duneboogie29
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Reinstalling Apps from App Folder?

I recently accidentally reformatted my HDD (due to what I now found out is an error in the version of Disk Utility I have) and lost every app that was installed on the Mac Mini when I bought it. I have since used a data recovery program that found the contents of my Applications folder intact, but not the Time Machine backups that were on the drive as well.

 

Is it possible to reinstall these apps from the files within the Applications folder? I haven't found any .dmg files inside, but there are many others. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Sep 15, 2016 11:47 PM

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duneboogie29

Q: Reinstalling Apps from App Folder?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 16, 2016 8:16 AM in response to duneboogie29
    Level 9 (74,186 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 16, 2016 8:16 AM in response to duneboogie29

    Have you tried just copying them into your current Applications folder? Are these Apple supplied applications or 3rd party applications? If 3rd party, can you download them again?

  • by duneboogie29,

    duneboogie29 duneboogie29 Sep 16, 2016 12:50 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 16, 2016 12:50 PM in response to Eric Root

    I have, the icon shows up and when I click to open, the icon zooms out like it should. But the app doesn't actually open. As far as where the apps came from, I'm not sure. All are available from the App Store, but they were on the computer when I bought it, but so was a torrent app, so I dont know for sure.

     

    I'm wondering if I need to find an app to repackage the files into a .dmg for them to be reinstalled correctly.

     

    I have downgraded the OS from El Capitan 10.11.5 to Mountain Lion 10.8.? to run an audio program. Maybe that is the issue? I'm going to try and put El Capitan back on an external drive to boot from and see if that works. 

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 17, 2016 7:49 AM in response to duneboogie29
    Level 9 (74,186 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 17, 2016 7:49 AM in response to duneboogie29

    Since you downgraded, many of the applications that had been updated to work with El Capitan won't work in 10.8.

  • by duneboogie29,

    duneboogie29 duneboogie29 Sep 19, 2016 3:41 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 19, 2016 3:41 PM in response to Eric Root

    I've partitioned my drive and installed El Capitan 10.11.6 on it and it still doesn't work. I'm thinking that during the installation process there must be other files stashed elsewhere besides the Application folder. Unless they aren't working because what was originally installed was 10.11.5. I'm new to Macs, but I wouldn't think one update would make the difference.

     

    I appreciate your help thus far.

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 20, 2016 9:54 AM in response to duneboogie29
    Level 9 (74,186 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 20, 2016 9:54 AM in response to duneboogie29

    You are welcome. Many 3rd party applications have to be reinstalled to work properly. They aren't 'self contained' and require access to other files in various other folders such as the hard drive level Library folder.