Level 2

483 points

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

Top-ranking reply

beccaanne1992

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Dec 12, 2017 9:52 AM

Ahhh! I went in so many circles with this. I have a Mid 2011 Macbook Pro 13".

I couldn't access my Mac OS X Recovery when pressing Cmd + R or even Cmd + Shift + R, I could only access Internet Recovery Mode which was only letting me download Lion OS X. I couldn't download Lion OS X because I didn't have that OS associated with apple ID anymore, and I didn't have the original disk nor is there a physical disk being sold.

Per previous replies, I did end up buying the $20 digital version of Lion and applying the redemption code in the App Store while logged into the apple ID I would use in the Internet Recovery Mode. I did use my mac, but I'm sure you could you use the app on your iphone if you have that? But anyway, worked like a charm and now it's installing! I could cry with relief.

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207 replies

efenech

Level 1

4 points

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.

Jul 4, 2017 1:33 PM in response to CoolMike90

Cmd+Opt+R worked for me on a MacBook Pro that used to belong to someone else.

1. Connect computer to Ethernet cable for Internet connection.

2. Start up with Cmd+R.

3. Use Disk Utility to erase the "Macintosh HD" partition of the hard disk.

4. Start up with Cmd+Opt+R.

5. It now says it's downloading OS X Yosemite.

Jul 16, 2017 1:17 PM in response to chlohxo

But the problem is that Mac is so completely self contained that I can't update it. I can't get the OS from the App Store because I don't have the App Store until I reinstall the OS that I can't get. I don't have another mac with which to access the fabled and yet to be seen App Store so what do I do? how do I get there?

Nov 1, 2018 10:21 AM in response to Dusheetharan

How do I unsubscribe from this message thread? Every time I try to unsubscribe, Apple’s website keeps giving me an error message. I’ve been receiving Messages from this thread for several months now. Since I no longer own a Mac, I don’t find the messages useful.

Feb 22, 2017 11:41 AM in response to andreas61

Jan 6, 2018 1:33 PM in response to Roy No.1

Did what you said 10 times. Still says Item isn’t available at this time. Signed in on the online help section and went back and the download began. Your solution only gave you the options to get into the dick recovery but nothing on the download

Daaani

Level 1

14 points

Apr 12, 2018 11:33 AM in response to Pcguyvancouver

Your answer is awesome - it helped me be able to successfully reinstall iOS on MAC.

--> "YOUR apple id is not associated to an apple o/s."

Only trouble is that when you do COMMAND+R and try to reinstall from Internet you don't get nay 4 options you mentioned > you are ONLY prompted to enter the APPLE ID in order to proceed with the download.

So what you said is perfect because I went ahead and used an apple ID I KNEW was associated with an iOS.

BUT if you don't have one such Apple ID, you cannot get passed the error message "Item is not available right now. try again later". I have not tried using an ABSOLUTELY brand newly created Apple ID > that might also work....

Daaani

Level 1

14 points

Apr 12, 2018 11:35 AM in response to andreas61

--> "YOUR apple id is not associated to an apple iOS."

Only trouble is that when you do COMMAND+R and try to reinstall from Internet you don't get any options > you are ONLY prompted to enter the APPLE ID in order to proceed with the download.

So you have to use an apple ID that was associated with an iOS.

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Jul 18, 2014 3:26 PM in response to andreas61

You cannot reinstall Mountain Lion. You will have to download and install Mavericks (it's free.) You will need a proper Apple ID - the one that has been used with the computer this computer to install App Store software.

andreas61 Author

Level 2

483 points

Jul 18, 2014 3:51 PM in response to Kappy

Thank you for your quick answer! Is there any way for me to install it directly through this computer, or do I have to install it through my external hard drive? Because when I try to get to the maverick's install page , I keep getting these error messages from safari, that I can't open pages starting with 'macappstore'.

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Jul 18, 2014 4:13 PM in response to andreas61

I'm not sure I understand. You made no mention of an external drive. What do you mean when you say "install it directly through this computer, or do I have to install it through my external drive?"

If you want to re-download Mountain Lion or Mavericks you must do so through your App Store application, not through Safari.

andreas61 Author

Level 2

483 points

Jul 18, 2014 4:35 PM in response to Kappy

Well, the problem is that I'm running on a recovery version on my mac, which I think means that I don't have mac app store installed on the computer. My only way to connect to internet is through an option in the starting menu, "Get help online" (or something like that), which lets me use safari. Since I don't have mac app store, I can't download the OS the regular way. Because of this, I need an alternative way to download Maverick's, but I don't know how I would do that.

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Jul 18, 2014 4:53 PM in response to andreas61

If you are using the Recovery HD then in the Main menu you will find four different options. See the following:

Install or Reinstall Mavericks or Mountain Lion from Scratch

Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.

OS X Mavericks- Erase and reinstall OS X

OS X Mountain Lion- Erase and reinstall OS X

OS X Lion- Erase and reinstall Mac OS X

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible

because it is three times faster than wireless.

andreas61 Author

Level 2

483 points

Jul 19, 2014 2:36 AM in response to Kappy

Yeah, it is exactly as you say - there are four different options in the main menu. My big problem is that when I tried to reinstall the OS X, I get the error "This item is temporarily unavailable. Please try again", instead of an ongoing process. You previously said that I should install the OS X Maverick's, but I only have the option to install Mountain Lion, which has made me try looking for a way to install Maverick's through an external hard drive.

To sum up, my problem is that I only have the option to install Mountain Lion, but can't do that, because I get an error message every time I try.

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Jul 19, 2014 12:35 PM in response to andreas61

If you have another Mac that does not have Mavericks installed, then you could download it on that computer, then make a bootable USB flash drive installer to use.

Unfortunately, I can't do a thing to help you with Apple's servers.

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This item is temporarily unavailable Mac error