OS X Installers Downloaded Prior to February 14 No Longer Work After Certificate Update

[L Caputo]

Back in February, Apple's Worldwide Developer Certificate, designed to verify third-party apps and services, expired, requiring Apple to issue a new certificate for developers to use.

As pointed out by TidBITS (via Ars Technica) a side effect of the replacement of the certificate causes older OS X installers to fail to launch. OS X installation files downloaded from the Mac App Store before February 14, 2016 and stored on a computer or USB drive are no longer functional. This includes installation files for OS X El Capitan and older versions of OS X like Mavericks and Mountain Lion.

Image via TidBITS​

Users who keep OS X installers on hand or have created USB install disks in case of emergencies should replace their files with new versions by re-downloading them through the Mac App Store using purchased history. TidBITS points out that some older versions of OS X, like Lion, will not be downloadable on newer machines. Users who can't replace an expired certificate can still use older installers by changing the dates on their machines.Apple's certificate renewal process resulted in some problems for developers and Mac users back in November, as it caused multiple Mac App Store apps to display a "damaged" error and fail to open. Apple quickly addressed the issue and has helped developers transition to the new certificate.

Article Link: OS X Installers Downloaded Prior to February 14 No Longer Work After Certificate Update

Right OK so I tried to reinstall my original copy of El Capitan (10.11) and got the warning, but i could not see Utilities Terminal under the Installer menubar...... So instead of I went to System Preferences>Date and Time and changed the date to 1st Feb 2016, restarted the Install and it went ahead.

 

[kyte]

You can also download an updated signed copy of the software.

Yeah. I tried to do this and it told me it was already downloaded.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yeah. I tried to do this and it told me it was already downloaded.

Yes, if you have already downloaded the installer, and you have left it on your hard drive, then the App Store will tell you that it is already downloaded. Trash your older copy - which the App Store puts in the Applications folder. Be sure to empty the trash.
You don't want to keep the version with the expired license, so no reason to store that somewhere else, but you do need to remove it from the drive that you are booted from.

Then, the App Store will let you download it again. You can just click past the message that says you already have that version.
If you want to keep that downloaded installer, then cancel the install when the download completes.
You may not want to install at that time, so quit the installer, then copy that app to another drive. If you are not continuing with an install at that time, delete the app from your internal hard drive.

 

[kyte]

I've always copied installers to an external drive. But it still wont download. Oh well, never mind. I may end up starting over on Snow Leopard at some point. At least I still have a DVD for that, and can install as required.

 

[DeltaMac]

I've always copied installers to an external drive. But it still wont download. Oh well, never mind. I may end up starting over on Snow Leopard at some point. At least I still have a DVD for that, and can install as required.

Yes, and you still need to check for the installer app. It will be in your Applications folder. The app is quite large, so easy to find by size. Take a good look on your internal drive. When you find it (and you will ) drag it to the trash, then empty the trash.
If it is definitely not on your internal drive, be sure to UNMOUNT, eject any drive that would also have that app. It must be there somewhere.
App store will let you download again, but not if it can "see" the installer already downloaded. (I have done this probably 20 times, just on El Cap, and that's how it works from the App Store.) The App Store Purchased screen will show your OS X installer as "Downloaded", and NOT "Download", if the installer is still on your drive.
Do you see the difference?
Of course, you can still use El Cap, or Yosemite/Mavericks installers, even with the expired certificate, you just set the date back.
But, I can also assure that first removing all current OSX installer apps WILL then let App Store re-download the installer that you want.

 

[Weaselboy]

I've always copied installers to an external drive. But it still wont download. Oh well, never mind. I may end up starting over on Snow Leopard at some point. At least I still have a DVD for that, and can install as required.

If you have the installer on an attached external drive the App Store will show it as "downloaded" and will not let you download again. Either delete that version or eject the external drive, then you should be able to download.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Still using OSX 10.8.5 I am nevertheless thinking about testing newer OSX….

Did never "buy" (for money) something in the app store (except a DVD with Snow Leopard as a security sometime ago because I was afraid of the bugs of lion) , but download a handful of free apps.


Regarding after a longtime again my account, I see that - for whatever reason - I "bought" Mavericks in May 2014, but did not download. So - I will download Mavericks to be shure to have it in case of…
I am very pleased that - again: for whatever reason - the app-store tells me, that I have the right to download Yosemite as well.

So - I COULD save them both locally in case of…..

QUESTION:

If I´d buy a 128-250 GB SSD and create some partitions with Snow Leopard and nothing but my app-access on each partition, will I be able to boot from each of the multiple SL-partition and then download/install mavericks, Yosemite and El Capitan on each of the partitions, so that I have all OSX bootable? would be fine to have 4 boootable partitions with the last 4 OSX… (I guess 30 GB space for each partition are enough since SL has about 3 and even El Capitan not more than 7 GB ?)...

Will every partition then be bootable separately from the partition?
This would be fine: to be able to test first seriously all of the 3 OSX "new" to me before definitely writing over my OSX 10.8.5 system…

Thanks for answers in advance...

 

[Weaselboy]

Thanks for answers in advance...

Yes to all your questions. That will work assuming your Mac is capable of running the OS X versions you mentioned.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

Yes to all your questions. That will work assuming your Mac is capable of running the OS X versions you mentioned.

That´s very good news… would be easy to create such a little SSD and then clone one of the partitions on a system-SSD… if necessary/useful so one day…

 

[keysofanxiety]

Sucks, but people just have to deal with the fact that you're going to need an internet connection sooner or later.

That's not always the case. My building had been on copper wires until fibre was fitted 2 weeks ago. And I'm slap bang in the middle of a city. You're implying that people not having a decent Internet connection is out of choice or stubbornness.

 

[michaelkmurray]

[doublepost=1457100131][/doublepost]I checked my App Store on my cMP and all the OSX versions since Lion are there, but Yosemite and Mavericks say "Downloaded" and are not clickable. Even the names themselves are not clickable. El Capitan says "downloaded" but the name is clickable and the El Capitan page has a button to download but when I click it, it says I already have it and to click Continue to download anyway, which I do, but nothing happens.

Ugh.

I had this problem this morning. It seems to be caused by having an Installer already somewhere on your computer. Not wanting to delete it until I had the new one I compressed my current one, deleted the uncompressed one and re-opened the App Store application at which point it was happy to download.

 

[MrAverigeUser]

I had this problem this morning. It seems to be caused by having an Installer already somewhere on your computer. Not wanting to delete it until I had the new one I compressed my current one, deleted the uncompressed one and re-opened the App Store application at which point it was happy to download.

Congratulations

A very elegant and very smart way to solve the problem!

 

[m4v3r1ck]

If you have the installer on an attached external drive the App Store will show it as "downloaded" and will not let you download again. Either delete that version or eject the external drive, then you should be able to download.

I copy all my Virgin OS X installers to a NAS, so no worries about the MAS discovering the installers on my syste.! For any OS X point update not depending on which version is available in the MAS anymore!

Cheers
[doublepost=1459165994][/doublepost]

El Capitan is a downgrade.

Using a fake identity as handle is the worst downgrade for humanity (and MR)!

Cheers

 

[pipRocket]

It's an expired certificate? It's not really an issue. You need to grab a new copy that's signed with the new certificate.

How? explain I’m new to Mac.

 

[anzio]

How? explain I’m new to Mac.

If you’re downloading an older OS X installer, you should be able to find previous OS X updates in your Purchased tab in the App Store on your Mac (hold option while clicking the purchased tab). Newer macOS releases do not show up in Purchased, however.

That assumes you’ve downloaded those previous OS X updates before.