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Constant error message when trying to download El Capitan

Hey all,


I recently had to upgrade my hard drive and do an OS re-instal via internet recovery. Since my Macbook Pro is late 2011 it reinstalled Lion. I have been trying to update to El Capitan as I cannot use any of my apps for work -I need Photoshop CC!- but everything I try to download it gets to the end and says there was a "server problem error 503" and tells me to try again. I have tried 4 times now! My download speed is 45 mbps, which surely should be plenty fast enough!


Any suggestions?


Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro (13-inch Late 2011), Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Feb 7, 2016 6:12 AM

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6 replies

Feb 8, 2016 2:40 PM in response to Dolly_face

Did you ever have El Capitan downloaded from the app store? As if you have, you can go there and sign in an go to purchases and re download it. That is the way I got it, It will install to the applications folder. The 503 error is a temporarily out of service error.Even if you have not ever installed it. You can still go to the app store to get it.If possible use ethernet to do the download as it is faster and more reliable.

Apr 29, 2016 10:06 AM in response to my ginger

I tried downloading El Capitan, but received the 503 error as soon as it finished. (I wiped my 2009 iMac, used the install discs (which contains Leopard), then used my Snow Leopard Install disc, to prompt & install the App Sore app. Use Check for Updates under the Apple icon. Keep going until no more updates for Snow Leopard show up). On another tangent, I was in the Applications folder on my 2009 iMac running Snow Leopard, scrolled down, and right next to the new App Store app was the Install El Capitan app! It will take just over 30min to write new files to the HD. It should promp for Re-Boot, and you know the rest...


It looks like the 503 error was "in reply" to not being able to auto-install El Capitan after d/l, IMHO.

Apr 29, 2016 11:00 AM in response to patski0

Because you have a 2009 Imac. I would recommend getting a 8GB flash drive and make a bootable installer for El Capitain. As in doing this ,you will not have to go thru the install of Snow Leopard,if your internal hard drive dies. You just boot to the install flash drive and install. Having a backup of the internal drive thru time machine is also a good idea. I have gone thru this on a 2009 Imac. The one thing I did notice is, that if you replace the internal drive with an aftermarket drive. The fans will run at full speed . This is because the drives from apple have a built in firmware that controls the heat sensor for the drive. The work around for me was to get a older sensor off a 2008 Imac and use that. Otherwise you have to buy the drive for apple, as you cannot get the firmware for the built in hard drive heat sensor. The is no download for it. You see on your 2009 the heat sensor plugs into the hard drive.

Constant error message when trying to download El Capitan

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