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Reinstall Mac OS

In process of erasing an iMac 2011 ready to get rid of or sell. I have followed instructions and erased my hard drive. In attempting to reinstall the OS, (currently El Capitan) I have encountered an error “a required download is missing” and can’t go any further. Help :)

Posted on Jul 24, 2020 7:20 PM

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Posted on Jul 24, 2020 9:02 PM

You cannot install El Capitan on that model if you plan to dispose of it. See What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac. You will need the two Software Restore DVDs that came with the computer when it was new. Use Disk 1 to erase the drive and install OS X. Alternatively, if you have the retail Snow Leopard DVD, then install Snow Leopard.


Also, see Factory reset of your Mac - Apple Support.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 24, 2020 9:02 PM in response to rooster-girl22

You cannot install El Capitan on that model if you plan to dispose of it. See What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac. You will need the two Software Restore DVDs that came with the computer when it was new. Use Disk 1 to erase the drive and install OS X. Alternatively, if you have the retail Snow Leopard DVD, then install Snow Leopard.


Also, see Factory reset of your Mac - Apple Support.

Reinstall Mac OS

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