I have mid 2010 Macbook Pro. I want to wipe out and reinstall El Capitan. After I erased, I just learned that I can't download El Capitan from App store. I managed to get the InstallMcaOSX.dmg. After deep search in google, looks more than handful than I thought to get this going. Could someone please help and explain the process to reinstall El Capitan. Thank you in advance.
As you have decided to be unwise and erase your mac you are left with two alternatives,
see below.
So if you have the InstallMacOSX.dmg, you double-click on that to open it to the InstallMacOSX.pkg.
When you have the InstallMacOSX.pkg you double click on that.
An installation window will open, this does not install El Capitan but creates the Install OS X El Capitan.app
which you will find in your Applications folder. Then you would need to create a bootable USB installer
using the instructions here, How to create a bootable installer for macOS – Apple Support
The above instructions can only be carried out on a mac that can run El Capitan, any mac that came preinstalled with
an OS newer than El Capitan will not be able to do this.
The alternative would be to try and re install El Capitan from Apples Recovery Servers,
have you tried that, Restart your mac, press and hold the Command and R keys,
from the Utilities panel that opens click on Reinstall OS X.
Have you tried that yet, if so how did it go.
I have downloaded the InstallMacOSX.dmg from my iMAC to USB. I have double click and created *.pkg file. Not sure how I would transfer this file to Macbook Pro when it is only 'OSX Utilities window'. I have inserted to USB port, but cannot be read as it is greyed out. I can create the bootable USB installer.
AS has already been mentioned by Eau Rouge, the "Install OS X El Capitan" app will be created in Applications folder once to double click the PKG. Once that is done, you require a USB formatted HFS+ and GUID. This is done in Disk Utilities. Give the USB a name "Untitled" without the " " marks.
Now, go to Terminal in Utilities folder. With the USB drive attached run this command in Terminal
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app --nointeraction
It will take some time so be patient. Once it is done label the USB you created as El Capitan and keep in safe place. This USB needs to be attached to the target computer you want to install onto. Make sure computer is OFF. Now boot with USB attached and immediately hold OPTION and choose to boot to USB and start the installation process
Never erase your mac without making provision for how you are going to install another OS,
do not rely on Apples Recovery Servers. Always make a full back up before erasing, and always have
a bootable USB installer to hand beforehand, even better have two.
I have a similar problem. I have done all of the above except my terminal is not recognizing the sudo command above. I copied it exactly. I’ve also extracted the OS app file and put it on a thumb drive in a folder called “Applications.”
but when I type the entire bold faced command above, I get:
-bash: sudo: command not found
thank you for your attention!
I think you are not following the instructions properly, you do not put the installation file into a folder called Applications
on a USB thumb drive.
Try following the instructions more carefully.
If you get sudo: command not found, try the command without typing sudo.
Thank you all for your support. I have managed to install the OS. It is all good now.
For sure. I'm upgrading to High Sierra as that is the max for this laptop and also making bootable disk...just incase of an accident.
how to install el capitan
