MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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I just ran into an issue that has stumped me. For testing purposes I tried to install High Sierra on a fresh external drive (Mac OS Extended, Journaled)), using the full MacOS installer. Running under Sierra, the installer goes through its motions, but only dumps a folder full of installer files (macOS Install Data), no bootable install. Next I tried Mojave with the same result. What am I missing?
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Joined: Aug 2009
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APFS formatting/GUID partition map?
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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Case-Sensitive Journaled HFS+, GUID Partition Table. *Should* work for HS, I’d think.
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Apple File System (APFS) is a proprietary file system for macOS High Sierra (10.13) and later... ???
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: MacOS install issue
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OP
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Yes, but … it’s not required to install HS (AFAIK).
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Joined: Aug 2009
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That's why the "???"
It's been a few years, but I think you're correct that APFS was optional at the outset.
I guess that if your installers ran, you're using the latest ones with current sigs, so I'm tapped out.
Maybe retry with APFS just to see if it runs successfully?
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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Both 'old' installers (the ones that require you to set the system clock back to before their security certificate expiration date) and the current versions run with the same result. The purpose of the test precludes use of APFS, although I could try that of course. But...
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Joined: Aug 2009
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To confirm your experience, I'd have to wipe my external and reformat it HFS+, which I"m not really up to but will do if you'd like to hear yes or no.
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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Thanks for the offer, but I think we better wait for other comments, assuming there will be any. I suspect that may prove a time saver for the both of us.
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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This is just an off the wall thought, but assuming the currently installed MacOS is Catalina and your Mac has a T2 chip, Catalina installs some deep protections that prevent booting other versions of MacOS and the installers do boot a stripped subset of their OS. Apple Support document 208198 describes these protections and how to disable them. NOTE: This is not SIP. As to the drive format, if I recall correctly, the High Sierra installer optionally reformatted the boot drive to APFS and the Mojave, installers automatically reformat the install drive to APFS if it is an SSD but APFS was an option for HDs. (I don't know about Catalina, it may require APFS on SSDs, HDs, and Fusion drives because of its new multi-volume architecture. I also seem to recall there was an issue with Case Sensitive MacOS Extended at one point but I don't recall exactly what the issue was/is. I don't know what you are experimenting with or what Mac you have, but another possible workaround might be to boot from the Recovery Drive using Shift-Option-⌘-R which will install " Reinstall the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
— Albert Einstein
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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OP
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We’re talking about a late 2014 iMac, originally running Yosemite, but updated to Sierra after a terminal SSD issue of its fusion drive in 2018. Updating to APSF/Catalina would kill off all non-64b software, and that’s not an option right now.
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Off the wall question... Have you experimented with your drive to ensure that you're not running into a hardware problem...not that I can even begin to imagine what it might be?
Sounds like Recovery is your next option.
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: MacOS install issue
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OP
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Well, as I stated above, this was a brand new drive, one of a stack I keep around for various purposes. However, this particular one happened to vanish from Disk Utitlity’s view when I was formatting it, and needed Drive Genius to recover. It passed muster and handled fine afterward though. Regardless, I’ll use another new one to see if there’s an issue here.
alternaut ◉ moderator
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Joined: Aug 2009
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I've never had occasion to use that functionality (nor has it ever occurred to me to experiment), so against the day, and specifically with reference to alternaut's issue, I"m wondering if it's got a "choose a destination other than your internal drive" option?
The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.
In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
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Re: MacOS install issue
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Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
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I've never had occasion to use that functionality (nor has it ever occurred to me to experiment), so against the day, and specifically with reference to alternaut's issue, I"m wondering if it's got a "choose a destination other than your internal drive" option? In a word YES. All three Recovery Drive options allow you to install on any drive that is properly formatted and mounted whether internal or external; HD, SSD, fusion, Apple or SoftRAID RAID array. If the target drive is not properly formatted you can use the copy of Disk Utility in the Recovery Utility to format the drive before you initiate the install process. You do not even have to have a currently bootable drive on the system to use either the ⌥⌘R or ⌥⌘R variants as they download the complete Recovery Utility from the internet.
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
— Albert Einstein
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