Download Mojave issue on my old iMac

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Download Mojave issue on my old iMac

Hi —

I have an old iMac 2013 which needs to be booted from an external drive to get it working again. My current Mac is an M2 Max Studio and when I try to download Mojave from the app store as many have suggested, I get a "Not compatible with this device" message. I understand this as I don't want to install it on this mac so does anyone know where I can get an original copy from Apple? I've tried other sites such as Archive.org but I then can't create a bootable drive because my machine says it's from an external developer and it should be trashed....

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Earlier Mac models

Posted on Jan 26, 2025 9:44 AM

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Answer 1

Owl-53

Level 10

105,717 points

Jan 27, 2025 1:11 AM in response to Justanothergeordie

I think you would need to access any Apple Computer listed below

If the computer being used to perform this action is Too New to qualify to run the version of macOS - this computer can’t be used.

Alternative is, to gain access to a Qualifying Apple Computer from a family member, friend or associate.

This would allow you to download and created that Bootable Installer of macOS 10.14 Mojave

MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)
MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)
MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)
Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)
iMac (Late 2012 or newer)
iMac Pro (2017)
Mac Pro (Late 2013; Mid 2010 and Mid 2012 models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards)

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Answer 2

Jan 27, 2025 7:47 AM in response to Owl-53

I can see that Mojave works on both so I will try and download that on the 2016 MBP then open and install it on the USB and try that as a startup for the iMac 2013....

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Answer 3

Jan 27, 2025 4:43 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks for the reply. I managed to get hold of a MacBook Pro 2016 with Monterey installed but still having issues. I've managed to download El Capitan now instead from Apple which is fine for what I need. But the file downloaded from Apple is called "InstallMacOSX.dmg" and I notice in order to create the bootable drive, I need to copy and paste a Terminal command first but all the installers in the Terminal commands are called "Install OS X El Capitan". Even if I change the name in the Terminal command I keep getting the error "command not found" in Terminal. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

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Answer 4

Owl-53

Level 10

105,717 points

Jan 27, 2025 5:11 AM in response to Justanothergeordie

The .dmg file of El Capitan is a compressed file

You need to Open the .dmg file

Inside that file is the True Application

Just drag the file from the open .dmg file and place it is the Applications folder of this computer

Then, run the appropriate Terminal command

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app

Where MyVolume, in above command, is the Name of the Destination Drive

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Answer 5

Jan 27, 2025 5:33 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks, I still get the error "command not found". I don't know if this has anything to do with it but when I open the "InstallMacOSX.dmg", I get an "InstallMacOSX.pkg" file which I can't right click on to check the package contents

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Answer 6

Jan 27, 2025 5:45 AM in response to Owl-53

I also just tried another tip on Apple Discussions which suggested changing the permissions of createinstallmedia program to u+x but again that didn't work. This command was

sudo chmod u+x /Applications/Install\ macOS\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia

and I also tried

sudo chmod u+x /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia

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Answer 7

Jan 27, 2025 7:22 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks, I get "This version of OS X 11 cannot be installed on this computer" so can't extract the file even though I don't want to install it, which is an odd thing to do. So am I right in saying I would need a computer with an even older OS just to extract the file to then install it on another computer? Seems ludicrous.

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Answer 8

Jan 27, 2025 7:34 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks, I get "This version of OS X 11 cannot be installed on this computer" so can't extract the file even though I don't want to install it, which is an odd thing to do. So am I right in saying I would need a computer with an even older OS just to extract the file to then install it on another computer? Seems ludicrous.

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Answer 9

Owl-53

Level 10

105,717 points

Jan 27, 2025 7:38 AM in response to Justanothergeordie

Justanothergeordie wrote:

So am I right in saying I would need a computer with an even older OS just to extract the file to then install it on another computer?

You would need a computer that was listed earlier

It matters Not what version of macOS is installed

What matters would be >> Does the Computer Qualify to Run El Capitan

" Seems ludicrous. "

I would agree to we mere mortals but to Apple, not so much

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Answer 10

Owl-53

Level 10

105,717 points

Jan 27, 2025 8:02 AM in response to Justanothergeordie

Pkg files, of Full Versions of OS X, ceased with OS X 10.12 Sierra released September 20, 2016

Starting in macOS 10.13 High Sierra

Full versions of High Sierra and newer versions, where all offered in a Self Contained installer Applications

ie " Install High Sierra Application "

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Answer 11

Jan 28, 2025 2:39 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks. I managed to make a bootable Mojave disk and tried it on the iMac. It booted fine but unfortunately after trying to install Mojave one it, the HD doesn't appear on the install page which suggests to me it's damaged beyond my capabilities to repair it. It contains a 512GB SSD and I've not had an SSD go wrong on me before so I'm wondering if it's the connection maybe and not the disk? Either way the omens are not good...

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Answer 12

Owl-53

Level 10

105,717 points

Jan 27, 2025 7:16 AM in response to Justanothergeordie

My error 😔 and sorry about that.

The pkg file needs to be Launched

Once Launched it should install the Application called " Install El Capitan ' in the application folder

Do Not launch it

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Answer 13

Jan 27, 2025 7:44 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks again, I'm now wondering whether I can download the earliest OS which I could open a package on to a 2016 MBP and then whether that OS would work as a start disk for a 2013 iMac...

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Answer 14

Jan 28, 2025 2:56 AM in response to Owl-53

I should also say I tried ** from the bootable external and it could only see a tiny "macOS Base System". Please see the images...

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Download Mojave issue on my old iMac

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