Instructions for El Capitan don't work

Ok let's go through this, from Section 4 in this link, How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan – Apple Support

click on Download OS X El Capitan. This will download InstallMacOSX.dmg to your Downloads folder.

You have done that, correct.

Double-clicking on the .dmg will open it to the InstallMacOSX.pkg.

You have done that, correct.

Double-clicking on the .pkg will open an installation window, this does not

install El Capitan but converts the .pkg to Install OS X El Capitan.app

which you should find in your Applications folder.

Is this not happening for you.

You say in your initial post you have to quit the installer, this suggest the the installer is on your mac,

have a look a gain, or use a Spotlight search to locate it.

It should in your main Applications folder not any Users/ Applications folder.

If you do locate it and don't want to install it then make a copy of it to an external drive, you can also make a bootable USB

using the instructions here, How to create a bootable installer for macOS – Apple Support

rliston Said:

"Instructions for El Capitan don't work: For El Capitan the instructions say 'open the disk image and run the installer within, named InstallMacOSX.pkg. It installs an app named Install OS X El Capitan into your Applications folder'. When I run the installer, nothing is created in the Applications folder that I see, and I don't what to install the OS, so I have to quit the installer. How do I get the file 'Install OS X El Capitan.app'?"

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Some Thoughts:

A. Sort by Date Modified:

See if it is shown as the most-recent item, in the Applications folder.

B. Use a New Administrator:

Create a new Administrator. Try this once more. If it works, the it is something configured in your current Administrator account.

C. Rid of Security Software:

So, try a new Administrator. And rid of any and all Security Software installed on your Mac.  Security Software just gets in the way. Use the uninstaller to uninstall it. If you just drag it into the trash, cache files will just lay about. Contact the developer of the Security Software for this.

D. Use MalwareBytes for Mac

This is software that searches for malware/adware. So, scan with it and then remove what is found. Once removed, uninstall MalwareBytes for Mac. Then restart the Mac. This software has been created by Long Time Users of these Forums. So, that makes it reliable for Macs.

Downloads:

1. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac
2. Malwarebytes uninstaller

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E. Does this still occur? If so...

Boot into Safe Mode and try this:

(hold down shift upon boot until the login screen appears). See if this is still an issue. Safe Mode lets items run as default, without changes whatsoever. That is possible because caches are temporarily disabled while in Safe Mode.

Put "Install OS X El Capitan.app" into your Applications folder. Double-click on "Install OS X El Capitan.app" to begin the installation. "Install OS X El Capitan.app" is contained in the download of El Capitan from the Apple Store: How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support. If you download El Capitan directly from the App Store, then "Install OS X El Capitan.app" is installed automatically in the Applications folder. The installer is automatically launched after the download has completed

If you don't want to install El Capitan, then why are you downloading the installer?