Looking for the downloaded OS X El Capitan installer

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Level 1

20 points

Looking for the downloaded OS X El Capitan installer

I am trying to achieve two things 1 create a recovery disk [or install ElCapitan on USB since creating recovery disk doesn't seem to be an option]; 2 erase and clean install of ElCapitan on my MacBookPro [mid-2010].

I have upgraded from Lion [it had somehow reverted to that from Mountain Lion] to ElCapitan. Now I want to install it on a USB or create a recovery USB because using my current recovery USB for Lion I had to install from a time machine back up and go through that to upgrade to ElCapitan. I actually want a clean install of El Capitan that has nothing to do with my time machine backups. It took more than 12 hours to download the OSX installer so I don't want to go through that again.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201475

This article says: "If you quit the installer instead of clicking Continue, you can open it later from your Applications folder. " However it doesn't say how to find the installer. All the help files refer to a file called Installer OS X El Capitan

The closest thing in my applications is a file called X11app in Utilities. When I click that there is a message saying that X11 is no longer supported.

Another article suggests that the App Store link changes to 'Install' rather than 'Download' but that was not the case for me. It had definitely installed ElCapitan though [version 10.11.3]

So, I resolved that I needed to go through the download again. After another 12 hours I see that at some point there was a failure so it did not download.

Any ideas would be gratefully received. I've already lost two days of work productivity now and don't want to waste more with another failed download.

MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2010)

Posted on Mar 8, 2016 3:27 PM

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Answer 1

sberman

Level 10

273,222 points

Mar 8, 2016 3:37 PM in response to Leanne9

Once the download completes (and before it is installed), the file will be in your Applications folder and is named "Install OS X El Capitan". It will be about 6GB.

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Answer 2

Leanne9 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 8, 2016 3:40 PM in response to sberman

Thank you sberman. So do I infer that after it has been installed then the "Install OS X El Capitan" file disappears?

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Answer 3

sberman

Level 10

273,222 points

Mar 8, 2016 3:41 PM in response to Leanne9

Yes, "Install OS X El Capitan" does disappear ... once El Capitan is installed.

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Answer 4

Leanne9 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 8, 2016 3:53 PM in response to sberman

so is there a way to do a really clean install of El Capitan, which means not having to install Lion through a time machine backup first?

Another discussion suggests that internet recovery only takes you the OS with which your computer shipped. That suggests that if I go through the re-install process again from ElCapitam then I will only have the same options as before.

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Answer 5

Lanny

Level 6

13,225 points

Mar 8, 2016 4:06 PM in response to Leanne9

But, all you have to do to prevent it from being deleted is to move or make a copy the installer outside of your Applications folder.

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Answer 6

BobHarris

Level 9

57,035 points

Mar 8, 2016 4:06 PM in response to Leanne9

After downloading, you can "Quit" the install, and make a copy of Applications -> "Install OS X El Capitan", and then perform installs from the copy.

You can create a bootable El Capitan installer USB Thumbdrive,

<https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7080512?answerId=28389561022#28389561022>

<https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372>

You can then boot from the installation Thumbdrive you created and install El Capitan without needing a previous OS X running on the Mac.

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Answer 7

sberman

Level 10

273,222 points

Mar 8, 2016 3:57 PM in response to Leanne9

See "Erase a drive and install OS X" here:

How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 8

Leanne9 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 8, 2016 4:04 PM in response to Lanny

Thanks Lanny

so, my understanding now is that my only option is to waste another day/night waiting for it to download again and hope that it doesn't fail towards the end again. Then copy the "Install OS X El Capitan" file to the desktop &/or USB before proceeding.

Then can I use that for a completely clean install without having to first install from the time machine backup, which is Lion? or should I start another discussion for that topic? - already answered while I was typing this reply... Thank you BobHarris

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Answer 9

Leanne9 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 8, 2016 4:25 PM in response to Leanne9

Problem solved by all three of you:

- I couldn't find the Installer because it had already been used to install ElCapitan. [and that explains why I couldn't create a bootable installer, which I tried anyway thinking that it might just be a hidden file after it has been used]

- download again and save the file somewhere else

- then try again creating a bootable installer with a visible installer file.

i presume... Have to wait a day or to before I can confirm.

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Answer 10

Leanne9 Author

Level 1

20 points

Mar 18, 2016 6:02 AM in response to Leanne9

All done successfully.

Thank you SBerman, Lanny and BobHarris

I like El Capitan as it seems to respond quickly even on my old machine.

However, I might revert to Mountain Lion so that I can continue to sync my Notes. I have a lot of them built up over the years and it only seems possible via iCloud at the moment - grrr.

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Answer 11

May 4, 2016 2:49 PM in response to Leanne9

I'm having the same problem. I download the installer, and I get the little spinning circle thing in the upper left corner of the app store window- it been sitting like that all day. There isn't any progress bar- is this just poor design, or is it hung up?

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Answer 12

cmoy1

Level 1

18 points

Jun 17, 2016 6:14 PM in response to macsathome

Don't know exactly where I read this, but Click STORE in the App Store Menu Bar, then click Check for Unfinished Downloads. You'll find your download. I also found OS X El Capitan under my Purchased Apps. When I click DOWNLOAD button to its right, I see a PROGRESS BAR as it downloads from the Purchased Apps list!

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