I’m getting error during Reinstall OS X Installation on MacBook Air 2010

I'm actually having the exact same issue - even when I use Option-Command-R and Shift-Option-Command-R Yosemite 10.10 is the only option that comes up. Then when I try to log in with my apple creds I get the 403 error. I'm just trying to wipe it so I can sell it. Help!

Thanks for sharing.

I’ve tried this. It gives me response “command not found”.

This is on late 2009 iMac, El Capitan

I have the same issue. Did anyone get their issue fixed?

Got around the issue- seems to be a problem connecting to Apple's servers. The date and time provided by the server is not the same as the client computer

Solution:

restart iMac in recovery command+R

Open terminal

Set date with the command:

date {month}{day}{hour}{minute}{year}

where each of the brackets is a number

E.g. November 8th 2023 14:29 would become the following command:

date 110814292023

Should be able to reinstall OSX as normal after that. No need to create a bootable installer.

This didn't work for me. I set the time and noticed it was in Pacific time zone (I'm in Central time zone). Reset the date for current Pacific time zone and still didn't allow me to install. Any other suggestions?

Equal05 Said:

"I am getting an error during the Reinstall OS X Installation on my MacBook Air 2010. 'An unexpected error occurred while signing in. The server gave an error during download: 403 Forbidden.'[...]"

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Thank you or the screenshot.

Use Ethernet:

"403" Indicates that there is an error connecting the a server (Apple's Update Server). So, try using Ethernet.

Download macOS 10.13 High Sierra, and use that.

Use Option-Command-R to boot Recovery:

Use macOS Recovery on an Intel-based Mac - Apple Support

PS: HTTP 403 is a blockage on the Apple server, meaning the requested file is blocked by server policy. I would not expect the choice of Wi-Fi or Ethernet to make a difference there as both will access the Internet from the same router and same IP address, and as MacBook Air lacks Ethernet connection, which makes that path more involved as it needs a dongle. Again, HTTP 403 is a server blockage, not a local issue.

WHAT worked for you. Tell us what you did in order to make it work.

Thank you

After I type in the date like that do I hit enter and close out terminal? I tried it that way but I still get the 403 error code and when I reopen terminal the date is no longer there.

thethreadshed wrote:

After I type in the date like that do I hit enter and close out terminal? I tried it that way but I still get the 403 error code and when I reopen terminal the date is no longer there.

That is the entire command followed by a return, yes.

Commands aren’t saved in this environment.

If the current date and time is already correct, resetting it (to {month}{day}{hour}{min}{year}) won’t help.

403 usually is an error at Apple; the file is protected against access. Not something that can be “fixed” locally.

Booting the latest macOS supported by the Mac is somewhat more likely to work, based on past discussions.

If the rest of this fails (as can happen), create a bootable installer on another Mac.

oldmacuser1234d6 wrote:

I'm actually having the exact same issue - even when I use Option-Command-R and Shift-Option-Command-R Yosemite 10.10 is the only option that comes up. Then when I try to log in with my apple creds I get the 403 error. I'm just trying to wipe it so I can sell it. Help!

Old Macs are a pain, here. For most Macs, this was fixed somewhere ‘round 10.12, IIRC.

You’ll need a different Mac (and one able to run macOS 10.13) to build a bootable installer, then.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Or a discussion with Apple Support about the 403 error, and see if they can get that cleared.

I was able to bypass it by creating a bootable usb drive containing the OSX I needed. I followed the steps listed here:

Create a bootable installer - Apple Support (CA)

unfortunately you’ll probably need another Mac but if you follow the steps closely, you may be able to get it to work as well.

plangmead wrote:

This doesn't work, just gives exactly the same error

I’d suggest creating a bootable installer on another Mac.

As for errors invoking date, see if invoking it as /bin/date works; if PATH is not set as expected.

/bin/date 110814292023

SOLVED

Finally, I went to an Apple Store. The problem was solved in less than 30 minutes (thanks to the Apple team). The solution was to forget the usb key installation and install via the Internet. Sorry, if the USB key is your only method of installation :(.

At startup, with the iMac connected via ethernet, holding down the "N" key, it starts up on a NetBoot network server (to be defined on the local network). The various MacOS versions were available on the servers. We chose El Capitan and the installation went ahead.

I am suffering the same problem with a 'El Capitan' re-installation on an old iMac.

It is very frustrating that Apple puts itself between an user and a new installation on such an old iMac.

For people who bought a secondhand iMac, they cannot aks the pre-owners for the Apple credentials to make the the Apple ID verification succesfull.

I found a few different instructions from Apple for the 'Apple ID problem' workaround, but none of those seems to work for me.

The best solution is for Apple to disgard the Apple ID verification for Apple cpu's older than, say 7 years.

In my opinion, there is no legit reasons for Apple to put itself between the user and there legacy hardware for those old systems. If Apple still thinks otherwise, then they should put more effort in it to make the re-installation much easier than current.

Nevertheless, i do appriciate the free Apple support on legacy Apple cpu's. Keep up this good work, but make the Apple support for yourself also simple, by skipping the Apple ID verifications on old Cpu's.