Richard Rega

Q: Where do I find El Capitan install file?

Latest point upgrade on Yosemite crashed internal boot SSD drive on Mac Pro 3,1.  Want to now go to El Capitan since Sierra omits this Mac wifi use if installed.  Problem: I can't find clean install file anywhere from Apple.  Not on App Store any longer.  Fearful of other sources from Google search.  Please help.

Mac Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10), MacPro '08, 2.8 Octo, 12GB, SSD+5TB

Posted on Sep 29, 2016 8:57 PM

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Q: Where do I find El Capitan install file?

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  • by Barney-15E,Apple recommended

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 29, 2016 9:00 PM in response to Richard Rega
    Level 9 (50,401 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 29, 2016 9:00 PM in response to Richard Rega
  • by Richard Rega,

    Richard Rega Richard Rega Sep 29, 2016 9:59 PM in response to Richard Rega
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 29, 2016 9:59 PM in response to Richard Rega

    Thanks!  Found App Store page for El Capitan but currently using rMBP which I had already installed Sierra and when Download button on page is pressed, I get;

    "We could not complete your purchase.

    OS X can’t be installed on “MBP SSD” because the version of macOS is too new."

     

    Tried Option, Command or Control key selects with same message. 

    I'm very surprised this second most recent version is so hard to simply download.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 30, 2016 4:12 AM in response to Richard Rega
    Level 9 (50,401 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 4:12 AM in response to Richard Rega

    Sorry, I thought you were talking about your '08 Mac Pro which isn't capable of running Sierra.

    If your Mac is capable of running Sierra, you can't download El Capitan.

    Use your '08 Mac Pro to download the El Capitan installer, then install on your other.

     

    Apple normally does not allow access to previous OS's. Once the new one is released, the previous one cannot be downloaded unless you had previously done so.

    Since Sierra is restrictive on the Macs it supports, they made El Capitan available to those who couldn't upgrade to Sierra.

     

    So, in the future, download the OS even if you do not intend to install it at that point if you want to have it available to you.

     

    Also, you can't install an older OS over the top of a newer.

    If your Mac Pro ('08) is unbootable, then you would need to use the Snow Leopard installer DVD to erase the drive and install Snow Leopard.  Or, install Snow Leopard onto another drive and boot from that. You could then use it to get El Capitan.