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Reinstalling OS X El Capitan Over Ethernet

Greetings,


I am currently trying to reinstall OS X El Capitan on a 2015 Macbook pro. When I arrive at the OS Utilities page, after using command + R, I am unable to Reinstall OS X because it says I am not connected to the internet. However, I know for certain the ethernet cable I am using provides a working internet connection.

Does OS X Utilities not allow a reinstall on a certain ethernet connection? Or am I missing something?


Also, for the sake of saving everyone time know that I am unable to use Wifi to reinstall.


Thanks!

Posted on Sep 2, 2021 11:49 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 3, 2021 12:13 AM

Have you made sure the WiFi is disabled.

You could also try restarting your router.


Why are you trying to reinstall Mac OS X El Capitan on your mac.

It is always better to have a means to reinstall the OS at hand and not rely

on Apples Recovery Servers.

I hope you have not erased your mac.


If you still have an operating system on your mac you can download a copy of El Capitan

then create a bootable USB flash drive installer and use that to erase your mac and reinstall.

Details below.


If you have already erased your mac you can do the procedure below on another mac, that mac

must be of an age where it could run El Capitan.


How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support

Go to Download OS and click on OS X El Capitan 10.11

this downloads InstallMacOSX.dmg to your Downloads folder.


The next section can only be done on a mac that is capable of running El Capitan.

This includes macs that have the potential to run El Capitan but have been upgraded to a newer OS.

A mac that came preinstalled with an OS later than El Capitan will refuse to do the next bit.


When downloaded open to InstallMacOSX.pkg, double-click on

that and an installation window will open, this does not install El Capitan

but converts the InstallMacOSX.pkg to the Install OS X El Capitan.app which 

you will find in your Applications folder, it should be 6.2GBs in size.


(If the installation window asks which disk you want to install to, you must pick 

the disk that you are booted to at the time. Not any internal or external disk that 

you want to eventually install El Capitan on, that is for later.)


Create a bootable USB installer disk using the Install OS X El Capitan.app in the Applications 

folder and the createinstallmedia command in the Terminal app. 


Read the instructions here,

How to create a bootable installer for macOS – Apple Support



1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 3, 2021 12:13 AM in response to Lavender978

Have you made sure the WiFi is disabled.

You could also try restarting your router.


Why are you trying to reinstall Mac OS X El Capitan on your mac.

It is always better to have a means to reinstall the OS at hand and not rely

on Apples Recovery Servers.

I hope you have not erased your mac.


If you still have an operating system on your mac you can download a copy of El Capitan

then create a bootable USB flash drive installer and use that to erase your mac and reinstall.

Details below.


If you have already erased your mac you can do the procedure below on another mac, that mac

must be of an age where it could run El Capitan.


How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support

Go to Download OS and click on OS X El Capitan 10.11

this downloads InstallMacOSX.dmg to your Downloads folder.


The next section can only be done on a mac that is capable of running El Capitan.

This includes macs that have the potential to run El Capitan but have been upgraded to a newer OS.

A mac that came preinstalled with an OS later than El Capitan will refuse to do the next bit.


When downloaded open to InstallMacOSX.pkg, double-click on

that and an installation window will open, this does not install El Capitan

but converts the InstallMacOSX.pkg to the Install OS X El Capitan.app which 

you will find in your Applications folder, it should be 6.2GBs in size.


(If the installation window asks which disk you want to install to, you must pick 

the disk that you are booted to at the time. Not any internal or external disk that 

you want to eventually install El Capitan on, that is for later.)


Create a bootable USB installer disk using the Install OS X El Capitan.app in the Applications 

folder and the createinstallmedia command in the Terminal app. 


Read the instructions here,

How to create a bootable installer for macOS – Apple Support



Reinstalling OS X El Capitan Over Ethernet

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