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User profile for user: mario_edgar
mario_edgar Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Mid 2009 Macbook Pro - El Capitan USB not showup up in startup disk or when restarting and holding option

  • Fresh install of 10.5.8 from DVD that came with laptop
  • Installed OSX 10.6 Snow leopard from DVD
  • The El Capitan Installer from apple will not run on the machine so i used a macbook air to download the installer and then run the createinstallmedia command.


Now that i have the USB, i cannot find the device in the Startup disk setting. Ive also tried restarting the machine and holding option to get to select the boot device. Both options do not work.


Any ideas?

Posted on May 21, 2020 9:19 AM

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User profile for user: Eau Rouge
Eau Rouge
User level: Level 8
42,554 points

Posted on May 21, 2020 10:44 AM

When you upgraded the mac to Snow Leopard using the DVD it would have installed version 10.6.3.

In order to install El Capitan you will need to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8.

Download it from here, https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

once downloaded double-click to install.

Having done that go back to the App Store and check for any other downloads and install them.

Then restart your mac, open System Preferences> Startup Disk and see if the bootable USB is visible.


Another way to boot to the bootable USB would be to restart your mac while pressing and holding the option/ alt key.

This will reboot your mac and open the Startup Manager, you should see a display of the bootable drives on your mac,

select the USB and press Return.

This now boots your mac to the bootable USB. From the Utilities panel select Install OS X. Press Continue.

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User profile for user: Eau Rouge
Eau Rouge
User level: Level 8
42,554 points

May 21, 2020 10:44 AM in response to mario_edgar

When you upgraded the mac to Snow Leopard using the DVD it would have installed version 10.6.3.

In order to install El Capitan you will need to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8.

Download it from here, https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

once downloaded double-click to install.

Having done that go back to the App Store and check for any other downloads and install them.

Then restart your mac, open System Preferences> Startup Disk and see if the bootable USB is visible.


Another way to boot to the bootable USB would be to restart your mac while pressing and holding the option/ alt key.

This will reboot your mac and open the Startup Manager, you should see a display of the bootable drives on your mac,

select the USB and press Return.

This now boots your mac to the bootable USB. From the Utilities panel select Install OS X. Press Continue.

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Mid 2009 Macbook Pro - El Capitan USB not showup up in startup disk or when restarting and holding option

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