extranormal

Q: Unable to redownload OS X Mavericks to make bootable USB flash disk

Hi,

 

I'm trying to redownload Mavericks from the App Store so I can make myself a bootable USB so I can do a clean install.  The only problem is when I click on the download button for Mavericks from with Purchases, I get prompted with a message saying that "Mavericks is already installed, but if I wish to continue downloading the installer, click continue."  But when I do, I just get a spinning loader up top, and nothing starts to download...  I've tried pressing Atl or Command C (which was offered as a solution on another thread but just throws back an error ding sound at you when you do).

 

Does anyone have an idea of how to  get around  this or another way of downloading the installer? 

 

I'm starting to feel like I'm banging my head against the wall here...

iMac (24-inch Early 2008), OS X Mavericks (10.9)

Posted on Oct 25, 2013 3:56 AM

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Q: Unable to redownload OS X Mavericks to make bootable USB flash disk

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Oct 25, 2013 4:13 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 25, 2013 4:13 AM in response to extranormal

    Close App Store and reopen. Go to purchases and see if it is downloading, or if it has been a while, look in applications folder.

     

    If you've got Mavericks installed, and you want to waste your time with a "clean" install, just boot into Recovery, erase the disk, and reinstall.

  • by extranormal,

    extranormal extranormal Oct 25, 2013 4:41 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 4:41 AM in response to Barney-15E

    I tried this already... the problem is it doesn't actually start to download. 

     

    It sat there with the spinning loader for over 12hrs over night but there was nothing in the Applications folder in the morning and the wheel was still spinning.

     

    Can you do a "Factory Reset" clean install from inside Recovery without a boot disk?  As I was under the impression it just reinstalls the OS over the top of what's already there leaving all your existing settings intact.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Oct 25, 2013 4:45 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 25, 2013 4:45 AM in response to extranormal

    As I stated, yes, you can erase the disk while in recovery. Giant waste of time, but you can do it. Disk Utility is right there next to reinstall.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Oct 25, 2013 4:47 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 25, 2013 4:47 AM in response to extranormal

    The only way to simulate a "factory reset" would be to use Internet Recovery. If you erase the drive, it will install the shipping OS.

  • by extranormal,

    extranormal extranormal Oct 25, 2013 5:12 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 5:12 AM in response to extranormal

    Here's some grabs of what I'm getting...

     

    Screen Shot 2013-10-25 at 12.32.35.png

     

     

    Screen Shot 2013-10-25 at 12.32.44.png

     

     

    Screen Shot 2013-10-25 at 12.32.50.png

     

     

    Once this "wheel" starts spinning nothing else seems to happen.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Oct 25, 2013 5:05 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 25, 2013 5:05 AM in response to extranormal

    Yes, I know what you are seeing, but I just closed the App Store and reopened. The progress bar appeared.

  • by Miska_FL,

    Miska_FL Miska_FL Oct 25, 2013 5:09 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 2 (390 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 5:09 AM in response to extranormal

    This is how you create a Mavericks bootable installer. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5856

     

    Erase and install procedure. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5943

  • by extranormal,

    extranormal extranormal Oct 25, 2013 5:10 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 5:10 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Thanks I'll check that out in a bit...

     

    Although I'd still like to make a bootable USB as it's a handy thing have.

     

    As for doing a clean reset/install being a waste of time it's not if you're planning on selling your mac on etc and you want to make sure none of your stuff is still on there.

  • by Miska_FL,

    Miska_FL Miska_FL Oct 25, 2013 5:13 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 2 (390 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 5:13 AM in response to extranormal

    Not to mention that eliminates 3rd party software coming from previous OS install type issues.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Oct 25, 2013 5:42 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 8 (49,722 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 25, 2013 5:42 AM in response to extranormal

    As for doing a clean reset/install being a waste of time it's not if you're planning on selling your mac on etc and you want to make sure none of your stuff is still on there.

    That's one of the uses of Internet Recovery, and is the only way you should reinstall for selling.

     

    Third-party software is easily removed. Much more quickly than erasing the drive and reinstalling.

  • by Denico,

    Denico Denico Oct 25, 2013 6:47 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 3 (670 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 6:47 AM in response to extranormal

    Hi ...

     

    Just tried this, just for fun. And the same happens to me.

     

    Anyway, got it to download this way:

     

    Open AppStore and navigate to the decription page for Mavericks

    and ctrl+click on the download button.

     

    Untitled.jpg

     

     

    That did it for me..

     

    Regards

    Dennis

  • by awm82,

    awm82 awm82 Oct 25, 2013 11:38 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 25, 2013 11:38 AM in response to extranormal

    I ran into the same issue - downloaded and installed Mavericks yesterday, but forgot to save the download first so I could make a USB installer. When I went to re-download, I got the "Mavericks is already installed..." message, clicked Continue, the wheel at the top of the window started spinning, and then...nothing. I let the wheel spin for the better part of an hour several times without seeing any progress. Neither restarting App Store, nor Control-clicking the 'Download' button, nor attempting to download from the 'Purchases' tab succeeded in starting the download.

     

    I decided to try temporarily spoofing my OS X version, and it worked! Here's a step-by-step:

     

    1) If it's currently running, close App Store.

     

    2) In a Finder window, navigate to System/Library/CoreServices (you must have Finder set to display hidden and system files as detailed here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4505509).


    3) Copy 'SystemVersion.plist' to your Desktop, and then rename the copy to 'SystemVersionNEW.plist'.

     

    4) Using TextEdit, open this copy of the file, and change the system version listed under the 'ProductUserVisibleVersion' and 'ProductVersion' fields to something lower than 10.9 (I used 10.7, but I suspect anything lower than 10.9 would work).

     

    5) Save the file on the Desktop.

     

    6) Copy your newly edited 'SystemVersionNEW.plist' into the System/Library/CoreServices directory.

     

    7) At this point, run App Store. Leave it at its initial welcome screen, which today is showing the big 'OS X Mavericks' banner at the top.

     

    8) Now go back to your Finder window(s), rename the original file to 'SystemVersionOLD.plist', and rename 'SystemVersionNEW.plist' to 'SystemVersion.plist', effectively replacing the original file with your edited version.

     

    * Note here that in order to rename the original 'SystemVersion.plist' file, you will probably have to edit its Sharing and Permissions settings by Control-clicking on it, selecting 'Get Info', scrolling down to the bottom of the info window, clicking the lock icon, entering your password, and then changing all the entries in the 'Sharing and Permissions' window just above the lock icon from 'Read Only' to 'Read & Write'. (Once you finish the process and your download has started, you can go back and change permissions back to 'Read Only'.)

     

    9) Go back to App Store and click on the OS X Mavericks banner (if you don't see the OS X Mavericks banner at the top of the window, just do a search for 'Mavericks' and click on 'OS X Mavericks' when it comes up in the search results). If everything has worked as it did for me, you'll now see a 'Free Download' button, instead of 'Download'. Click it, then click 'Install' and your download should begin.

     

    10) As soon as the download appears on your Launchpad with a progress bar, you can go back to Finder, delete 'SystemVersion.plist", and rename 'SystemVersionOLD.plist' to 'SystemVersion.plist', replacing your edited version with the original.

     

    As always, it's a good idea to be careful when editing system files, and make backups before changing anything.

     

    Note that you must have App Store running already before renaming the original 'SystemVersion.plist' file; if you make the change in step 8 and then try to run App Store, it will throw an error and won't start.

  • by Wes the Flatulent,

    Wes the Flatulent Wes the Flatulent Dec 22, 2013 6:13 PM in response to awm82
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 22, 2013 6:13 PM in response to awm82

    I'm not sure if it is a product of the 10.9.1 update, but this method did not work for me.  I used 10.8 as my spoofed version, but no luck. 

  • by noula,

    noula noula Aug 7, 2016 11:29 AM in response to extranormal
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Aug 7, 2016 11:29 AM in response to extranormal

    To redownload, you must do this on the Mac you used to download Mavericks in the first place. The button in the list of the “Purchases” tab in your App Store app will be live and not dimmed.