A Required Download Is Missing

Talked to an Apple specialist today and thought I'd post his answer in case anyone still has this issue. He had me restart my MacBook Pro and hold Command+Option+R until a spinning globe appears after the restart. He said this era of laptops' certificates for Mac OS X reinstalls have expired, so the option listed above drives the computer to search for essentially an updated reinstall certificate online. Hope this helps!

I have this exact same issue on 2011 IMac

I go into recover console and trey to reinstall OSX and after trying to verify eligibility i get error "A required download is missing"

Hi Grant,

I'm trying to restore a friend’s iMac 2011 to factory settings. I erased the partitioned disc and now it’s prompting me to reinstall Mavericks OS X. However, after attempting to download, I get the error “required download is missing.”

Have I done something wrong? Can you help me through the next steps?

It looks like you have to use "Internet Recovery Mode" instead of just "Recovery Mode". I was having this same issue and had to hold `option+cmd+R` on reboot to get into recovery mode, from there I was able to format the internal memory then proceed to "Reinstall Mac OS X". From there just follow the instructions on the screen. Hope this helps!

TS

If you never upgraded to macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later

If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later was never installed on your Mac, macOS Recovery works differently:

• • • Command-R is still the recommended way to start up from macOS Recovery. This combination makes sure that the installation isn't associated with your Apple ID, which is important if you're selling or giving away your Mac.
    • Option-Command-R installs the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
    • Shift-Option-Command-R isn't available.

from:

How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support

If you was a more recent version, download that from within MacOS.

Hi, I have the same problem.

When I press as you suggested - command>option>R - the globe appears on the screen with “Starting Internet Recovery. This may take a while” and then just appears to stay dormant. How long should I wait before I expect some action on the screen?

I’m attempting to fire up a mid-2011 iMac which I recently purchased and using the latest apple keyboard & mouse (both wireless).

1. how rude
2. Disk Maker X will not work with the .dmg installers you now get from Apple. It will also not work on an older OS. If you have the right installer then sure it's nice, but not necessary as you can use a terminal command or install OS directly on the bootable USB.

Please check out my answer and see if it helps you out

a 2015 MacBook Pro has Internet Recovery in its ROM. Try Command-Option R to invoke it. No added software of any kind required -- it can even get there if the boot drive has been removed. Internet Recovery leaves your drive completely free to be completely ERASED.

You can tell that is where you are going when it asks to select a Network, and you see the spinning globe.

Once you arrive, launch Disk Utility, choose DEVICE View, select the drive by its immutable hardware-name, and ERASE the boot drive completely, taking the default GUID partition Map and MacOS Extended Volume. When completed (about a minute) return to the main screen and Install on your now blank drive.

The 2011 model has a different solution, because it does NOT have Internet recovery in its ROM.

To solve that problem, you need a different Recovery HD. There should be one on any Bootable USB Installer/Utilities drive you have made, and there should be one on your Time Machine backup drive.

Thanks for the quick reply Grant.

I can get into the recovery console with OS X utilities and i can click on Reinstall OS X

Once I click continue i get the popup that says "To download or restore your OS X your computer's eligibility will be verified with Apple"

once i click continue on this it says " loading installation information"

Then i get the Yellow triangle with "A required download is missing"

to download the version of MacOS that shipped in the box with your computer, only the serial number is required.

To download a different version, that =version must have been "purchased" using the Apple-ID currently in charge of the computer AND the version to be installed must be greater or equal what was last running -- you cannot go backward without erasing the drive completely, and to do that, you need "somewhere else to stand" (another instance of a Recovery partition or another working MacOS) -- you cannot 'cut off the tree branch you are standing on'.

I am not trying to go backward, the screen says i am trying to install El Capitain, i would happily go to a newer version, but i have now way of selecting that.

I thought if i restart with CMD + R it would download the latest version OS X that was compatible with my hardware which is High Sierra.

Ugh, I have this very same problem. In both the Command-R and the Option-Command-R approaches to reinstall, I get error messages that a download is missing. Any other ideas? Thanks very much for your help!