Imaginglucky

I have been banging my head against the wall about this for a while.

What you need to know is what operating system version originally came on the machine from the factory, not when you purchased it. (MacTracker will you this, but it only runs on a Mac, not a PC.) Mac's that came with 10.6.2 or earlier (including 10.4 and 10.5) can use the 10.6 white retail disk. There are a few reasons why you might want to download and install old versions of Mac OS X or macOS. Perhaps you are relying on software you have discovered doesn't work properly in the newest. Preparing Mac Device for the Installation of Mac OS X El Capitan Both Mavericks and Yosemite are easier to download and install on Mac devices, however, this is not the case with Mac OS X.

I purchased a second-hand 2008 iMac and it has been working fine for the last 2 years. When I went to update OSX to Sierra, it asked me for the original owner's Apple ID and password. The previous owner clearly did not follow the correct instructions to hand off the computer. I went through the steps to reinstall macOS here:

I did all the possible permutations of these steps, including formatting my hard drive. Every time when I tried to reinstall macOS, I was given the error 'this item is temporarily unavailable'. Browsing the Apple Support forums, it looks like this is because I do not have the original Apple ID. I do not have this information and it will be impossible to get it.

I then tried this workaround and I was not able to access the iCloud page within Safari

This seems like there should be a simple solution.

Os X Download Without Working Mac Os

HOW DO I REINSTALL OSX WITHOUT ACCESS TO THE ORIGINAL APPLE ID AND PASSWORD?

iMac

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Check compatibility

You can upgrade to OS X El Capitan from OS X Snow Leopard or later on any of the following Mac models. Your Mac also needs at least 2GB of memory and 8.8GB of available storage space.

MacBook introduced in 2009 or later, plus MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008)
MacBook Air introduced in late 2008 or later
MacBook Pro introduced in mid 2007 or later
Mac mini introduced in early 2009 or later
iMac introduced in mid 2007 or later
Mac Pro introduced in early 2008 or later
Xserve models introduced in early 2009

To find your Mac model, memory, storage space, and macOS version, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu . If your Mac isn't compatible with OS X El Capitan, the installer will let you know.

Make a backup

Before installing any upgrade, it’s a good idea to back up your Mac. Time Machine makes it simple, and other backup methods are also available. Learn how to back up your Mac.

Get connected

Download Mac Os X Iso

It takes time to download and install OS X, so make sure that you have a reliable Internet connection. If you're using a Mac notebook computer, plug it into AC power.

Download OS X El Capitan

For the strongest security and latest features, find out whether you can upgrade to macOS Catalina, the latest version of macOS.

If you still need OS X El Capitan, use this link: Download OS X El Capitan. A file named InstallMacOSX.dmg will download to your Mac.

Install the macOS installer

Double-click the downloaded file to open a window showing its contents. Then double-click the file within, named InstallMacOSX.pkg.

Follow the onscreen instructions, which will guide you through the steps necessary to install.

Begin installation

After installation of the installer is complete, open the Applications folder on your Mac, then double-click the file named Install OS X El Capitan.

Click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions. You might find it easiest to begin installation in the evening so that it can complete overnight, if needed.

Mac Os X Installer Download

Allow installation to complete

Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart, show a progress bar, or show a blank screen several times as it installs both OS X and related updates to your Mac firmware.

Mac Os X Download

Learn more

Mac Os Download For Windows

• OS X El Capitan won't install on top of a later version of macOS, but you can erase your disk first or install on another disk.
• You can use macOS Recovery to reinstall macOS.