Apple Intelligence is now available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

From Yosemite to El Capitan with no good result.

I have tried to update/upgrade from Yosemite to El Capitan with no good result. The computer will not accept to do the update and I´m afraid the Yosemite is already gone and I´m left with no option to return to Yosemite. Any solution to this huge problem would be appreciated?

Posted on Nov 12, 2021 2:36 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 12, 2021 6:11 AM

What do you mean by "the Yosemite is already gone", do you mean you have erased your mac, if so that was

the wrong thing to do.


If you have not erased your mac you can easily upgrade to Mac OS X El Capitan by following these instructions.

If you do have an operating system on your mac and it is functioning then you can download

El Capitan using this method.


Open your Safari browser and click on the link below,

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683

Go to Use Safari to download….. 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.)


To start the installation of El Capitan double click on the Install OS X El Capitan.app.


The copy of the install app self deletes after installing El Capitan, so make sure you keep a copy of the 

InstallMacOSX.dmg if you need it in future, or you could just make a copy of the Install OS X El Capitan.app 

prior to installing and moving it to an external drive for safe keeping. 

It is also possible to 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


If these instruction do not apply to you then please describe in detail what you have actually done

and if your mac has an operating system on it. Then we might be able to give you further instructions.

Similar questions

9 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 12, 2021 6:11 AM in response to KurtMikkel

What do you mean by "the Yosemite is already gone", do you mean you have erased your mac, if so that was

the wrong thing to do.


If you have not erased your mac you can easily upgrade to Mac OS X El Capitan by following these instructions.

If you do have an operating system on your mac and it is functioning then you can download

El Capitan using this method.


Open your Safari browser and click on the link below,

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211683

Go to Use Safari to download….. 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.)


To start the installation of El Capitan double click on the Install OS X El Capitan.app.


The copy of the install app self deletes after installing El Capitan, so make sure you keep a copy of the 

InstallMacOSX.dmg if you need it in future, or you could just make a copy of the Install OS X El Capitan.app 

prior to installing and moving it to an external drive for safe keeping. 

It is also possible to 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


If these instruction do not apply to you then please describe in detail what you have actually done

and if your mac has an operating system on it. Then we might be able to give you further instructions.

Nov 12, 2021 11:48 AM in response to KurtMikkel

You haven't really explained how you tried to install El Capitan.

Were you trying to install El Capitan through Apples Recovery Servers.

If you cannot boot the mac up to Yosemite we might have to assume you erased the Disk

losing all your data, if so see below.

Use the Snow Leopard DVD.

Insert the DVD and Restart your mac while pressing and holding down the C key.

When the DVD boots up you choose Erase and Install or something similar I can't

remember the exact wording.

Once you have installed Snow Leopard you will need to update it to version 10.6.8.

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

Once downloaded double-click to install.

After installing 10.6.8 open the App Store Updates page and check for any other updates,

install them.


Now you should be ready to install Mac OS X El Capitan, see the instructions in my first post.

Nov 16, 2021 7:06 AM in response to KurtMikkel

Hi again.

No. The time machine approach did not work neither.

Here´s a picture from the utility and No the disk does not disappear.

Holding down the C key for half an hour while boot from the Snow Leopard DVD did neither work as it seem like it stops rebooting half way through the DVD.


I guess that the fact that this computer is from mid 2007 the el Capitan will not work. However before I tried to update from Yosemite til El Capitan everything worked just fine.

Nov 12, 2021 11:31 AM in response to Eau Rouge

Hi

Yosemite was installed whenI tried to upgrade to El Capitan. None of the systems seems to be installed at the moment and the computer refuses to install El Capitan although all options have been examined.


This means that even command + R and all the option mentioned there has been tried.


It seems that an unfulfilled installation of El Capitan is making obstructions.


The iMac is from mid2007. Maybe that is the reason?


However I do have a Snow Leopard available. How to use that?


Best Regards

Kurt

Nov 15, 2021 1:22 AM in response to KurtMikkel

If you Restart the mac while pressing and holding down the Command and R keys,

can you still open Disk Utility.

If you can can you see Mac OS X Base System in the left hand column.

There should be an eject icon ⏏︎ next to it, if you click on it does it disappear.


Do you know if the DVD drive in the mac works.

Have you cleaned the Snow Leopard DVD.

After inserting the Snow Leopard DVD you restart the mac while pressing and holding down the C key.

It can take a long time for the mac to boot from the DVD so keep that C key pressed down and be patient.


If you cannot get Mac OS X Snow Leopard installed then what happens when you try to install

El Capitan from the Apple Servers.

From Yosemite to El Capitan with no good result.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.