yeah, I was worried your MBA was too new once you mentioned the year. Another member has been providing old installers via PM, you can try asking them.
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Install (MBP mid 09') New HardDrive...No Luck HELP
- Thread starter jhawkin1
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Ah --- you are missing a step. Here's the steps (I just did ALL of these on Catalina, so I know they work.)
(You may want to print this out, it's kinda long, but as complete as I could make it!)
The file that you downloaded as the El Capitan installer was named InstallMacOSX.dmg
Opening that file made a folder mount on your desktop, named Install OS X. Inside that folder is the Install OS X.pkg file. I think that's what you have now. It does NOT need to be in your Applications folder.
Just open that pkg, which will launch the installer. Do the install. Its only purpose is to copy the actual installer to your Applications folder. (and does not affect your Catalina install in any way!) That one is named "Install OS X El Capitan.app" (That's the step that you are missing)
Follow the steps to make your bootable installer. If you will use a flash drive for that, insert it now if you haven't done that.
Right-click on the El Cap installer (in your Applications folder now) and choose "Show Package Contents" Open "Contents", then open the "Resources" folder. You're making this ready for the terminal, so launch the terminal NOW.
In the terminal: type sudo, then a space.
Look in that Resources folder that you just opened in the El Cap installer, find and drag the "createinstallmedia" to your terminal window. You will see the complete path to that file appear. Now type "--volume" without the quotes, and add a space. Drag the icon for your flash drive into your terminal window. There should be an automatic space added after that, so type "--applicationpath" again without the quotes, and again add a space. (Almost done!) Now, drag the installer app "Install OS X El Capitan.app" from your Applications folder to your terminal window.
NOW, press enter. Type in your admin password when asked. (The terminal window will NOT show any response when typing a password, just type it, and press enter again. One more response, should ask for a "Y" if you really want to do the command. Then, wait. Some slow flash drives might take 15 or 20 minutes to complete. It will eventually return to a normal prompt. One of the last lines will say "Making volume bootable" or something like that, and you will know it has just a few seconds left.
And, that should be it... I don't think I left anything important out, but do let me know if you still have problems with that.
(Sorry for the "wall of text", but it is what it is.
)
(You may want to print this out, it's kinda long, but as complete as I could make it!)
The file that you downloaded as the El Capitan installer was named InstallMacOSX.dmg
Opening that file made a folder mount on your desktop, named Install OS X. Inside that folder is the Install OS X.pkg file. I think that's what you have now. It does NOT need to be in your Applications folder.
Just open that pkg, which will launch the installer. Do the install. Its only purpose is to copy the actual installer to your Applications folder. (and does not affect your Catalina install in any way!) That one is named "Install OS X El Capitan.app" (That's the step that you are missing)
Follow the steps to make your bootable installer. If you will use a flash drive for that, insert it now if you haven't done that.
Right-click on the El Cap installer (in your Applications folder now) and choose "Show Package Contents" Open "Contents", then open the "Resources" folder. You're making this ready for the terminal, so launch the terminal NOW.
In the terminal: type sudo, then a space.
Look in that Resources folder that you just opened in the El Cap installer, find and drag the "createinstallmedia" to your terminal window. You will see the complete path to that file appear. Now type "--volume" without the quotes, and add a space. Drag the icon for your flash drive into your terminal window. There should be an automatic space added after that, so type "--applicationpath" again without the quotes, and again add a space. (Almost done!) Now, drag the installer app "Install OS X El Capitan.app" from your Applications folder to your terminal window.
NOW, press enter. Type in your admin password when asked. (The terminal window will NOT show any response when typing a password, just type it, and press enter again. One more response, should ask for a "Y" if you really want to do the command. Then, wait. Some slow flash drives might take 15 or 20 minutes to complete. It will eventually return to a normal prompt. One of the last lines will say "Making volume bootable" or something like that, and you will know it has just a few seconds left.
And, that should be it... I don't think I left anything important out, but do let me know if you still have problems with that.
(Sorry for the "wall of text", but it is what it is.
)PKG won't installAh --- you are missing a step. Here's the steps (I just did ALL of these on Catalina, so I know they work.)
(You may want to print this out, it's kinda long, but as complete as I could make it!)
The file that you downloaded as the El Capitan installer was named InstallMacOSX.dmg
Opening that file made a folder mount on your desktop, named Install OS X. Inside that folder is the Install OS X.pkg file. I think that's what you have now. It does NOT need to be in your Applications folder.
Just open that pkg, which will launch the installer. Do the install. Its only purpose is to copy the actual installer to your Applications folder. (and does not affect your Catalina install in any way!) That one is named "Install OS X El Capitan.app" (That's the step that you are missing)
Follow the steps to make your bootable installer. If you will use a flash drive for that, insert it now if you haven't done that.
Right-click on the El Cap installer (in your Applications folder now) and choose "Show Package Contents" Open "Contents", then open the "Resources" folder. You're making this ready for the terminal, so launch the terminal NOW.
In the terminal: type sudo, then a space.
Look in that Resources folder that you just opened in the El Cap installer, find and drag the "createinstallmedia" to your terminal window. You will see the complete path to that file appear. Now type "--volume" without the quotes, and add a space. Drag the icon for your flash drive into your terminal window. There should be an automatic space added after that, so type "--applicationpath" again without the quotes, and again add a space. (Almost done!) Now, drag the installer app "Install OS X El Capitan.app" from your Applications folder to your terminal window.
NOW, press enter. Type in your admin password when asked. (The terminal window will NOT show any response when typing a password, just type it, and press enter again. One more response, should ask for a "Y" if you really want to do the command. Then, wait. Some slow flash drives might take 15 or 20 minutes to complete. It will eventually return to a normal prompt. One of the last lines will say "Making volume bootable" or something like that, and you will know it has just a few seconds left.
And, that should be it... I don't think I left anything important out, but do let me know if you still have problems with that.
(Sorry for the "wall of text", but it is what it is.
Wow, OK, I must have been partly brain-dead there... I completely missed that you were trying to do this on a 2019 MBAir. The Apple support article with steps for creating a bootable installer specifically states that you have to run the installer pkg on a Mac that is compatible with El Capitan - and your 2019 Air doesn't even come close to that.
Didn't you say that you had an El Capitan USB installer? But it was giving you the "could not be installed on this computer" error?
Did you try changing the system date? You do that at the menu screen before choosing to reinstall OS X. Terminal is in the Utilities menu. Enter the Date command (date 1116211618) in the terminal window and press enter. Quit the Terminal, and choose Reinstall OS X. It should run this time (it's a weird step, but I have seen it do the job multiple times.)
If you still have that same El Capitan USB installer, you need to try this out. Might be ALL you need! And, it's WAY better than fumbling around, trying to find the right way to get your installer sorted out (you may already have everything you need, except for the (simple) date change.
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Here's where I am at:
Was able to move a bootable OS X El Capitan to my Apps. Do I need to rename the file in my apps before I do the terminal?
My USB name (which is formatted for OS X) is: installer
*I do change this when I type in the terminal with 'installer' but it still says it won't work.
Do I need to change the App Name from 'Install OS X El Capitan (10.11)' to something else? Will this name affect what I need to type in the terminal for a command?
Thanks!
Was able to move a bootable OS X El Capitan to my Apps. Do I need to rename the file in my apps before I do the terminal?
My USB name (which is formatted for OS X) is: installer
*I do change this when I type in the terminal with 'installer' but it still says it won't work.
Do I need to change the App Name from 'Install OS X El Capitan (10.11)' to something else? Will this name affect what I need to type in the terminal for a command?
Thanks!
Yes, it is not necessary for you to type those in, just drag the relevant files into the terminal as you create the full command.
All the steps you need are in my post #27 above.
If you follow those steps, you don't have to decide how to format the name correctly. The drag and drop into the terminal window will help make everything correct automatically.
Looks like you renamed the El Capitan installer app already.
If you "Get Info" on that El Capitan installer, what is listed as the version? If it is NOT 1.7.50 - then you have an older version.
All the steps you need are in my post #27 above.
If you follow those steps, you don't have to decide how to format the name correctly. The drag and drop into the terminal window will help make everything correct automatically.
Looks like you renamed the El Capitan installer app already.
If you "Get Info" on that El Capitan installer, what is listed as the version? If it is NOT 1.7.50 - then you have an older version.
Your bootable installer needs to be on a bootable USB thumb drive or external drive all by itself. Not on a drive with os x or put in the apps folder. All by itself on the usb/drive. Here are the instructions from apple:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 scroll down ton "Use the bootable installer" and follow the instructions.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372 scroll down ton "Use the bootable installer" and follow the instructions.
After watching the video, in the command line where you are replacing the "MyVolume", I believe you put an extra space after the word "installer". Not sure and not sure that is the problem. But it is a command, so that could be it.
That video makes the process more confusing. Try following the steps as I suggested in post #27
Your main problem is that you pasted a command that had the El Capitan installer with a different name - so your terminal command could not find the installer App. Look again, YOUR installer has (10.11) added to the name, and the (10.11) is NOT in your terminal command, therefore the command can't find the installer app (because you must have renamed that app by adding the (10.11)
If you were to drag the "createinstallmedia" file into your terminal window, as I suggested, the terminal would format that part of the command line correctly. And, the file pathname would be both complete, and correct.
Did you read the post #27 again?
Here's the steps again to make the terminal command completely (formatted in a step-by-step listing):
Type sudo (space)
Drag createinstallmedia into the terminal window
type --volume (space)
drag your flash drive into the terminal window
type --applicationpath (space)
Drag the El Capitan installer app into the terminal window
You can then type --nointeraction
Press enter. You will be asked for your admin password. Type it in, you won't see any response as you type your password (it's a security feature!), and press enter.
Wait for it to complete.
You have a pretty old version of the El Capitan installer (you show version 1.7.28, the current installer version, for OS X 10.11.6, is version 1.7.50) . You can re-download that from Apple, which will get you that up-to-date version of El Capitan.
Only problem is when I download the most up-to-date version of OS X El Capitan it won't let me install pkg due to my current MacBook Air 2018.
Oh, right... I forgot about that.
So, you should be OK with the older version, and software update would provide the combo updater for 10.11.6
All you need to do now is to get your terminal command fixed up...
There is another method to get that El Capitan installer created.
Get this page. Download the app named Mac OS X USB Drive Creator) It will make your installer, without using the terminal at all.
And, the venerable DiskMakerX should also do your task. Again, no trip to the terminal for that app. Get the DiskMaker 6 rc5 version. (The app will ask if you want an updated version. You don't want an update, that version is the one that you need to use. Follow the steps, should work for you, too.
So, you should be OK with the older version, and software update would provide the combo updater for 10.11.6
All you need to do now is to get your terminal command fixed up...
There is another method to get that El Capitan installer created.
Get this page. Download the app named Mac OS X USB Drive Creator) It will make your installer, without using the terminal at all.
And, the venerable DiskMakerX should also do your task. Again, no trip to the terminal for that app. Get the DiskMaker 6 rc5 version. (The app will ask if you want an updated version. You don't want an update, that version is the one that you need to use. Follow the steps, should work for you, too.
Do I download these apps on my MacAir 2018? I will get moving when I get an answer!
When trying to reinstall OS on old Mac, the first question I ask is:
Which Mac? Please provide the model number.
Because that determines the original disk / compatible OS.
Mac Release Dates 2009 - Macs By Year Introduced: EveryMac.com
Tech specs for all Apple Mac models released in 2009. Dates sold, processor type, memory info, storage details, configuration options, model numbers, and more.
everymac.com
If it’s 2009 13” MacBook Pro, Pre-Installed MacOS: X 10.5.7 (9J3050), Maximum MacOS: X 10.11.x
Also, I do not recall any "OS X Snow Lion".
One common issue is people trying to use system disk for a different computer and that won't work. You need a compatible retail disk. If the disk is grey, it probably has in small text describing the actual computer the disk will work on.
Just got an error message: "The disk could not be created because of an error: An error occured: -10006. Finder got an error: can't set alias "Install OS X El Capitan:Install OS X El Capitan.app to (426, 76).
My computer also said it cannot be loaded because it cannot see a developer? Do I need to do this with my wifi off??
Update: turning off the wifi did not work
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That's an error that I see with the DiskMakerX app. I think that the version 6 that you are using is not fully supported with the newer system that you are using on your 2019 MBAir. (I usually use that version of DiskmakerX while booted to a OS X Yosemite system, so that may be it...
Try the other app - the Drive Creator app that I also posted in post #38. I hope THAT does the trick for you.
Try the other app - the Drive Creator app that I also posted in post #38. I hope THAT does the trick for you.
What if I upgraded my DiskMakerX?
The other file gave a warning of some sort. Not sure what that means?