New OSX already installed?

[islander808]

My parents have a 2014 iMac (i5). When trying to install some new software, I get the message saying something to the effect that the software can't be run on my current OS. When I click on the apple icon in the upper left hand corner to see what OS I have, it says 10.9.5 (Mavericks). When I try to update the OS in the app store, I get the picture of High Sierra with "installed" grayed out, which I assume means that my computer thinks that the latest OSX is already installed.
I'd appreciate any help with this problem. Thanks.

 

[casperes1996]

Try going to El Capitan or Sierra before going to HS.

 

[islander808]

Try going to El Capitan or Sierra before going to HS.

Thanks for your reply.
Unfortunately, when I go to the update screen in the app store, there is no option to install anything. It just has a picture of High Sierra with the word "installed" grayed out.

 

[casperes1996]

Thanks for your reply.
Unfortunately, when I go to the update screen in the app store, there is no option to install anything. It just has a picture of High Sierra with the word "installed" grayed out.

Use this link to download El Capitan from the App Store

Get OS X El Capitan

 

[chrfr]

Thanks for your reply.
Unfortunately, when I go to the update screen in the app store, there is no option to install anything. It just has a picture of High Sierra with the word "installed" grayed out.

Did you look in the Applications folder for the High Sierra installer? The App Store will show it's installed if the installer has already been downloaded. It's not checking the operating system the computer is currently using.

 

[Gregg2]

If HS was already downloaded, but the installer was deleted, you'll have to contact Apple by telephone. Once you provide them with the info they need, you should be able to get a duplicate of the previous download.

 

[chrfr]

If HS was already downloaded, but the installer was deleted, you'll have to contact Apple by telephone. Once you provide them with the info they need, you should be able to get a duplicate of the previous download.

No, there's no problem downloading the installer as many times as one might wish.

 

[islander808]

Use this link to download El Capitan from the App Store

Get OS X El Capitan

Okay thanks. I'll try that.
[doublepost=1535747182][/doublepost]

Did you look in the Applications folder for the High Sierra installer? The App Store will show it's installed if the installer has already been downloaded. It's not checking the operating system the computer is currently using.

Thanks for your reply.
I did not realize that the App store only checked if the new OS was just downloaded, not necessarily if it was installed. I'll have to check. My parents aren't that computer savvy. (Well, I'm not either.)

 

[Marshall73]

Okay thanks. I'll try that.
[doublepost=1535747182][/doublepost]

Thanks for your reply.
I did not realize that the App store only checked if the new OS was just downloaded, not necessarily if it was installed. I'll have to check. My parents aren't that computer savvy. (Well, I'm not either.)

If it’s not downloaded then use the macOS patcher tool. http://dosdude1.com/highsierra/

Your not going to patch it but there is an option in the app to download high Sierra, which you can then run or make a bootable usb from it if need be. I used this tool to download HS on my Mojave install.