andreas61

Q: this item is temporarily unavailable

After my macbook pro had become really slow the past days, I decided to reset the system, following the usual steps:

1. Press alt+power button

2. Choose Utilities --> erase Macintosh HD (or in my case, it was called macbook pro)

3. Reinstall the Mountain Lion OS X through internet.

 

However, after trying to install the OS X, and entering an apple id (my brother's, since his id worked - probably because he used his id when installing the OS X on this computer the first time), an error message pops up, saying:

 

"This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later"

 

I don't know what to do, since I have tried redoing these steps on multiple occasions this day, and with two different networks. Unfortunately, I don't have the original installation dvd:s, so I have to install the OS through internet (or if it is possible, by downloading the OS to an external hard drive, and then installing through that).

 

Anyways, my macbook pro is bought in the mid 2010's, maybe that information can help? I don't know what the last OS X update I used was...

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jul 18, 2014 3:20 PM

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Q: this item is temporarily unavailable

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  • by N21Admin,

    N21Admin N21Admin Aug 5, 2014 2:48 PM in response to bikerpesa
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 5, 2014 2:48 PM in response to bikerpesa

    Uh, save up for a vacation where there IS a Genius Bar?      I will say at the Apple Store they plugged it into a boot server, did a quick scan for problems, loaded the OS, and I was in & out in less than 30 minutes.     Apple Support (on the phone) did suggest I could download Mavericks on another Mac (a friend's?) put it on a USB drive (you need 8 GB) and boot & install from there.   But it would somehow carry over the Apple ID of the other Mac.  Worth a try I'd think.

  • by dyerrhea54,

    dyerrhea54 dyerrhea54 Aug 6, 2014 2:19 PM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 6, 2014 2:19 PM in response to andreas61

    I hope you have figured it out already. I encountered the same problem. The best solution may be to take it to the mac store, but here is what I did.

     

    For some reason my mid2009 macbook pro didn't want to reset its install function to the factory settings, it wanted Lion (i believe Snow Leopard is factory settings for that one). I kept getting the "Item is temporarily unavailable" after inputting my Apple ID.

     

    I purchased (yes, it stinks, but it was $20) a copy of Lion online. Just google search "Mac OS X [version] purchase" and it pops up. They send you a few emails; just follow the instructions and they get you a redemption code (redeemable only at the mac app store on your computer, no disc, annoying).

     

    Since I had already wiped my mac, I had no way of redeeming the code. But I just logged in to the app store with my own Apple ID on my fathers computer and entered the redeem code (you have to be careful to just use the apple ID of the computer you want to install on, not my dad's, or your friend's). Once the redemption code is entered you are good to do the reinstall of mac OS x Lion.

     

    Its installing now.

  • by jwirth93,

    jwirth93 jwirth93 Aug 7, 2014 7:45 AM in response to dyerrhea54
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 7, 2014 7:45 AM in response to dyerrhea54

    So basically what you're all saying is that if you don't have 2 mac's that this won't work? I did the same as everyone else (Hard drive wasn't booting correctly so I wiped the drive with an external boot of OS X Utilities). The problem I am having now is that I cannot download another OS X Mountain Lion through this utility (getting the "This item is temporarily unavailable. Try again later.") I can pull up the command line but have no intel on what the command would be in order to download/install the actual OS X. I also only have ONE macbook so download and installing it through an external drive is NOT an option and also do not have warranty on this machine (expired).

  • by dyerrhea54,

    dyerrhea54 dyerrhea54 Aug 7, 2014 10:02 AM in response to jwirth93
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 7, 2014 10:02 AM in response to jwirth93

    Well, I'm saying that you have to find a way to register the OS with your Apple ID. It might be something as simple as calling tech support, explaining your issue, and having them apply the credit to your account.

     

    Have you purchased a new license for OS X Mountain Lion? You can get it here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion

     

    They send an email within a few days and you can get your redeem code. At that point, you need to figure out a way to apply it to your desired Apple ID (no, just buying it through your apple ID doesn't work, you actually have to redeem it at the Mac App Store on you computer (which you don't have access to because you wiped your hard drive (same issue as me))).

     

    Your issue is that you have no OS "credited" to your Apple ID. If you email someone with a Mac you trust with the info, they can access app store from their computer, login as your Apple ID, apply the credit (instructions are in the email they send you), and log back out. The whole process takes 2 minutes. You would be free to install from your own computer as long as you use the Apple ID your friend applied the code to.

     

    Hope it helps.

  • by anje_su16,Helpful

    anje_su16 anje_su16 Oct 9, 2014 6:19 AM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 9, 2014 6:19 AM in response to andreas61

    Can't restore Lion using Internet restore, after replacing bad hard drive.  Lion came on system.

     

    Keep getting this message:

    "This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later"


    How can I restore this Macbook?

    pls answer it..

  • by Filipe Louro,

    Filipe Louro Filipe Louro Oct 18, 2014 7:33 AM in response to anje_su16
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 18, 2014 7:33 AM in response to anje_su16

    same issue here. this *****.

     

    help us Apple.

  • by kev.ash,

    kev.ash kev.ash Oct 26, 2014 4:53 PM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 26, 2014 4:53 PM in response to andreas61

    Hi, I'm in the same situation, I bought this machine from someone who has wiped it. and get the exact same message. I cannot get past this stage and am desperate to get it working again. Is there any work-around to get the damned thing working again.

  • by Roy No.1,Helpful

    Roy No.1 Roy No.1 Oct 26, 2014 7:06 PM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Oct 26, 2014 7:06 PM in response to andreas61

    Finally, I got the answer!!!

    first, you download OS X Recovery Disk Assistant v1.0 from apple, then create a recovery usb drive, then plug in the usb into your mac. when it power on, press option to select use the recovery disk you just made. you will found you can reinstall a OS x 10.10.

  • by fringie2,

    fringie2 fringie2 Nov 12, 2014 1:33 AM in response to Roy No.1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 12, 2014 1:33 AM in response to Roy No.1

    And you are back to needing to buy a secondary mac to fix the first one.

     

    I find it very frustrating.

     

    1) I can't use internet recovery for Lion (and that is the only option I get when using Internet Recovery).

    2) If I try to contact Apple they tell me to enter my serialnumber and they tell me to pay money to answer my question. Since they removed the possibility to recovery my Mac they shouldnt charge me.

    3) All solutions that comes up tell me to use some program solution to create a recoverydisk and that is only possible if I buy a secondary mac

     

    I begin to understand the people telling me that PC is a better way to go since you can't get any good support on Mac.

  • by anil89,

    anil89 anil89 Nov 12, 2014 11:22 PM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 12, 2014 11:22 PM in response to andreas61

    have you managed to fix your macbook pro? I am having the same issue, cant figure it out how to fix it.

  • by Tahayh7,

    Tahayh7 Tahayh7 Nov 22, 2014 2:38 AM in response to N21Admin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 22, 2014 2:38 AM in response to N21Admin

    Well i got uptil the download part, but when i go to download it tells me u dont have enouh free space!!! the file is only 3.1 MB, so frustrating

  • by dereke553,Helpful

    dereke553 dereke553 Dec 1, 2014 1:14 AM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Dec 1, 2014 1:14 AM in response to andreas61

    I was running into this same problem because I was trying to use a different Apple ID than the one I used when I first got the computer. Signed in with my old Apple ID and it started installing. Guess OS X does need to be registered with an ID.

  • by kellyfromlouisville ,Helpful

    kellyfromlouisville kellyfromlouisville Jan 11, 2015 2:07 PM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jan 11, 2015 2:07 PM in response to andreas61

    Just found a fix for this for my situation: I was re-installing the OS X on my daughter's 2006 MacBook to speed it up. After I erased the old HD and was trying to install the new OS (Lion, in this case), I was also met with the repeating "This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later" message. I called Apple Support and one of their fix options to was try another Apple ID - I had been using my daughter's ID. Since I purchased this MacBook, I tried using my Apple ID, an wa-la, it allowed me to download the OS X Lion!

  • by idreman,

    idreman idreman Jan 13, 2015 6:47 PM in response to andreas61
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2015 6:47 PM in response to andreas61

    I know the problem now, finally... App Store doesn't have "old" systems anymore, like Lion. You need to upgrade your hardware, to be able to have certain software. My MacPro 2007 started having this problem. Also have macbook air, macbook pro, airport express & extreme, an iPad mini and iPhone. I've been using mac since 2002. Gave my old iMac to my mum, and my Mac mini to a friend. Bought all their products, and trust me, I love them. But it is really childish of them that you cannot get old software anymore via the App Store...

  • by idreman,

    idreman idreman Jan 13, 2015 6:50 PM in response to idreman
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 13, 2015 6:50 PM in response to idreman

    Oh yeah, and I have an iPod nano as well

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