El Capitan installation failed (error related to essentials.pkg)

well i too have this problem and have tried everything.

from what i can see it started the process of installing El Captain and locked the hd. Not enough space on the hd to complete from what i could see. My daughter had created a really big scratch disk for PhotoShop and it wouldn't release it for the update.

I ended up putting the computer into target mode and coping all my needed documents to my backup drive. One other step that I did, was to partition the hd which erases all the bad data, and unlocks the drive. I then downloaded Lion from the app store and installed it to the target drive. a bit scary at first because the master computer restarted and went blank for a bit but another restart and it was back to normal.

I then took the backup drive and attached it to the macbook pro and started it up. It is now completing the install. Hopefully i can put all the apps back on it and the saved documents and be back to normal soon

The first installation failed with the Essential.pkg error. I restored my MacBook Pro 17" from 2010 with the latest Yosemite Time Machine backup. After a couple of days I tried the installation again. Downloading El Capitan again and it installed it without any problems what so ever. I did not remove or swap any hardware. My MacBook Pro runs om 8 GB of Mac compatible RAM (4 GB was original installed). Now it is running fine with no problems up till now. Even Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC run fine.

Hey, Same issue here Macbook mid 2009 (Do it yourself Fusion drive 256GB SSD + 500Gb HDD in the superdrive slot). No 3rd pty RAM.

had to restart 3 times when prompted the issue with essentials.kg and now it seems it is installing beyond the point it used to fail.

4 minute remaining fingers crossed.

Strange issue keep on restarting when prompt until it solves it by itself

Similar thing to me with my mac mini. I tried reinstalling many times, and nothing (blew over my bandwidth here in Oz). Same error message.

I had to install El Capitan in an external drive from my Macbook Air. Then booting up from the hard drive in my mac mini, and then running the installer from the external drive and installing it in the internal drive in the mini. Finally have 10.11.

My problem is I can't upgrade to 10.11.1. I can't use my internet to download it because when I tried reinstalling the OS, it kept hanging and restarting (using like 15 gb over the process) so I'm almost at my monthly cap. So I downloaded the update from apple downloads on my macbook air at Uni, and then tried installing the update in the mini, but it keeps failing too.

I don;t know what to do at this point.

Hi there ...

I solved my issue like this. I made a bootable USB of El Capitan (on another mac computer). I purchased a wired apple keyboard (as the keystrokes were not being recognised on my wireless keyboard). I started the computer in restore mode (with the bootable USB plugged in). I deleted everything from my HDD (I DID have a time machine backup on an external drive). I resintalled El Capitan from the USB. It was taking AGES from the internet so thats why I made the USB bootable.

I also used the support chat line and they were amazing (finally telling me they thought it was the keyboard - which I didn't believe, until I bought the new one!)

Good luck.

Thank you so much, It took one wasted week without answer until I found this. Don´t forget to connect to internet before you do this. I have a 2012 22' I mac, upgrading to El Capitan, original RAM, First PRAM reset then, I used this commands from terminal. Recovery and BINGO it connects to apple and installs by internet. 1:13 min

1. From Utilities menu, pick Terminal
2. Simply type in date to see what date is on your mac (mine was set to 2001)
3. Get the current date by typing the following command: date +%m%d%H%M%Y.%S
4. Set the date using the command: date 110216472013.53 (should look like this)
5. Then type exit to exit the terminal, or command-Q. The installer comes back up, and all is well.

I had the essentials.pkg trouble.

My late 2008 MacBook Pro has 2 slots of third party RAM 2+2 Gb.

I removed only one RAM and left another installed.

The problem dissapeared. El Capitan was installed without any error mesages.

So I guess it doesn't matter if you have original RAM or not, just leave only one slot used and everythings will go rigth way.

I have a late 2012 Mac Mini, and I've had the same issue. Tried everything (date hack, PRAM), including a full wipe and reinstall. Nothing worked. My computer has upgraded RAM, and unfortunately I chucked the original Apple RAM recently. It sat in a drawer for years, and I tossed it during a move.

Today I tried to remove one RAM chip (leaving just one in the computer) and then did a wipe/reinstall, and it worked! So, for those without the original Apple RAM, give that a try. I created a bootable thumb drive to do the install, so that may also be a helpful tip.

remove one RAM chip (leaving just one in the computer) worked for me - thanks

I Tried every way, but did not work until I turn off WIFI on the top right corner before the essential.pkg error shows up

Hi everybody,

for what it's my experience.

I uninstalled the memory, leaving only the amount of RAM that comes standard (In my case 4G ram)

so I could install it without problems.

Ryan C Murray, I am in the loop you refered to but i have a macbook pro. It is about to finish installing el Capitan and it restarts, then sends me back to the gray sceen again showing 3/4 bar instalation. Any suggestion on how to vet my back to original. t this point I just want my Mac working again with or without el Capitan. Thanks

This fixed my problem, setting the correct system date,

i have a macbook i bought in 2009 that had no problems until I tried installing el capitan this week that downloaded but won't install. It goes into restart loop when "panic" kernel errors pop up during start up. How do I fix this problem? I don't have any backup to my knowledge. I re-installed 3x already! All I wanted was what el capitan promised. How do I go back to my old OSx? I would appreciate any help out there...