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Question

Can't download El Capitan

Mar 22, 2016 10:28PM PDT

When I open the El Capitan page of the Mac App Store Preview (https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=1018109117&mt=12&ls=1&v0=www-us-osx-how-app-elcapitan) and click on 'View in Mac App Store', the App Store opens with an El Capitan heading and a 'Download' button. Clicking this starts a clock-device rotating in the menu bar but nothing else happens.

I had earlier downloaded the installer but it won't run because my Mac says it can't be verified.

Is there another way to install El Capitan?

michael

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Are there any adblockers, firewalls, antivirus installed?
Mar 23, 2016 9:03AM PDT

And are you in some country or on an ISP that is known to tamper, filter content?

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I have anti-virus software
Mar 23, 2016 5:24PM PDT

and possibly an ad-blocker. I was running a VPN but I turned that off.

michael

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Sounds like it's too far from stock.
Mar 23, 2016 5:47PM PDT

Some of those VPNs are just bad news. Any how, reset Safari so it has no addons and try again.

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None of that has any effect
Mar 23, 2016 10:02PM PDT

I was actually using Firefox as my browser because Safari takes me to two or three junk sites every time I click anywhere in the window.

Also, Mail won't display the number of waiting emails. These are the reasons I want to upgrade, hoping that it will get rid of the problems. I was planning to do a clean install if I can get El Capitan to download.

I'm using ExpressVPN but I quit it (and everything else) before trying to run the installer or download a new one.

Can I re-install Yosemite (I'm on 10.10.5) and move on on from there?

michael

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Another thought
Mar 23, 2016 10:08PM PDT
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Safari takes me to two or three junk sites
Mar 23, 2016 10:32PM PDT

That's unfortunate. I only see that when there is some trojan or malware on the machine. I'll send up an alert to another moderator for new ideas on how to remove the nasties.

Remember that I've run into shady VPN software. As such, I never recommend such things.

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Trojan or malware
Mar 24, 2016 12:44AM PDT

They are present without a doubt but Avast Mac Security hasn't found them. I was hoping a clean install would fix it.

I look forward to further expert advice. Thank you.

michael

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First step,
Mar 24, 2016 4:49AM PDT

download and install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware software:
https://www.malwarebytes.org/dl-confirm/

Run that and see what it drags up. If it finds anything, go ahead and follow the suggestions and then consider ditching Avast.

Let us know what happens

P

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Malwarebytes is good
Mar 24, 2016 6:07PM PDT

It found a trojan and another nasty and it appears to have cleaned up Safari so that I no longer get pop-ups with every click. Do you recommend buying the premium version or is the free one adequate?

However, my El Capitan problems are unchanged - exactly as first described.

michael

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Good to hear.
Mar 25, 2016 3:17PM PDT

The Pro version is capable of unattended use but I have no experience with it.
The Mac version of this software is still quite new but it appears that the free version is up to the task.

Your choice but consider changing out Avast as it seems to be doing nothing for you.

As for the download problem, does it do the same thing when you choose the App Store and click on Updates?
Mine says Downloaded on the Updates page and Download on the link you showed

P

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Clicking on Updates in the App Store
Mar 25, 2016 7:17PM PDT

...shows iMovie as the only outstanding update. In the banner heading is a greyed-out box labelled 'Downloaded'. That probably dates from my first download which is, of course, not verifiable.

It's looking like a classic Catch 22. Can I get the installer from somewhere else? is it maybe in somebody's dropbox?

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Success at last
Mar 26, 2016 12:36AM PDT

… but in an unexpected way.

In desperation, I downloaded the installer from the Kickass torrent site and it worked perfectly. I'm now running OS 10.11.4.

I find it fascinating that Apple wouldn't allow me to upgrade with software downloaded from the App Store but it was happy with software from a theoretically illegal source.

I still have the Mail count problem but I'll raise that in a different forum.

Thanks to all, as usual.

michael