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This item is temporarily unavailable Mac error

After my macbook pro had become really slow the past days, I decided to reset the system, following the usual steps:

1. Press alt+power button

2. Choose Utilities --> erase Macintosh HD (or in my case, it was called macbook pro)

3. Reinstall the Mountain Lion OS X through internet.


However, after trying to install the OS X, and entering an apple id (my brother's, since his id worked - probably because he used his id when installing the OS X on this computer the first time), an error message pops up, saying:


"This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later"


I don't know what to do, since I have tried redoing these steps on multiple occasions this day, and with two different networks. Unfortunately, I don't have the original installation dvd:s, so I have to install the OS through internet (or if it is possible, by downloading the OS to an external hard drive, and then installing through that).


Anyways, my macbook pro is bought in the mid 2010's, maybe that information can help? I don't know what the last OS X update I used was...

[Re-Titled by Host]

MacBook Pro

Posted on Jul 18, 2014 3:20 PM

Reply
207 replies

Jan 3, 2017 9:37 AM in response to andreas61

I have had this problem on several Macs. First to dispel a myth seen in this thread. You can always download an OS, even if it is not current, as long as you have previously downloaded it from the App Store. I have repeatedly solved the "not available" problem simply by logging in as a different user that has definitely downloaded that version of the MacOS before.


Good luck.

Feb 13, 2017 4:46 PM in response to andreas61

The message "This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later" pops up most probably because you are not signed in to the apple store on your mac (on iTunes not on the Safari). To solve it, open the iTunes, click on the "Purchased" button on the top menu and sign in using your apple ID and password. The message should not come up again.

May 18, 2017 5:50 AM in response to andreas61

Guys its very Easy and i have solved this issue.


Please when you see this message while re-installing OS X old or latest

"This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later”.

Just use the first apple ID you used in this device when activate it as a first time and to download and purchase on app store.


🙂 100% will solve the Issue because the Item mean (apple ID) and unavailable mean its not the original apple ID used on this device for downloading and purchase.

May 19, 2017 12:52 AM in response to Kem0o0o

Okay thanks.


The issue is that my first email was: sk****@hotmail.com which was the one I used first time on my macbook pro in 2011.
I have changed the mail and password since then, and now I can't remember the password I used for my old apple id for sk*****@hotmail.com - and when I enter the latest Apple ID mail and password it tells me: "this item is temporarily unavailable".


I tried to guess the old password so many times, that it wants me to "reset my account" / it also says: "Your account has been turned off"

Jul 4, 2017 1:38 AM in response to dyerrhea54

You are bang on with your advice. I had the same issue when purchasing a used mac mini. I followed your advice and purchased OS X Lion (the required version for my mac) and redeemed the code on another mac. In actual fact I didn't have access to another mac so I just signed up with macincloud for a pay-as-you-go $30 account and did the redeeming there. It's a small cost for the convenience of being able to redeem using my app id. Once redeemed I hopped back on my mac and completed the download and install. I'm now done and upgrading to OS X Sierra 🙂 Thank you for your tips.

Oct 9, 2017 1:15 PM in response to rafa-el

Yes and I think it’s working now. I went into internet recovery mode which took two hours (slow internet) and I clicked the option “Install High Sierra”. Had to wait 6 hours for that and now that it’s done, it’s restoring from my hard drive. However, it’s doing it from all the backups on it. Is there a way to select only the one from two days ago instead of all of them including the automatic backup last night with the Macintosh HD drive erased? Thank you

Oct 10, 2017 5:36 AM in response to mauriciosedano

Sorry,

Thanks again

I got noting solved

I tried the procedure recommended by Apple for rebooting and reinstalling. The old Mac Book Pro restarts on Mac OS X El Capitan. Then I set the WiFi and my Apple ID. Again, and again and again the same answer. The first answer is you are going to be redirected to apple store Spain. The second answer is this ítem is nor available for the moment. For this reason I tried divers methods. One is to create a USB Installer. I tried with High Sierra and the process does not restart. I tried from El Capitan and the answer is the same. I`m wondering if maybe Is needed to reset something at the apple store or at the firmware in the old mac. But in short I put Hours on this and the official suportarla of apple does not get a solution.


Result: and old Mac that can not get reinstalled.

Any idea?

This item is temporarily unavailable Mac error

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