roelandvdv
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Internet recovery wants El Capitan

Hey all,

 

I am selling a mid 2010 Macbook Pro. I want to do a clean install of whatever OSX version.  Problem is I don't have the recovery disk it shipped with anymore.  But using command + R starts internet recovery so that should work as well I guess. Only:  Internet recovery only tries to download "El Capitan" which is "Temporarily unavailable (since it will only be released end of september?).  Any ideas on how I can install OSX whatever?  It was running on Yosemite.  I also tried with a white Mountain Lion DVD, but that doesn't boot (according to a tech at the store because the versions don't match)...  Hope someone can help, new owner is waiting for the device

 

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro, iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Sep 11, 2015 11:31 PM

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roelandvdv

Q: Internet recovery wants El Capitan

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  • by Sankku,Helpful

    Sankku Sankku Sep 12, 2015 6:43 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 12, 2015 6:43 AM in response to roelandvdv

    well i came across the same issue since yesterday, cant seems to find away out. I am stuck at the point apple saying the file is temporally unavailable ?

    what nonsense is this how can apple make you install something that have not been even released yet. if anyone have found a solution please let us know.

  • by Eau Rouge,

    Eau Rouge Eau Rouge Sep 12, 2015 3:58 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 4 (2,882 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 12, 2015 3:58 AM in response to roelandvdv

    have you tried the purchases page in the app store, yosemite should be there

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Sep 12, 2015 4:00 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 9 (52,303 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 4:00 AM in response to roelandvdv

    These are the guidelines you should follow:

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065

     

    A 2010 MBP came with Snow Leopard OSX which CANNOT be downloaded.  You can get replacement installation disks from Apple Customer Support.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 12, 2015 4:38 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 9 (50,072 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 4:38 AM in response to roelandvdv

    Adding to Ogelthorpe's post, that Mac cannot boot into Internet Recovery (too old).  You booted into normal Recovery which will only install what is currently installed. 

     

    There ere aren't any Mountain Lion DVD's, so I'm not sure what you have. There was a white Snow Leopard DVD, but I'm not certain it can boot that Mac. It shipped with a special build of 10.6.3 and the retail DVD is an earlier build of 10.6.3.

  • by roelandvdv,

    roelandvdv roelandvdv Sep 12, 2015 4:49 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2015 4:49 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Thanks all.  I'll just go back to the store and have them sort it out.  I'm pretty sure the machine is capable of internet recovery, because that's what it does when trying to download El Capitan.  I boot with command + R and then it says "internet recovery", asks my apple ID and then gives me "El capitan" window followed by the "unavailable" message.  Maybe my original post wasn't clear, but the harddrive is already formatted.  Guess my main problem is I don't have the original recovery disk anymore.  Store technician saw that it boots to internet recovery and said "You can do it yourself at home because it would take long".  Guess I should have insisted, that way he would have noticed the "temporarily unavailable" message of El Capitan as well...

     

    Anyway, guess in the store they will be able to put any OS back on it...

     

    Thanks anyway!

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Sep 12, 2015 4:56 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 9 (52,303 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 4:56 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Barney-15E wrote:

    . There was a white Snow Leopard DVD, but I'm not certain it can boot that Mac. It shipped with a special build of 10.6.3 and the retail DVD is an earlier build of 10.6.3.

    I tried to install Snow Leopard in my 2010 MBP using the white retail SL disk (as an experiment).  It did not work.  I know the disk is functional since I installed SL on the 2006 MBP.  Just an affirmation of your post. 

     

    Ciao.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 12, 2015 5:08 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 9 (50,072 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 5:08 AM in response to roelandvdv

    I thought it was just on 2011 models, but if you did the firmware upgrade, that Mac can do Internet recovery.

    If you get the spinning earth on startup, that is IR.

    If so, open Disk Utility and user the Partiton tab to partition the drive as 1-partition (even if that is what is current).

    Go to the Options button and make sure it is GUID Partition table.

    Set the format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and set name to Macintosh HD.

    That will remove the El Capitan recovery partition and then I think it will install Lion.

    My daughter has the same MBP, but I've never tried an IR reinstall on it.

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Sep 12, 2015 5:22 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 9 (52,303 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 5:22 AM in response to Barney-15E

    When you get the revolving globe, the Apple servers look for the original OSX, Lion or later.  The 2010 MBP came with Snow Leopard, so that should not work.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 12, 2015 5:58 AM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 9 (50,072 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 5:58 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

    I haven't tried as I mentioned, but the way I understand it is that if you do the firmware update, it will boot into IR and will reinstall Lion. Otherwise, I'm not sure what the purpose of being able to boot into IR.

  • by roelandvdv,

    roelandvdv roelandvdv Sep 12, 2015 6:29 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 12, 2015 6:29 AM in response to roelandvdv

    Thanks everyone.  I just turned it in at tech support in the store again.  They will install Yosemite on it.  They didn't have an explanation either as to why it searches for El Capitan iso Yosemite...  For all clarity:  Capitan was never on it, it ran on Yosemite before I erased the hard drive...  Anyway:  my lesson learned is I should have kept the recovery CD.  Didn't realise there is a difference between a white retail OSX CD and the grey disk included. 

     

    But thanks again for the suggestions!

  • by Lexiepex,Helpful

    Lexiepex Lexiepex Sep 12, 2015 6:43 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 6 (10,477 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 6:43 AM in response to roelandvdv

    I'm pretty sure the machine is capable of internet recovery, because that's what it does when trying to download El Capitan.  I boot with command + R and then it says "internet recovery", asks my apple ID and then gives me "El capitan" window followed by the "unavailable" message.

    incorrect conclusion.

    Impossible, CMD+R starts the RecoveryPartition. If it is not corrupt, as said above, it makes it possible to install the OS that is NOW on your Mac.

    If it is corrupt, it either does not work at all, or maybe says "internetRecovery" (which you should start with CMD+R+Alt(option)); an internet recovery installs the OS that the mac was delivered with, which is Lion or higher, or does not work at all.

    You must be running Lion or higher to get that message at all, and it will not work because the original OS is not available (aka older than Lion) as internet installer.

    Thus either you restart with the orginal disk as Ogel gives as option, or you go to the Appstore and re download OSX from the purchases tab. When the last one installed was Yosemite, there should be Lion and Mountain-Lion and Mavericks and Yosemite (unless you skipped one).

    Lex



  • by MBillsofat,

    MBillsofat MBillsofat Sep 12, 2015 11:14 AM in response to roelandvdv
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Sep 12, 2015 11:14 AM in response to roelandvdv

    Would it be possible to install Yosemite on a tiny new partition to get it's recovery, then boot into it to erase & reinstall? I can tell you how if you need (if that even works).

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Sep 12, 2015 11:34 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 9 (52,303 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 12, 2015 11:34 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Barney-15E wrote:

     

    I haven't tried as I mentioned, but the way I understand it is that if you do the firmware update, it will boot into IR and will reinstall Lion. Otherwise, I'm not sure what the purpose of being able to boot into IR.

    It appears that you are 100% correct:

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202313

     

    http://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/07/apple-brings-lion-internet-recovery-to-more- 2010-macs/

     

    With that said, from a legal perspective, the MBP still should be sold with Snow Leopard as the OSX since that is the original one.

     

    Ciao.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Sep 12, 2015 11:38 AM in response to Barney-15E
    Level 9 (50,402 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 12, 2015 11:38 AM in response to Barney-15E

    Barney-15E wrote:

     

    I thought it was just on 2011 models, but if you did the firmware upgrade, that Mac can do Internet recovery.

    Thats right, some 2010 machines that (a) could have their firmware upgraded and (b) did have their firmware upgraded can use IR to install 10.7.5 Lion. At this time however IR does not download El Capitan.