You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Installing OS

Trying to install El Capitan in a Mac with no OS. Already have a usb with El Capitan on it, but nothing I have tried is working. HELP!!

iMac, OS X 10.11

Posted on Apr 19, 2020 1:36 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 19, 2020 8:26 PM

Given that you are looking at the Utility Menu, select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.


  1. When Disk Utility loads select the target drive (out-dented entry w/type and size) from the side list.
  2. Click on the Erase button in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
  3. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
  4. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended, (Journaled.)
  5. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
  6. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  7. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.





8 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 19, 2020 8:26 PM in response to NoOne1234NoOne

Given that you are looking at the Utility Menu, select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.


  1. When Disk Utility loads select the target drive (out-dented entry w/type and size) from the side list.
  2. Click on the Erase button in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
  3. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
  4. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended, (Journaled.)
  5. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
  6. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  7. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.





Apr 19, 2020 1:44 PM in response to NoOne1234NoOne

What model Mac? To find the complete model information select About This Mac from the Apple menu. You can create a snapshot of the dialog as follows:


How to take a screenshot on your Mac

Capture, Save or Record Screenshots in Mac OS X - Help Desk Geek


OS X Screen Capture Shortcuts


(⌘⬆︎3) Command-Shift-3 Capture the screen to a file

(⌘⬆︎⌃3) Command-Shift-Control-3 Capture the screen to the Clipboard

(⌘⬆︎4) Command-Shift-4 Capture a selection to a file

(⌘⬆︎⌃4) Command-Shift-Control-4 Capture a selection to the Clipboard

(⌘⬆︎5) Command-Shift-5 Invoke new screen grabber


You can then post the image in the forum's message editor.


Apr 19, 2020 11:51 PM in response to NoOne1234NoOne

If you have a bootable USB installer with El Capitan on it

Restart your mac while pressing and holding the option/ alt key

after a couple of minutes you should see the start up manager.

You should see icons of the bootable drives attached to your mac

select the USB (orange), press Return. The mac will Restart

and boot to the USB, when it does you should see a Utilities panel

like above, click on Install OS X, press Continue.


Make sure it says Install OS X and not Reinstall OS X,

if it says Reinstall OS X then the mac has booted up to your

Recovery drive, which is a problem.

Installing OS

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.