Anyone manage to install macOS to an external( USB ) Drive( M2 ).

[DearthnVader]

I'm trying to install macOS Monterey to a 1TB external USB-C flash drive, but nothing I do seems to work.

First, I downloaded the macOS Monterey installer( latest )via the Appstore/Software Update. That failed to verify the installer, so I trashed the installer and re-downloaded it. Then I opened the installer and chose the USB flash drive as the install location, it copied over all the files and rebooted. That got me stuck in a reboot loop for hours( I feel asleep ). When I woke up I think the Mac had booted in recovery mode.

Next, I tried the createinstallmedia command to a partition( 20GB ) on the USB drive with the rest of the drive partitioned APFS for the install. It booted from the USB drive and I started the install, but at the very end( after a few hours ) of the install it says the installer is corrupt. I rebooted and erased the APFS partition and ran the installer again, same error.

Last, I completely erased the USB drive with only one partition( APFS ) and booted in Recovery Mode and chose to reinstall the macOS with the USB drive as the destination. After many hours of downloading the installer and installing to the drive it rebooted and got stuck in another reboot loop.

So what am I missing, how can I install and boot the macOS from an external drive on the 2022 M2 MacBook Pro 13"?

 

[TzunamiOSX]

Did you reduce the Startup Security?

I have running Big Sur on a external TB disk and it took me hours to get all to work.

 

[Fishrrman]

A USB "flash drive" probably isn't going to work.

You need a REAL USB external SSD (as distinguished from a "flash drive").
(I believe the controllers on these are different, that a flash drive "appears" differently to the OS than does a real SSD "hard drive".
Something like the Samsung t7 "Shield" will do the job.

Then...
You either have to install a fresh copy of the OS onto it using "recovery" ("Startup options" at power up), or... you might try either SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner.

Two other considerations:
You need to disable System Integrity Protection (boot to recovery, open terminal, enter "csrutil disable" [space character between these two phrases).
While in recovery, you also need to open "Startup Security" and DISABLE ALL "security features".

And again, a flash drive may not work.
You need a REAL USB3 SSD (or USB3.1 gen2, or thunderbolt3, etc.).

 

[DearthnVader]

Did you reduce the Startup Security?

I have running Big Sur on a external TB disk and it took me hours to get all to work.

When I boot into Recovery mode and chose Startup Security it tells me it can't be chaged unless I boot into Recovery Mode, so once agian I'm stuck in a loop.

 

[TzunamiOSX]

When I boot into Recovery mode and chose Startup Security it tells me it can't be chaged unless I boot into Recovery Mode, so once agian I'm stuck in a loop.

Had the same very often in process. Something is wrong between system version and the recovery version. DFU mode and reparing/changing the recovery disk with the right version can help.

Apple new Firmware/Recovery System ist the biggest trash i ever seen.

Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4 macOS IPSW Firmware Restore Files Database

Apple Silicon Mac Direct ISPW Download Links Database. This database includes ISPW file sizes, Is the OS Still Signed? Release Dates & More!

mrmacintosh.com

Around 2 weeks ago i updated to Big Sur 11.6 and the updater also updated the recovery disk to Montery. After this all security features of the recovery disk were broken. DFU Mode was the only way to downgrade the recovery disk and get back working security settings (boot settings/csrutil).

 

[DearthnVader]

Had the same very often in process. Something is wrong between system version and the recovery version. DFU mode and reparing/changing the recovery disk with the right version can help.

Apple new Firmware/Recovery System ist the biggest trash i ever seen.

Apple Silicon M1/M2/M3/M4 macOS IPSW Firmware Restore Files Database

Apple Silicon Mac Direct ISPW Download Links Database. This database includes ISPW file sizes, Is the OS Still Signed? Release Dates & More!

mrmacintosh.com

Around 2 weeks ago i updated to Big Sur 11.6 and the updater also updated the recovery disk to Montery. After this all security features of the recovery disk were broken. DFU Mode was the only way to downgrade the recovery disk and get back working security settings (boot settings/csrutil).

Is there any utility I can use to check a mismatch between other IPS( bridge OS? )firmware and the System's build?

 

[Mike Boreham]

Then...
You either have to install a fresh copy of the OS onto it using "recovery" ("Startup options" at power up), or... you might try either SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner.

The ability for CCC and Superduper to make bootable clones have been on/off for the last couple of years. Not sure where it is today. This is the reason CCC now defaults to only copying the -Data volume, and a whole drive recovery is achieved by installing a fresh System Volume and migrating the -Data volume in from a CCC backup up.

The install of the system volume can also be done with a bootable USB (or TB) drive.

You need to disable System Integrity Protection (boot to recovery, open terminal, enter "csrutil disable" [space character between these two phrases).

It is NOT necessary to disable SIP to install onto an external.

While in recovery, you also need to open "Startup Security" and DISABLE ALL "security features".

It used to be the case that it was only necessary to use reduced Start up Security if installing an older (hence less secure) OS. It may be that you don't even it need it for that now, because by coincidence I have done two successful installs today onto external Samsung T5s today with Full Startup Security and SIP enabled. This was a Mac on Ventura and I installed a Monterey (older OS) and a Ventura volume without problem.

I did both from a bootable installers, not Recovery.

EDIT Caveat....my tests were using an M1 MBA. Have not heard of any differences for M2, but cannot personally vouch for that. There is no suggestion that M2 are any different from M1 in this detailed article.

 

[Fishrrman]

The OP seems to be trying to install the OS onto a USB flash drive.

Not a "real" hard drive that is governed by a controller board, but (taking him at his word) onto a USB flash drive that may have some circuitry to get it to work with a USB bus, but not a full-fledged drive controller board.

Personal experiences follow:
When Monterey first came out, I tried installing it onto a flash drive.
It simply wouldn't work. This was on a 2018 (Intel) Mini.
Yet when I tried installing [Intel] Monterey onto an external SSD, the install "went right through".

I had a similar experience with my new MacBook Pro 14", and found that the "drive requirements" may now be even more restrictive with Apple Silicon.

To wit, I had an old 40-pin ATA drive in a USB2 enclosure. I used it because at the time it was the only spare drive I had around.
I tried using clone utilities to do a clone onto the drive, it wouldn't clone the OS over. CCC would proceed, but would also protest that the target device was "Too slow".

I then tried wiping the drive and doing a clean OS install onto it from "recovery", and again, the install failed.

I'm guessing that Apple's installers have become much more "picky" about what KIND of devices they will install onto.
USB flash drives -- out?
Older platter-base drives -- out?
Drives with older controllers -- out?

When I tried using an SSD, and SuperDuper to clone Monterey (Apple Silicon), that time, it DID "go right through" withtout a blip and produced a bootable cloned backup.

A question for anyone reading this:
If you have an Apple Silicon Mac, have you been able to install a bootable copy of the OS onto a USB "flash drive"?

 

[Mike Boreham]

The OP seems to be trying to install the OS onto a USB flash drive.

I didn't comment about the aspect of trying to install onto a flash drive, as I have never tried it and wouldn't be at all surprised if you are correct...though not all flash drives are equal.

It certainly used to be possible in the olden days but that was a before separate System and Data volumes.

 

[DearthnVader]

I didn't comment about the aspect of trying to install onto a flash drive, as I have never tried it and wouldn't be at all surprised if you are correct...though not all flash drives are equal.

It certainly used to be possible in the olden days but that was a before separate System and Data volumes.

A drive is a drive is a drive, it shouldn't matter the speed of the drive, something else is going wrong here.

I should be able to boot in Recovery mode and use the Startup Security Utility, but I can't. Must be some issue with the BridgeOS.

It could have something to do with the fact that I choose an encrypted disk when I setup this new Mac, maybe that disables booting from an external disk so the internal disk is not accessible to external hacking tools.

I opened a case with Apple before my 90days of free Apple Care runs out. Apple support didn't say anything about not being able to boot from a USB flash drive and it seems like if that was a restriction the macOS installer would refuse to install to that disk, like it did back in the PPC days when booting from USB was not "supported".

 

[Mike Boreham]

Is there any utility I can use to check a mismatch between other IPS( bridge OS? )firmware and the System's build?

Have a look at free SilentKnight

 

[Mike Boreham]

I should be able to boot in Recovery mode and use the Startup Security Utility, but I can't. Must be some issue with the BridgeOS.

As I said earlier you do not need to change setting in Startup Security, but you should be able to boot to Recovery.
There is a Recovery mode called "Fallback Recovery Mode" which looks identical but does not have Startup Security. From this article: "Fallback Recovery mode, identical to regular Recovery Mode except that Startup Security Utility isn’t available".

It could have something to do with the fact that I choose an encrypted disk when I setup this new Mac, maybe that disables booting from an external disk so the internal disk is not accessible to external hacking tools.

Both my successfully installs to an external this afternoon were on a Mac with FileVault enabled.

 

[kitKAC]

Does this help at all?

https://eclecticlight.co/2021/11/11/creating-a-bootable-external-disk-with-an-m1-pro-in-monterey/

There are also many other articles about Apple Silicon Macs and external boot disks.

 

[DearthnVader]

As I said earlier you do not need to change setting in Startup Security, but you should be able to boot to Recovery.
There is a Recovery mode called "Fallback Recovery Mode" which looks identical but does not have Startup Security. From this article: "Fallback Recovery mode, identical to regular Recovery Mode except that Startup Security Utility isn’t available".


Both my successfully installs to an external this afternoon were on a Mac with FileVault enabled.

I'm not sure the issue, but I booted Recovery Mode and did a reinstall to the internal SSD, then rebooted to Recovery Mode and now the Startup System Security works.

It's all very confusing, Recovery Mode, Fallback Recovery Mode, IPS Firmware, BridgeOS.

Apple has made a mess of all this.........

Firmware should live on an EEPROM, not a w/r disk. The only time firmware should be updated is when the user tells the system to enter "Programers Mode" as it worked on every Mac since the original iMac G3.

The firmware version should be clearly reported to the user.

 

[TzunamiOSX]

Is there any utility I can use to check a mismatch between other IPS( bridge OS? )firmware and the System's build?

I'm not sure if that's always the case, but if these numbers were different, i got problems.

It's all very confusing, Recovery Mode, Fallback Recovery Mode, IPS Firmware, BridgeOS.

Apple has made a mess of all this.........

Firmware should live on an EEPROM, not a w/r disk. The only time firmware should be updated is when the user tells the system to enter "Programers Mode" as it worked on every Mac since the original iMac G3.

The firmware version should be clearly reported to the user.

Yes, very confusing. Apple did a bad job here. BridgeOS is only present on Intel Macs wit T2, I think.

 

[DearthnVader]

So reducing the Startup Security didn't help with the issues not being able to install to and boot from a USB flash drive, sadly.

This is really a bug, it shouldn't matter if the drive is only 60-80MB/s speed.

I ordered a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 to NVME M.2( 8-9Gbps ) and a new 1TB Samsung 980, so I'm hoping I have more luck with that. Anyone tried booting from a similar setup on AppleSoC?

I hate to have to pay for an external TB to NVME enclosure, as they cost about four times as much as the USB-C 3.1 Gen 2, but if that's what I have to do, it is what it is.....

Damn Apple for not putting an internal M.2 NVME slot in these Mac's!!!!

 

[rpmurray]

It used to be the case that it was only necessary to use reduced Start up Security if installing an older (hence less secure) OS. It may be that you don't even it need it for that now, because by coincidence I have done two successful installs today onto external Samsung T5s today with Full Startup Security and SIP enabled. This was a Mac on Ventura and I installed a Monterey (older OS) and a Ventura volume without problem.

Does your Mac have a T2?

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"This is really a bug, it shouldn't matter if the drive is only 60-80MB/s speed.
I ordered a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 to NVME M.2( 8-9Gbps ) and a new 1TB Samsung 980, so I'm hoping I have more luck with that. Anyone tried booting from a similar setup on AppleSoC?"

I tried to explain in reply 8 above, and you wouldn't accept my explanation.

I predict that you'll have no problems installing to a USB3.1 gen2 drive.

The OS doesn't seem to want to install onto flash drives or slow hard drives or OLD hard drives (with old disk controllers) any more.

 

[DearthnVader]

OP wrote:
"This is really a bug, it shouldn't matter if the drive is only 60-80MB/s speed.
I ordered a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 to NVME M.2( 8-9Gbps ) and a new 1TB Samsung 980, so I'm hoping I have more luck with that. Anyone tried booting from a similar setup on AppleSoC?"

I tried to explain in reply 8 above, and you wouldn't accept my explanation.

I predict that you'll have no problems installing to a USB3.1 gen2 drive.

The OS doesn't seem to want to install onto flash drives or slow hard drives or OLD hard drives (with old disk controllers) any more.

No, I heard you, it's just the HW I had to try with and it's really something that should not be.

I opened a support case with Apple and they never told me a could not install to/from a flash drive, so it's something that at least level 1 support isn't aware of.

I just wanted to try everything with the HW I had before ordering new HW for what I want to do, because I view it as a bug, something that should work, but you were correct, it does not.

Thanks for you input, hoping you are also correct about the USB-C to NVME.

I'm not sure what I want to do will work anyway, installing Linux to an external dive, but we'll see.....

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:
"I'm not sure what I want to do will work anyway, installing Linux to an external dive, but we'll see"

Linux? (and not a copy of the Mac OS?)
You didn't SAY that until reply 19 above.

Everything is now changed.
All bets are... off.
Chances of success are... reduced.

 

[DearthnVader]

OP:
"I'm not sure what I want to do will work anyway, installing Linux to an external dive, but we'll see"

Linux? (and not a copy of the Mac OS?)
You didn't SAY that until reply 19 above.

Everything is now changed.
All bets are... off.
Chances of success are... reduced.

The install shell script runs in the macOS, but it wants 80% of the internal drive for Linux, and I don't want to give it that much just to test what I want to test, with no real way to revert the space back to use in the macOS.

I'm hoping if I boot the macOS from an external drive it will give me the option of installing to that drive, but we'll see, I may end up editing the shell script to make it work.

 

[DearthnVader]

Well, I got a USB 3.1 Gen 2 to NVME and a 1TB Samsung 980, but the enclosure died the fist time I tried to install.

I got a new enclosure, but the install copies everything over, reboots to the loading screen, then reboots to the internal SSD without giving any errors.

There must be something special needed to install the macOS to an external drive on the M2 Macs?????????

 

[TzunamiOSX]

I do the follow to get my external disk to work:

1. Backup internal disk
2. Create an USB-Stick with the latest build of the system i want o install (i want Big Sur, so it was the new 11.7 version).
3. Now I had made a DFU complete restore with the latest Big Sur IPFW.
4. At this point i have a clean factory Mac Mini M1. SHUT DOWN.
5. Insert the USB-Stick with the latest build of the system (Big Sur/Montery). Start and holding the power button until you come into the boot menu. Now boot from the stick.
6. Delete the complete internal disk

7. Install system from stick and on ask recover data from Timemachine.
8. After finish boot from internal drive and log in. Then shut down.
9. Start and holding the power button until you come into bootmenu and start recovery
10. I'm not sure this is needed but i have set boot security to minimum and have disabled SIP with csrutil.
11. Boot again from the stick and install on the external drive.

This worked for me, perhaps this also work for you.

 

[yellowhelicopter]

There must be something special needed to install the macOS to an external drive on the M2 Macs?????????

Nothing special, except USB-A connection ) I also couldn't install Monterey on USB-C M2, the installer copied files then after auto-restart and some time on apple progress bar screen it just rebooted back to internal without finishing installation or error messages. But after I switched to USB-A and started installation anew all went fine, after that you can switch the drive back to USB-C. You may also try CCC if you don't have USB-A ports.

PS: I've been using USB-C Gen 2 enclosure (Orico) and Crucial M2 drive.

 

[DearthnVader]

Whatever the issue was installing macOS Monterey to an external USB-C Gen2 NVME drive it seems to be fixed in macOS Ventura.

I was able to install macOS Ventura to the external drive.