Previously Downloaded OS X Installers No Longer Work

No problems, Nick… thanks for your reply, and apologies for the link. I didn't realise.

Lena's friend said:

No problems, Nick… thanks for your reply, and apologies for the link. I didn't realise.

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Just in case it helps:

http://www.mac-forums.com/news-and-community-announcements/announcements.html

- Nick

MacInWin said:

Certificates expire, which forces the holder to reacquire them, which triggers some form of check. So setting back your clock to avoid an expired certificate is a little like leaving your car door open and the engine running so that you don't have to worry about losing the key. Yep, saves time and energy but it's a bit risky.

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Yeah, it's certainly a crude way to get around the issue but I suppose as long as it works and you know the installer is good, it gets the job done.

Apart from wanting everyone on the latest and greatest.... is there a good reason why Apple does this?

As a minimum I would like to see Apple keep atleast the last previous version of OSX in the App Store (if not more).

I can think of at least one pretty good reason not to keep older versions of the OS online for downloading: backward compatibility. When Apple updates equipment with new designs for MacBook Pros, Airs, whatever, they build and test with the latest version of the OS. So the drivers for video, bluetooth, drives, etc, are all selected for the hardware suite in that new system. Now, along comes Johnny Doofus, who buys that shiny new machine and takes it home. But he finds that there is an application that he wants that doesn't work on that newest version of OS X, let's say because of SIP in El Cap, for example, so he gets a copy of an older version of OS X and replaces El Cap with Mavericks, or Mountain Lion or Snow Leopard. But now the drivers aren't there for his bright shiny new machine so it won't run. But it's under warranty, so off to the Genius Bar where he takes up the time and effort of a Genius to undo the mess he's made and Johnny is unhappy with Apple because whatever he wanted to run he still cannot, even though that's not Apple's fault. That undoing costs Apple money, so they just don't allow that to happen. For those of us who have older machines that started at Snow Leopard and who upgraded right along, those older versions are available to us if we ever downloaded them because Apple knows they run on our systems, so that is not a problem. I just downloaded the installer for Mavericks and Yosemite, for example, as a backup in case I ever need to go back. So Apple DOES have older versions in the store for those folks who have downloaded them in the past.

Thanks for the reply. I realise my first question wasn't clear - I was actually referring to whether there was a good reason for Apple to make the certificate expire rather than why they don't keep the older OS online, but I guess that kind of answers my first question anyway. I'm guessing it is to try and prevent distribution of the installer package (download sites, ebay sellers etc) and therefore limit the ability to access old versions of OSX (unless of course you already owned it).

Trying to install an old version of OSX on your new shiny mac isn't going to work - it won't let you do it, unless of course you wipe the hard drive first and do a clean install. Then there is system requirements which states whether the software will run on the computer. The app store could even prevent the user from downloading the old OSX if the computer came shipped with a newer version of OSX then the one they are trying to download.

With a new version of OSX coming out every year now, not everyone would get the chance to 'purchase' each and every version that they may or may not need. I agree with what you are saying, but is it really that big a problem to keep the prior version of OSX available (even for ~6months) for those users who did not upgrade at the time, with the restrictions in place to prevent users inadvertently downgrading to a operating system which does not support their hardware. Sometimes people need to update their operating system but the newest version simply isn't the most appropriate for their machine. This is why I now make a habit of 'purchasing' each version of OSX even if I don't plan to update at the time.

hi randy... i know this may or may not be the right place to post this, but I wanted to make sure to get you directly.

ian... suggested i contact you about getting links to valid mojave os.... i still am running sierra and think it is time to move on!
He reminded me that once Apple put out a new operating system the past ones are not available for download.

Lori

Best to send Randy a PM. And what I said was that past procedure has been to remove a previous OS when a new one is launched. But Randy and others have pointed out that this is not necessarily so. But you really have to hunt for previous OSs.

Ian

lori5060 said:

hi randy... i know this may or may not be the right place to post this, but I wanted to make sure to get you directly.

ian... suggested i contact you about getting links to valid mojave os.... i still am running sierra and think it is time to move on!
He reminded me that once Apple put out a new operating system the past ones are not available for download.

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Obviously I'm not Randy, but did you happen to download and save a copy of the Mojave OS Upgrade Installer somewhere when it was available at the Apple Store Update site??

If so, it should still be available under the App Store Purchases tab.


- Patrick
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