Can't install El Capitan: "This copy of the Install OS X El Capitan application can't be verified."

[lexvo]

I am trying to upgrade to El Capitan on my father's iMac now running Yosemite. At the end of the download from the app store we keep getting this error "This copy of the Install OS X El Capitan application can't be verified."

I already tried several things:
- delete the install file from Programs and download again - failed (tried redownload two times)
- check the date in Terminal - date is OK
- switch off energy saving modes - did not help

Doe anyone else have a solution? We never had these problems before installing OS-X.

 

[DeltaMac]

You should be able to open your installer app:
Right-Click on the app, then choose Open from the drop-down menu.
You will get a different dialog window that should let you open that installer - and you should not see the "... can't be verified" message then.

If you often download other apps, you can change your security settings: Open your System Preferences, then the Security & Privacy pane.
Click the padlock to unlock that pane. Then change "Allow apps downloaded from:" to "Mac App Store and identified developers". That will allow more apps to open for you without that window appearing (many folks call that the Gatekeeper window)

 

[FreemanW]

Check the SYSTEM TIME & DATE

Doh! Never mind. just saw that you've already been there.

I got nuthin.

Eh, you ought to run through a reset of the NVRAM and Parameter RAM, then, in Recovery, run through the Disk Utility hard disk drive Permissions as well as Verify & Repair.
Then give it a shot.

 

[lexvo]

You should be able to open your installer app:
Right-Click on the app, then choose Open from the drop-down menu.
You will get a different dialog window that should let you open that installer - and you should not see the "... can't be verified" message then.

If you often download other apps, you can change your security settings: Open your System Preferences, then the Security & Privacy pane.
Click the padlock to unlock that pane. Then change "Allow apps downloaded from:" to "Mac App Store and identified developers". That will allow more apps to open for you without that window appearing (many folks call that the Gatekeeper window)

Thanks for your reply. Alas, right click and Open gave the same error message.
[doublepost=1454238115][/doublepost]

Check the SYSTEM TIME & DATE

Doh! Never mind. just saw that you've already been there.

I got nuthin.

Eh, you ought to run through a reset of the NVRAM and Parameter RAM, then, in Recovery, run through the Disk Utility hard disk drive Permissions as well as Verify & Repair.
Then give it a shot.

Thanks for your reply. Well, I already checked the HDD.
I downloaded the OS-X El Capitan installer myself. Tomorrow I will drive over to my father, check the HDD again and then try to install the copy I downloaded.

 

[Riwam]

Thanks for your reply. Alas, right click and Open gave the same error message.
[doublepost=1454238115][/doublepost]

Thanks for your reply. Well, I already checked the HDD.
I downloaded the OS-X El Capitan installer myself. Tomorrow I will drive over to my father, check the HDD again and then try to install the copy I downloaded.

******
The usual pieces of advice.
They cannot harm.
1) run the free tool Onyx from Titanium Software. It repairs permissions etc.
2) run the also free Etrecheck and see if it shows something beyond normal.
Good luck!
Ed

 

[dianeoforegon]

See this article written for Yosemite but the solutions should work for El Capitan as well.

http://www.needhelp4mac.com/2014/10...orrupted-or-tampered-with-during-downloading/

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

Maybe the installer is trying to tell you that El Cap isn't worth installing?

I kid, I kid. Seriously, that IS odd.

 

[Lunder89]

If you have a Mac around that can download OS X El Capitan, you could create a USB drive. And install El Cap on the troublesome Mac that way.

You can use the tool DiskMaker X to create the USB (diskmakerx.com for download)

 

[lexvo]

Thanks everybody for your responses.

I made a bootable USB stick with El Capitan at home and also copied the El Capitan installer file on another USB stick. With these two sticks I drove to my father last monday.

Alas, we didn’t succeed.

At first I did a disk check (OK), checked the SMART status (OK) and repaired file permissions. My father’s iMac successfully booted from the USB stick and the installation looked to go well until we got a message “Something unexpected happened, need to reboot". After reboot, and trying to install again the message appeared once more. I then formatted the HD and tried to install again. Same failure.

Then I tried to restore everything from a TM backup. Same error message: “Something went wrong, need to reboot”.

After that I did a PRAM and NVRAM reset. After this I could successfully restore from the TM backup. I noticed a few glitches but after a reboot everything was OK.

At this time we had been busy for some hours so we decided to stop here (as my father had a working iMac again, on Yosemite).

Anyway, I am still unsure what caused all these problems (and we still haven't updated to El Capitan). I first thought it was the HD, but now I think maybe some other hardware problem. And maybe El Capitan could successfully be installed after I did the PRAM and NVRAM reset. I will hear from my father how it goes now and maybe drive by next week to try again.

 

[DeltaMac]

Hmmm - When you booted to the USB OS X installer, did you have anything attached to the Mac?
I would particularly make sure that no external drives or other storage is attached, and no other external devices, such as USB hubs or even printers. Nothing that can be confused with storage - so only those devices that need to be attached.
Only Keyboard, mouse, and power cord during the install. You could even disconnect any network cable during the install.

Did you really see a message that stated precisely "Something went wrong, need to reboot"
I have not seen that one before (not word-for-word, anyway)
Exact text would be helpful.
If that IS precisely the message what you saw on your father's iMac, then ignore my weak attempts at help

If your father's iMac continues to offer challenges for you - be sure to try reseating the RAM sticks.
How much RAM is installed?
And, finally, which model iMac does your father have?

 

[lexvo]

Thanks.

Well we had a printer and a USB drive attached, so disconnecting these is something I can try next time.

I don't know the precise error message anymore (should have taken a photo I guess), but it was a message in several languages.

My father has a 2012 21.5" iMac, basic configuration, 4Gb RAM. Good idea to check the RAM sticks.

 

[DeltaMac]

Right... The message in multiple languages telling you that you have to restart - is called a kernel panic, and is often caused by hardware issues - such as RAM.

I suspect that your father's iMac was purchased new in 2012, but is a 2011 model. That means that it still has a DVD drive - the 2012 thin case does NOT have a DVD drive, and no place to put one other than external.
And the 2012 came standard with 8GB of RAM (not 4GB) - which is extremely hard to get at.
A 2011 also has the memory door on the bottom edge of the iMac. Just a screw loose, remove the panel, and check the seating. There's 4 slots, and very easy to upgrade that RAM.
Upgrading the memory a 2012 21-inch iMac - is very challenging, particularly the first time.

 

[lexvo]

You are right, it is a 2011 model as it has a DVD drive. I will check the RAM next time I visit my father. Thanks again.

 

[lexvo]

Well, I managed to solve the problem.

Yesterday I drove to my father again. I removed the RAM from his iMac, blow away the dust (there wasn’t much) and carefully reinstalled the RAM. I started the iMac to check if everything was OK.

Then I booted from the OS-X install USB stick I made last week. The whole upgrade to El Capitan went very smoothly, just as I am used from Apple. I then checked some things and everything was working OK.

DeltaMac: thanks again for the tip about reseating the RAM sticks!