Can't Install Monterey, 2 odd issues

[macrumors01]

Good morning Mac Mavens, Happy New Year!

Hoping for some help installing Monterey on MBP 2020, currently running Big Sur 11.6, with 170 GB avail out of 245 GB. My daughter's computer, I have an Admin account and I've tried installing under the Admin acct as well as hers. Neither results in success, but the issues are totally different.

When Logged into Admin Account:
I get to the initial install screen, then it tells me I need to log in as Admin (even though I already am). When I enter the Admin credentials, it appears to accept them, but then it just goes back to the initial install screen and does nothing else. I'm left with nothing to do except to 'continue', and then it tells me to log as Admin again - endless loop. I was thinking that maybe I had the wrong Admin credentials, but then I tried entering the wrong password on purpose- and the entry field box Shakes (to signify incorrect credentials). This sounds pretty weird, so I did a screen video to demonstrate...

When Logged into Daughter's Account:
It asks me to select which Disk I want to install Monterey onto (I only have 1 Disk: MacIntosh HD), so I choose it, and then it tells me that I have to 'authorize' the Disk by setting it as the StartUp Disk (which it already is). Demonstration:

Totally at a loss here... Any ideas?

Thanks so much!

 

[chabig]

First things first...make a backup.

Then try booting to safe mode (hold the shift key at startup). Once booted, will Monterey install? It might not work but it's the easiest first step.

 

[macrumors01]

First things first...make a backup.

Then try booting to safe mode (hold the shift key at startup). Once booted, will Monterey install? It might not work but it's the easiest first step.

Good thought- I tried. I cannot seem to get it to boot into Safe/Recovery mode. Holding SHIFT doesn't work. I googled and found these, but none of them worked either:
- Hold COMMAND + R
- Hold OPTION + command + R
- Hold SHIFT + COMMAND + R
- Then for the hell of it, I tried holding SHIFT + OPTION + COMMAND + R

Interestingly, and possibly related to my issue: From a cold StartUp, the only option offered is to log into my daughter's account. If I want to log into the Admin account, I need to enter HER password to enter her account, THEN {apple}, Log Out as her. Then I'll see the option to log in as either Admin or her account. This makes me think there's something screwy with how I set up the accounts.

 

[chabig]

None of your listed key commands work on M1 Macs. Press and hold the power button to enter Recovery.

 

[ssmed]

You are being saved from the possible terribleness of Monterey - if you use MS Outlook there is no search – try that in a working environment.

I have quite a few users where I am the admin and I have never seen this type of problem over the years.

If you right click on your name in users and groups and open the advanced mode, what does it show?

Are you user 501?
Are you in group staff?
Are the rest of the details present and look appropriate?

For your solution, I would back everything up, erase the disk and then re-install the OS. Alternatively you could raise your daughter to admin (if you can) and erase your account and create a new one, but there is something a bit off and I would go with the nuclear option ensuring that excellent backups are in place!

Erase your Mac

Use Erase Assistant on a Mac with Apple silicon or an Intel-based Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip to remove all content and settings.

support.apple.com

Erase and reinstall macOS

Erase your Mac, then use macOS Recovery to reinstall macOS.

support.apple.com

 

[macrumors01]

None of your listed key commands work on M1 Macs. Press and hold the power button to enter Recovery.

Thank you... that worked. So I went into Recovery mode and confirmed that Macintosh HD is the StartUp disk... but still cannot install Monterey- On my daughter's account, I get same as shown in video.

 

[macrumors01]

For your solution, I would back everything up, erase the disk and then re-install the OS. Alternatively you could raise your daughter to admin (if you can) and erase your account and create a new one, but there is something a bit off and I would go with the nuclear option ensuring that excellent backups are in place!

I'm really afraid to try this at this point. I'm out of the country, quarantined in a hotel. No network cable, wifi thru hotel is via firewall. I could really mess things up if I try this now.

 

[ssmed]

I'm really afraid to try this at this point. I'm out of the country, quarantined in a hotel. No network cable, wifi thru hotel is via firewall. I could really mess things up if I try this now.

Then if Big Sur is working OK, don't even think of this now, although downloading Monterey would have been a big task even if everything had worked - its a massive installer!. I would be tempted to back everything up as much as you can - perhaps into iCloud, Dropbox or OneDrive (or buy a big USB Stick - if that is possible in your current circumstances). Really I can think of very few major advantages of Monterey in your situation. Presumably you can generally trust your daughter - make her account an admin now as a precaution.

And just as a last thought as to why this has happened, is this computer owned and managed by an educational establishment. They might control software implementation quite carefully.