os x Mavericks cannot be installed on this computer...

[Killerbob]

I have tried a number of times to get this very annoying message. It is especially irritating becuase I know I can install Mavericks on the particular laptops I get the message on...

A MacBook Air toasted on me, and I took out my USB stick with 10.9.3 and booted it up. I used Disk Utility to erase the partition and create a new one. I then tried to reinstall OSX but got the message "os x Mavericks cannot be installed on this computer". Of course it is BS, as the MBA had Mavericks on it before. I eventually got on by using internet recovery.

I just had the same thing happen to me on a MacBook Pro. A MBP which had Mavericks installed and working before I decided to repartition it.

What is going on??? Am I doing something which isn't possible, or what. I have used the USB installation method many times...

 

[53kyle]

It sounds like your install USB is corrupted, so re-download the installer from the mac app store and make a new one.

 

[Killerbob]

Yes, I thought so too. But, I have tried this with three different USB keys. Two created using X-Disc, and one using the

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app --nointeraction

 

[yjchua95]

Yes, I thought so too. But, I have tried this with three different USB keys. Two created using X-Disc, and one using the

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app --nointeraction

The USB key isn't the problem. It's the installer app itself that's corrupted.

Download a new one off the Mac App Store.