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High Sierra update failed, refailed and failed some more.

A

Arthur_Swart

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 6, 2017
9
1
NL
For some reason the update from Sierra to High Sierra on my Mini 2012 went wrong.
I know I should have made an update, but I got lazy when everything went fine for three years. So when I got stuck in recovery mode, I was realy stuck.
The only install option in recovery mode erases the entire disk. That is not an option, that will delete all my files. I then tried to load Yosemite from a bootable usb drive, hoping I would be able to access my files and save them, so I could do a format and a clean install. No joy, Yosemite will not load on the Mini. It will not start the installation at all.
I then decided to put Linux Mint on the drive, so I could at least recover my data. Mint installed like it was supposed to and I could see all my folders. I just could not get into them, because I have no rights to access the userfiles in OSX with a Linux account.
I then tried to clone the drive. Cloning went great, unfortunately I wasn't able to access the folders in the clone either.
I then changed the hard disk in my Mini for another one. Using Internet recovery I expected to get a clean install of El Capitan, because that is the OS the Mini came with. In stead, internet recovery tried to install High Sierra on my new drive. It could not do that because that drive has not been formatted in GUID format. The message box said I should format the drive in GUID format using Disk Utility. Unfortunately, there is no way to get back to the option screen from this point, when you can not accept the terms of installation you can not go back.
So another 20 minutes passed while Internet Recovery loaded for the third time. When I accessed Disk Utility there was no option to format my new drive in GUID format, only standard Apple formating, ExFAT and DOS.
I tried all options, none of them resulted in a drive formatted in a way High Sierra would install on.
Changing the hard drive in a Mini isn't something I would like to do more often, I just want a working OSX version on the drive that is in there. I can then put the original drive in an external enclosure and access the files using my usual username.
I think I have tried anything, it just won't work. Why does a company that thinks of everything when designing a phone case forget to include a roll back option in an upgrade procedure? I am open for suggestions, how do you get an OS that has been upgraded to the point of nonfunctionality working?
 
Arthur_Swart said:
For some reason the update from Sierra to High Sierra on my Mini 2012 went wrong.
I know I should have made an update, but I got lazy when everything went fine for three years. So when I got stuck in recovery mode, I was realy stuck.
The only install option in recovery mode erases the entire disk. That is not an option, that will delete all my files. I then tried to load Yosemite from a bootable usb drive, hoping I would be able to access my files and save them, so I could do a format and a clean install. No joy, Yosemite will not load on the Mini. It will not start the installation at all.
I then decided to put Linux Mint on the drive, so I could at least recover my data. Mint installed like it was supposed to and I could see all my folders. I just could not get into them, because I have no rights to access the userfiles in OSX with a Linux account.
I then tried to clone the drive. Cloning went great, unfortunately I wasn't able to access the folders in the clone either.
I then changed the hard disk in my Mini for another one. Using Internet recovery I expected to get a clean install of El Capitan, because that is the OS the Mini came with. In stead, internet recovery tried to install High Sierra on my new drive. It could not do that because that drive has not been formatted in GUID format. The message box said I should format the drive in GUID format using Disk Utility. Unfortunately, there is no way to get back to the option screen from this point, when you can not accept the terms of installation you can not go back.
So another 20 minutes passed while Internet Recovery loaded for the third time. When I accessed Disk Utility there was no option to format my new drive in GUID format, only standard Apple formating, ExFAT and DOS.
I tried all options, none of them resulted in a drive formatted in a way High Sierra would install on.
Changing the hard drive in a Mini isn't something I would like to do more often, I just want a working OSX version on the drive that is in there. I can then put the original drive in an external enclosure and access the files using my usual username.
I think I have tried anything, it just won't work. Why does a company that thinks of everything when designing a phone case forget to include a roll back option in an upgrade procedure? I am open for suggestions, how do you get an OS that has been upgraded to the point of nonfunctionality working?
Click to expand...

Do the following if you don't mind erasing your drive.
- Boot into internet recovery
- Start terminal from the utility menu.
- Type zeroDisk Disk0 and hit return and wait till it is done.
- Go into Disk Utility and you will see Apple hard disk not partitioned.
- Select erase and you will have three options- Name (Macintosh HD), Format Mac OS Extended (Jornaled)) and GUID as boot type.
- Click Erase and when done go back to the main menu and start the installation process.

Good Luck
 
Thanks, I will try that.
Do I actually type: "zeroDisk Disk0" in terminal or just "Disk0"? Sorry for asking, it's just that Internet Recovery takes about 20 minutes to reboot, making two mistakes means another hour of frustration...
Also wondering why the GUID option isn't available when I used a brand new (as in blank) drive when the OS I want to install needs that type of formatting. Feels like having a jerrycan of diesel in my petrol car.
 
Arthur_Swart said:
Thanks, I will try that.
Do I actually type: "zeroDisk Disk0" in terminal or just "Disk0"? Sorry for asking, it's just that Internet Recovery takes about 20 minutes to reboot, making two mistakes means another hour of frustration...
Also wondering why the GUID option isn't available when I used a brand new (as in blank) drive when the OS I want to install needs that type of formatting. Feels like having a jerrycan of diesel in my petrol car.
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't type the full phrase. type diskutil zeroDisk disk0
 
Last edited:
Zeroing the entire disk will take forever and isn't needed. Let that command run for a second or two then stop it and you will be able to format the drive.

Further, the easiest way to probably attempt recovery of your data before erasing anything is to install high sierra on an external drive and boot from that, then drag data over to that drive provided it is large enough.
 
BLUEDOG314 said:
Zeroing the entire disk will take forever and isn't needed. Let that command run for a second or two then stop it and you will be able to format the drive.

Further, the easiest way to probably attempt recovery of your data before erasing anything is to install high sierra on an external drive and boot from that, then drag data over to that drive provided it is large enough.
Click to expand...

I agree, I forgot that I have SSD which only takes around 10 minutes.
 
Just to translate this thread, you're saying an update install from Sierra to High Sierra failed, so you recommend a clean install?
 
jdiamond said:
Just to translate this thread, you're saying an update install from Sierra to High Sierra failed, so you recommend a clean install?
Click to expand...

The update somehow failed and it seems that it did update the firmware and that is why he could not install older OS like El Capitan and Yosemite and there was no choice but to install High Sierra through internet recovery.
 
I feel like were missing a piece to the puzzle here. If the firmware update went through then the boot ROM should be updated, so CMD+Option+R should boot to internet recovery for the latest compatible MacOS. I would always say try a reinstall first.
 
So, am I to understand that if HS upgrades your firmware that you can no longer install an older version of OSX or macOS? Or is this just for the Mac Mini?

That makes no sense to me...
 
OP:

You DON'T need to "zero out" the drive.
You DO need to erase (re-initialize) it.

Do you want to stay with High Sierra, or go back to Low Sierra?
It IS possible to "go back", but it involves some time and effort.
 
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Fishrrman said:
OP:

You DON'T need to "zero out" the drive.
You DO need to erase (re-initialize) it.

Do you want to stay with High Sierra, or go back to Low Sierra?
It IS possible to "go back", but it involves some time and effort.
Click to expand...

Erase is possible but Partition as GUID is not possible, it seems that the portion table is different hence macOS can not continue to install on this disk and repartitioning is required but not possible. zerodisk is a must.

The Op is not around for sometime to confirm any of our theories.
 
shafez said:
Erase is possible but Partition as GUID is not possible, it seems that the portion table is different hence macOS can not continue to install on this disk and repartitioning is required but not possible. zerodisk is a must.

The Op is not around for sometime to confirm any of our theories.
Click to expand...

Just erase the drive, not the partition. If already inside a partition, of course can't repartition the disk.
21766763_10156602037767542_3822368302731096988_n.jpg
Screen Shot 2018-05-08 at 03.56.39.png
 
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shafez said:
Thanks for your reply, unfortunately I am not the OP, I am just trying to help.
The OP is not arround for sometime and no one know how ended up with him
Regards
Click to expand...

No worries, I just want to post "how to format the DISK" properly. Lots of people says can't format back to HFS+ and looking for complicated (or even completely irrelevant) solutions. In fact, just because they don't know how to use disk utility.
 
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Arthur_Swart said:
.
I think I have tried anything, it just won't work. Why does a company that thinks of everything when designing a phone case forget to include a roll back option in an upgrade procedure? I am open for suggestions, how do you get an OS that has been upgraded to the point of nonfunctionality working?
Click to expand...

I am not sure if I understand your problem, but if your files stil exist, put your HDD in an enclosure and use another computer to read and transfer them. I do it all the time and I don't need any access or permissions, that is unless your HDD is encrypted which I can not help you I guess.
 
shafez said:
Sorry I didn't type the full phrase. type diskutil zeroDisk disk0
Click to expand...
Still in limbo... There is no access to Terminal in Internet Recovery.
I can choose from 1) Restore from Time Machine backup 2) Reinstall macOS 3) Get help online 4) Disk Utility. There is no scroll down bar in the top of the screen with more options, this is it.
I've been trying to upload screenshots, but even that isn't working out. Sorry, text only from this end.


I have a 500 Gb disk in my Mini, Disk Utility lists only a 17.09 GB Linux Swap and a OSX Base sysytem disk immage. That is the image that keeps crashing while attempting to install High Sierra. I do not have a functioning version of OSX anymore, that died during the botched upgrade. So all tweaks using OSX utilities are unavailable, all I have is Internet recovery that requires me to use a GUID formatted disk while not offering the option to format my disk in GUID partitioning.



I'm going from one dead end to the next, I seem to need a working OSX operating system to get a working OSX operating system.
How do I format a hard disk into GUID partions from the four options I have in Internet recovery? Despite earlier replies, I can only retry High Sierra installs. There is no option to use an earlier OSX version. I would have used a mountable usb if that worked, but it doesn't. My Yosemite usb won't start even though it works on my Lenovo laptop (and fails off course). I'm about to give up and turn this mini into a linux machine.
[doublepost=1526123855][/doublepost]
shafez said:
The update somehow failed and it seems that it did update the firmware and that is why he could not install older OS like El Capitan and Yosemite and there was no choice but to install High Sierra through internet recovery.
Click to expand...
That is what happened.
 
Arthur_Swart said:
Still in limbo... There is no access to Terminal in Internet Recovery.
I can choose from 1) Restore from Time Machine backup 2) Reinstall macOS 3) Get help online 4) Disk Utility. There is no scroll down bar in the top of the screen with more options, this is it.
I've been trying to upload screenshots, but even that isn't working out. Sorry, text only from this end.


I have a 500 Gb disk in my Mini, Disk Utility lists only a 17.09 GB Linux Swap and a OSX Base sysytem disk immage. That is the image that keeps crashing while attempting to install High Sierra. I do not have a functioning version of OSX anymore, that died during the botched upgrade. So all tweaks using OSX utilities are unavailable, all I have is Internet recovery that requires me to use a GUID formatted disk while not offering the option to format my disk in GUID partitioning.



I'm going from one dead end to the next, I seem to need a working OSX operating system to get a working OSX operating system.
How do I format a hard disk into GUID partions from the four options I have in Internet recovery? Despite earlier replies, I can only retry High Sierra installs. There is no option to use an earlier OSX version. I would have used a mountable usb if that worked, but it doesn't. My Yosemite usb won't start even though it works on my Lenovo laptop (and fails off course). I'm about to give up and turn this mini into a linux machine.
[doublepost=1526123855][/doublepost]
That is what happened.
Click to expand...

Try the instruction in the link below

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...d-and-failed-some-more.2117738/#post-26040090

if it does not work, get a windows 7/8/10 bootable usb and boot your system to windows setup and delete all partitions on you hard disk.
Reboot to internet recovery, you should only see a clean hard drive which you can then erase it as you wish.

Good Luck
 
shafez said:
We need some more details from the OP and also confirmation if he eventually was able to reinstall the OS or not.
Click to expand...
No, no improvement thusfar. This mini is bricked. I need to have a GUID formatted drive for High Sierra and Internet Recovery doesn't offer that formatting option. I can not return to factory settings, Internet Recovery keeps trying to install High Sierra and fails when the formatting is wrong. Then I'm stuck, all I can do is reboot and try something else. All I want is to return to a working OSX version, I don't care which one.
 
crjackson2134 said:
So, am I to understand that if HS upgrades your firmware that you can no longer install an older version of OSX or macOS? Or is this just for the Mac Mini?

That makes no sense to me...
Click to expand...
LEt me explain: YOU paid for the computer but Apple runs it....the idea to go to High Sierra is not a good one...if I could go back...I would
 
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Arthur_Swart said:
Still in limbo... There is no access to Terminal in Internet Recovery.
I can choose from 1) Restore from Time Machine backup 2) Reinstall macOS 3) Get help online 4) Disk Utility. There is no scroll down bar in the top of the screen with more options, this is it.
I've been trying to upload screenshots, but even that isn't working out. Sorry, text only from this end.
Click to expand...
How are you entering Internet Recovery (what key combination)? Are you seeing the Internet Recovery globe on screen before the seeing the Apple logo?

You need access to Disk Utility earlier than the High Sierra version in order to format to HFS+. I would recommend trying shift + option + command + r. When you see the globe it takes around 4 minutes (depends on your internet speed) to load the 650 MB recovery image from the internet before the Apple logo start up. Latest key combinations for Recovery per Apple:

macOS Recovery Keys.jpg

You can access the Terminal while booted up in Internet Recovery. You have to use the upper "Utilities" drop down menu and select "Terminal". I just tested it from Internet Recovery (shift + option + command + r):

Internet Recovery.jpg

EDIT to fix typo
 
Last edited:
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OP:

You are getting nowhere.
You need to try something else.

Go on ebay.
There are sellers there who will sell you a USB flash drive with a copy of the Mac OS installer already on it. They cost about $20 (US).

Get one that has either the El Capitan or Low Sierra (NOT High Sierra) version of the OS installer on it.

Use that to boot the Mini.
Then go to Disk Utility and completely erase the internal drive.
NUKE IT BACK TO ZERO.

Then... re-install the OS.
 
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