Trying to install old versions of Mac OS (including El Capitan) after support for them has expired can sometimes result in errors like "no eligible packages" being available. This is usually because the date you are doing the install on is after the certificates have expired. Try resetting the computer's date back to a time that the install was valid, like this...
1 Boot from the installer. 2 Go to "Utilities" menu, choose "Disk Utility". 3 Erase the disk as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". 4 Quit from Disk Utility. 5 Run Terminal and set the date to mid 2017 (date 060101002017). 6 Shutdown and reset the SMC. 7 Boot from the installer again. 8 Try to install El Capitan.
Note: Steps 6 and 7 might be unnecessary.
I usually write a blog post about once a week. The latest post can be viewed here: No More Nukes?: I can make an argument both ways about whether nuclear weapons are good or bad. (posted 2025-06-23 at 15:02:39). I do podcasts too!. You can listen to my latest podcast, here: OJB's Podcast 2025-05-31 Respect the Flag: Find me a Maori flag and I will burn it..
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