submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

26 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Hardware: 27" 2017 iMac

Connection: Wired

Storage: 1TB SSD

Hi all. I installed Linux Mint on my Mac on an external drive, which was all good fun. But when I went back to boot into MacOS, I got the 🚫 symbol. Booting into recovery mode and running first aid revealed that the disk was corrupted. The only advice it gave was to run first aid in recovery mode, which I was already doing.

Whatever, no big deal, everything important was backed up. So I went ahead and erased the disk using Extended Journaled (I guess APFS is unavailable for Sierra, which is what recovery mode wants to install). I made an installer disk with a later OS but I just received 🚫 again upon selection. Ran first aid again and it passed. Backed out of disk manager and selected install MacOS. Then after about 3 mins. received the error "an error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again". Tried several more times, receiving the same error every time.

The log reveals even more errors including:

"Could not find package ref in any source for:" 15 times for different packages such as "base system resources", "essentials", "OSInstall" etc.
No native mechanism to verify InstallESD.dmg
Couldn't mount base system dmg! (error code 110)
IATOOL: Failed the mount outer dmg

I have installed MacOS several times before, including on the same device.

top 26 comments

sorted by: hot top new old

[-] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

@[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] SOLVED please upvote:

There's actually a myriad of problems here:

According to Mr.Macintosh, who received the exact same error, the MacOS Sierra image directly from Apple is corrupted (and according to the date of this article, has been for some time).
Apparently there are 2 completely different recovery modes. Command + R gets you the old one, which just installs an earlier version of MacOS for some reason. Whereas Command + Option + R gives you the newer recovery mode and the latest MacOS version available (in my case, Ventura) and also APFS disk formatting, which was unavailable in the older recovery mode (only "extended journaled").

So I went ahead and installed Ventura from the new Recovery Mode and that fixed it. Except of-fucking-course it didn't. Because it gave me yet another generic error: "A required firmware update could not be installed". Back to web searching and find out there are apparently applicable firmware patches, but they're ONLY included in a specific version of MacOS. Which one? Who fuckin' knows, man.

So I can't install one because it's too old, or the other because it's too new. So then I tried Mojave. Figured out how to download it and load it onto an install stick but after about 2 hours of downloading the download failed for some reason. Another 2 hours later and I had Mojave on a USB and managed to get it installed.

So then Mojave managed to install, then I just ran the auto-updater to get up to the latest supported version of Ventura. PSYCH AGAIN! I still get the "A required firmware update could not be installed". 😡 So I'll just update through the various OS one by one until I reach Venture. Nope, can't do that either. Would have to download and install each one of them individually and manually until I accidentally got the firmware update...

Anyway, I was able to eventually get everything updated using OCLP. It did not care about firmware updates.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

For those, like me, who don’t know:

Open Core Legacy Patcher lets you run newer versions of the Mac OS on unsupported hardware.

https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Legacy-Patcher/

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Yeah, sorry, I figured most Apple users knew what it was. But I didn't even install a newer version, it was just the only way I could install Ventura.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

No worries! I probably knew what it was at one point and forgot

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I feel ya man, but it's hilarious that the only way to properly recover from this was by using OCLP. That's amazing.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

It's hilarious that Apple is distributing a corrupted version of their own OS.

I actually have quite a bit of experience installing MacOS at this point (on Macs) and it's just a total nightmare every time. Meanwhile Linux and Windows are fairly straightforward.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago

You were probably better off keeping it on Mint at this point. My M2 Air is the only one of my Macs that's still running macOS, and that's purely because I need it to have dual monitor support, which Asahi still hasn't cracked.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago

Eh, I was just prepping it for sale.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 4 weeks ago

Ah, that's fair enough.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Can your Mac still be booted into target disk mode? Then you can connect it to another Mac and install from there.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

I dunno what that is but as I explained, it's already fixed, but thank you.

[-] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

I've had that unhelpful error popup blocking os install. In my case it was bad system time. Check the clock.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

So I looked into it. The time zone was indeed incorrect. The systemsetup and sntp commands are unavailable since there is no OS installed, so I used the date command and changed it manually (assuming there is some level of tolerance there?) and no such luck.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

There should be some tolerance. I used the builtin recovery mode though, so it got the time from network.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Would a bad system time not make the dates and times in the log incorrect?

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Have you tried a different SSD?

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

I don't have anymore 😮‍💨

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Could it be that the installation medium is corrupt? It says something about not being able to mount a dmg which is probably on the installation medium.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yes, I'm just not sure why or what to do about it. If I run the "first aid" it says everything is fine...

[-] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Well I would try to recreate the installation medium. Maybe download a different version of macOS.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I'm not using an installation medium, it's just downloading from recovery mode.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I’d put money on failing storage device.

I’d put less money on bad memory.

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Thanks. I'll have to get another storage device. And I was already planning to swap storage from another device anyway.

[-] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Hope you figure this out!! Frustrating

[-] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I did mostly figure it out. Just trying to finish up completely before I post a recap of the process. Spoiler: it is Apple's fault.

this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2025

11 points (100.0% liked)

Apple

19205 readers

7 users here now

Welcome

to the largest Apple community on Lemmy. This is the place where we talk about everything Apple, from iOS to the exciting upcoming Apple Vision Pro. Feel free to join the discussion!

Rules:

No NSFW Content
No Hate Speech or Personal Attacks
No Ads / Spamming
Self promotion is only allowed in the pinned monthly thread

Lemmy Code of Conduct

Communities of Interest:

Apple Hardware
Apple TV
Apple Watch
iPad
iPhone
Mac
Vintage Apple

Apple Software
iOS
iPadOS
macOS
tvOS
watchOS
Shortcuts
Xcode

Community banner courtesy of u/Antsomnia.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]