Bootable USB install disc for El Capitan

Question

Level 1

4 points

Bootable USB install disc for El Capitan

I have an early 2009 imac and wanted to do a clean re-install of Snow Leopard from the disc that shipped with the my mac. I didn't know macOS recovery was a thing and erased the hard drive from the ** on the Snow Leopard disc. When I tried to re-install Snow Leopard I get the error message...

"The installer could not copy the necessary support files".

I tried resetting the date/time back in terminal a few times, but still got the same error.

I gave up on Snow Leopard and decided to install El Capitan online, but got the error...

"OSX could not be installed on your computer. No packages were eligible for install"

I then tried to create a bootable USB install disc for El Capitan on my MacBook Pro (Catalina or Mojave) I can't remember if I upgraded or not and don't have access to the laptop right now to check. When I try to run the package I get the message...

"El Capitan (or something to that effect) cannot be run on this computer"

Can you make a bootable USB install disc of an older os on a newer machine? Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

iMac, OS X 10.11

Posted on Nov 16, 2021 7:03 AM

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Answer 1

Eau Rouge

Level 8

42,708 points

Nov 17, 2021 11:14 PM in response to Mac0401

The new method of downloading El Capitan where you download InstallOSX.dmg open it to the InstallOSX.pkg

and then create the Install OS X El Capitan.app can only be done on macs that are capable of running Mac OS X

El Capitan, this includes macs that once ran El Capitan but have been upgraded to a newer OS.

Any mac that came preinstalled with an OS newer than El Capitan will refuse to do the conversion to the Install OS

X El Capitan app.

However there is a workaround if you would like to try it click on the link below.

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/379603/how-do-i-create-el-capitan-installer-on-a-catalina-or-post-el-capitan-installe

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Answer 2

Nov 17, 2021 3:53 PM in response to Mac0401

Yes, you can, depending on what your MacBook's OS was when you first got it. If the MacBook first came with El Capitan, and you updated the software to Mojave, then it will work. But if your Mac came with Sierra and higher I don't assume it will work to make a bootable USB Drive.

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Answer 3

mbandit

Level 1

8 points

Nov 16, 2021 2:08 PM in response to Mac0401

yes you can here's the video https://youtu.be/0HBA9Nov17Q

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Answer 4

Mac0401 Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 17, 2021 4:09 PM in response to mbandit

Thanks bandit, but the El Capitan installer download is no longer available in the App Store. The only thing I could find is a download of a disk image that contains a package you need to run to create the installer app. The problem is when I try opening the package I get an error message saying El Capitan cannot run on this computer.

I think what I need is the installer already unpacked and ready to rock & roll. Would you know if this is available anywhere? If not, no worries, I appreciate your help.

Thank you!

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