flowrider]

^^^^No, since your back on Lion, you would need to go to the App Store and download the full install from there. There are also methods to save the download and make an install disk using an 8GB USB flash drive.

Lou

 

[Uplift]

^^^^No, since your back on Lion, you would need to go to the App Store and download the full install from there. There are also methods to save the download and make an install disk using an 8GB USB flash drive.

Lou

Yeah I just figured that out

This is an absolute joke, Apple need to get their **** together.

 

[DeltaMac]

The "joke", if there is one, would be on your buyer, unless he already "owns" El Capitan.
So, when he needs to reinstall El Cap (and from the sound of your "preparation", he surely will), then he will discover that he has to re-download El Capitan - again - on his own AppleID.
Unless you are planning on giving him a copy of the El Cap installer yourself? That's likely what I would do.

The buyer really is only entitled to the OS X system version that is native to the Mac (or whatever OS X version HE has already purchased through the App Store). For this Mac, that would be Lion, eh?
Of course, if the buyer already HAS El Capitan (and has it in his list of purchased apps in the App Store) then you don't need to get El Cap now. The new owner can take care of that upgrade, too.

 

[Uplift]

The "joke", if there is one, would be on your buyer, unless he already "owns" El Capitan.
So, when he needs to reinstall El Cap (and from the sound of your "preparation", he surely will), then he will discover that he has to re-download El Capitan - again - on his own AppleID.
Unless you are planning on giving him a copy of the El Cap installer yourself? That's likely what I would do.

The buyer really is only entitled to the OS X system version that is native to the Mac (or whatever OS X version HE has already purchased through the App Store). For this Mac, that would be Lion, eh?
Of course, if the buyer already HAS El Capitan (and has it in his list of purchased apps in the App Store) then you don't need to get El Cap now. The new owner can take care of that upgrade, too.

El Capitan is a free download so he doesn't need to own it, and has every right to download it.

The buyer is a friend who is new to Macs and OS X so it's only natural that I would be helping him out.. Lion is dated so it needs updating... I mean, it's still got Mobile Me stuff on there.

Something is obviously going on with Apples servers, I couldn't even get in to my new Mac because I wasn't able to login to iCloud, AppStore or anything, I had to wait until they fixed the fault before I could fully use my new Mac. If they're going to be relying heavily on their services for Macs to work then they should ALWAYS work.

The once 'It just works' apple motto is no longer true, i've worked in IT for 11 years and this is the type of crap I deal with on Windows on a daily basis, but never Macs, until now.

 

[CoastalOR]

El Capitan is a free download so he doesn't need to own it, and has every right to download it.

Not true. You can no longer download Mavericks or Yosemite from Apple unless it previously "purchased" (downloaded using the buyers Apple ID). After each new OS released Apple has been removing the previous OS from the App Store. The same thing will happen to El Capitan when OS 10.12 is released this year and Apple removes El Capitan from the App Store. Unless the the buyer downloads the El Capitan full installer using their Apple ID, they will no longer be able to download El Capitan once OS 10.12 is released.

 

[DeltaMac]

And, El Cap is free, but only by access with an AppleID through the App Store, subject to the limitations.
Purchase it (free is still a purchase), and it is available to you to download.
You can't download OS X unless you have purchased it (authenticated through an AppleID.)
And, you seem to be struggling with Apple downloads, but apparently not downloads from other sources, correct?

Have you tried both wireless and wired connections to download from Apple's servers?

You say that your friend is a new Mac user...
If you are setting up your old MBPro for a good friend, then I suppose you will offer some help with that MBPro.
Maybe you can help your friend set up his AppleID account, then get him connected, and see if the slow download speeds are also on THAT internet connection. And, that might be a quicker method to get El Cap, if it is a faster connection than yours (at least for Apple's servers )

 

[Shirasaki]

An hour ago I was not able to download El Capitan at all through University network. Spinning forever.
Then I return to apartment, and boom, it starts downloading, and it shows 2 hours until complete. Speed is slow but steady.

Sure. Apple needs to improve their cloud infrastructure to provide better services to customers. Maybe, because Apple don't want to dig into enterprise market, their product is not as sturdy/durable/reliable as Microsoft/Google/IBM, although theirs are not perfect. Enterprise users generally have higher standard and lower tolerance on outage or slowing down.

Anyway, keep downloading.

 

[simon lefisch]

Maybe the reason it's been slow is because they have been trying to improve/upgrade their infrastructure. Just a guess...

 

[Uplift]

And, El Cap is free, but only by access with an AppleID through the App Store, subject to the limitations.
Purchase it (free is still a purchase), and it is available to you to download.
You can't download OS X unless you have purchased it (authenticated through an AppleID.)
And, you seem to be struggling with Apple downloads, but apparently not downloads from other sources, correct?

Have you tried both wireless and wired connections to download from Apple's servers?

You say that your friend is a new Mac user...
If you are setting up your old MBPro for a good friend, then I suppose you will offer some help with that MBPro.
Maybe you can help your friend set up his AppleID account, then get him connected, and see if the slow download speeds are also on THAT internet connection. And, that might be a quicker method to get El Cap, if it is a faster connection than yours (at least for Apple's servers )

Yes we're trying to download it through the app store, purchased through his own Apple ID.

and Yes it is only downloads from the App Store that are causing trouble.. we have tried it on different connections.

and can't try wired because these Macs don't have ethernet ports.

 

[dubmick]

I'm struggling to download it too, selling an old iMac and I can't install the additional components to clean install El Capitan. Have been trying since yesterday.

 

[Uplift]

I'm struggling to download it too, selling an old iMac and I can't install the additional components to clean install El Capitan. Have been trying since yesterday.

So frustrating

 

[lavem]

There is no solution and we just have to grin (or groan) and bear it I've had it downloading now for over 24 hours. Up to 5.76 GB of 6.20 GB. Only 3-4 hours to go!

Frustratingly I would have it by now but the download failed in the early hours of the morning while I was asleep. I tried again and luckily it resumed from where it left off.

It does only seem to be El Capitan. The first 600MB or so downloads very quick. Then I get 1-2 Mb peaks of traffic. Just like my broadband was 12 years ago.

It had better not be corrupt when it finishes

 

[Uplift]

I'm up to 1.17GB which is the best it has been. Still really slow though saying 2 days to go.