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iMac 5K Mid-2017 error while trying to update to Mac OS Ventura

M

maorattias

macrumors member
Original poster
May 22, 2019
82
1
Hello everyone,
I have iMac 5k 2017 that I bought last august from someone.
the iMac couldn't be updated and couldn't install any Mac OS.

I bought new transcend 1tb ssd and I did something different.
I took my mid 2015 MacBook Pro and connected the new ssd with sata to USB adapter and plugged it into the MacBook.
I also took usb stick and installed bootable Mac OS Monterey installation on this stick - why Monterey? because Mac OS Ventura didn't worked when I tried to install it.

next, I restarted my MacBook Pro and pressed alt to run my new bootable usb with Monterey installation.
then I installed my os Monterey through my sata to USB adapter on the transcend 1tb ssd.
the installation done perfectly.
after all of this I connected the new transcend ssd with Monterey installation into the iMac sata cable inside.
the installtion on the iMac 5k worked perfect.

but now, I'm trying to update the computer from system preferences to Mac OS Ventura and I'm getting everytime this error:

"an error occurred loading the update"

I heard from someone that maybe my firmware didn't updated - is it true? if yes, how can I fix it?

please help me solve this problem.

thank you everyone.
 

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If your firmware needs updating, you can try to install each version of macOS in succession. Start by downloading High Sierra on your MBP and create a USB installer. Boot from the USB installer on you iMac, use Disk Utility to erase the disk, and install High Sierra. You can use the Mist application on your MBP to create the USB installer.
github.com

GitHub - ninxsoft/Mist: A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers.

A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers. - ninxsoft/Mist
github.com github.com
 
Bigwaff said:
If your firmware needs updating, you can try to install each version of macOS in succession. Start by downloading High Sierra on your MBP and create a USB installer. Boot from the USB installer on you iMac, use Disk Utility to erase the disk, and install High Sierra. You can use the Mist application on your MBP to create the USB installer.
github.com

GitHub - ninxsoft/Mist: A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers.

A Mac utility that automatically downloads macOS Firmwares / Installers. - ninxsoft/Mist
github.com github.com
Click to expand...
I must erase my computer again?!
there is no way to do it into the iMac?
some other way to fix this error?
 
OP:

Try this:
1. Start from "power down, all the way off"
2. Hold down "command + option + R". DON'T LET GO OF THESE KEYS
3. Press and release the power on button. KEEP HOLDING THOSE KEYS DOWN
4. If you're asked for your wifi password, let go of the keyboard and enter it.
5. After a while, you should see "the spinning globe" that indicates the internet utilities are loading. Do you see it? NOW let go of the keys

6. Can you get to the internet utilities?

Try this, then come back and tell us what happens.
 
Fishrrman said:
OP:

Try this:
1. Start from "power down, all the way off"
2. Hold down "command + option + R". DON'T LET GO OF THESE KEYS
3. Press and release the power on button. KEEP HOLDING THOSE KEYS DOWN
4. If you're asked for your wifi password, let go of the keyboard and enter it.
5. After a while, you should see "the spinning globe" that indicates the internet utilities are loading. Do you see it? NOW let go of the keys

6. Can you get to the internet utilities?

Try this, then come back and tell us what happens.
Click to expand...
I did everything as you said step by step.
yes, its worked. im at the internet utilities.
I see this photo:


now what should I do?
 

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"now what should I do?"

OK... I'm going to assume that there's nothing on the internal drive that you need to save.

Do this:
Go back to internet recovery.

Click on disk utility.

VERY IMPORTANT:
Go to the "view" menu in disk utility and choose "show all devices".

Now look at the list "on the left".
You should see the internal drive listed, should be "the top line".
We want to ERASE it and start over.

Click "erase".
Choose "APFS, GUID partition format".
The erase shouldn't take long.
When done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.

ACCEPT ANY VERSION OF THE OS THAT YOU ARE OFFERED.
Reason why:
A Mac that boots, is better than one that doesn't.

Start clicking through.
The Mac will restart one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no other indication of activity. Be patient.

When done, you should see the initial setup screen (choose your language).
At this point you can start clicking through.
Either create a new account, or, if you have a backup drive and want to migrate your stuff over, follow the instructions in setup assistant.

Good luck.
 
Fishrrman said:
"now what should I do?"

OK... I'm going to assume that there's nothing on the internal drive that you need to save.

Do this:
Go back to internet recovery.

Click on disk utility.

VERY IMPORTANT:
Go to the "view" menu in disk utility and choose "show all devices".

Now look at the list "on the left".
You should see the internal drive listed, should be "the top line".
We want to ERASE it and start over.

Click "erase".
Choose "APFS, GUID partition format".
The erase shouldn't take long.
When done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.

ACCEPT ANY VERSION OF THE OS THAT YOU ARE OFFERED.
Reason why:
A Mac that boots, is better than one that doesn't.

Start clicking through.
The Mac will restart one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no other indication of activity. Be patient.

When done, you should see the initial setup screen (choose your language).
At this point you can start clicking through.
Either create a new account, or, if you have a backup drive and want to migrate your stuff over, follow the instructions in setup assistant.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
I already tried this method..
it show me this error:
 

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OP:

What OS are you using on the 2015 MBP?
Monterey?

Need to know this before advising you further.

The 1tb external SSD that you have... is it able to be erased?

I have an alternate course of action you could try.
But again, need to know these answers first.
 
Fishrrman said:
OP:

What OS are you using on the 2015 MBP?
Monterey?

Need to know this before advising you further.

The 1tb external SSD that you have... is it able to be erased?

I have an alternate course of action you could try.
But again, need to know these answers first.
Click to expand...
my mid 2015 MacBook Pro runs Big Sur.
the 1tb ssd yes it is able to earsed.
the 1tb ssd is running Monterey perfectly inside the iMac 5k 2017. but cannot be updated, always giving me errors as I shown..
I wish you now can help.
thank you so much!
 
"the 1tb ssd is running Monterey perfectly inside the iMac 5k 2017. but cannot be updated, always giving me errors as I shown.."

Hmmm...

OS 12.x "Monterey" is installed and running.

You want to upgrade to OS 13.x "Ventura", right?

Can you do the following?
Boot to Monterey, get up and running.
Open disk utility.
Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices".
Now, take a screenshot or a phone pic of disk utility's window and post it here.

REASON WHY I'm asking:
I'm wondering if the iMac had a 3rd-party (non-Apple) internal drive replacement by the previous owner?

I seem to recall reading elsewhere in the forum that there can be a problem trying to update OS's on some iMacs and MacBooks where the factory-original internal drive has been replaced by a 3rd-party drive.

I could be wrong, this is just a guess.
But check disk utility in any case.
 
Fishrrman said:
"the 1tb ssd is running Monterey perfectly inside the iMac 5k 2017. but cannot be updated, always giving me errors as I shown.."

Hmmm...

OS 12.x "Monterey" is installed and running.

You want to upgrade to OS 13.x "Ventura", right?

Can you do the following?
Boot to Monterey, get up and running.
Open disk utility.
Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices".
Now, take a screenshot or a phone pic of disk utility's window and post it here.

REASON WHY I'm asking:
I'm wondering if the iMac had a 3rd-party (non-Apple) internal drive replacement by the previous owner?

I seem to recall reading elsewhere in the forum that there can be a problem trying to update OS's on some iMacs and MacBooks where the factory-original internal drive has been replaced by a 3rd-party drive.

I could be wrong, this is just a guess.
But check disk utility in any case.
Click to expand...
I also tried with the original apple hdd that came with the original box. same errors..
please help, there must be a solution for this
 

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I went back and re-read your original post (I'm old and miss things sometimes).

Am I to understand that there are TWO DRIVES inside the iMac?
1. The Apple factory SSD,
and
2. The Transcend drive (which I think you said) that you installed?

Looking at the disk utility screenshot above, it looks to me like you are booting and running from the Transcend drive, and there's nothing on the Apple SSD at all.

Is this correct ??

Again, need specific answers.

Looking at the image in your reply above, I'm going to GUESS that Ventura won't install because you're trying to install it on the Transcend drive, and for whatever reason, the installer won't agree to this. Perhaps because you created the OS install using the MacBook?
(OS installers can be very choosy about such things)

What happens if you boot back to internet recovery, and try to install Ventura on the APPLE SSD ...?
(The installer has the option to "show all disks" -- go there and choose the Apple SSD)

EDIT:
I see the Apple SSD is only 28gb (may be 32gb, formatted out to a little less).
Looks like this was a "fusion drive" iMac originally.
Was there a platter-based HDD that you removed?
 
Last edited:
maorattias said:
I heard from someone that maybe my firmware didn't updated - is it true? if yes, how can I fix it?
Click to expand...
Your iMac model is iMac18,3 and latest firmware version is 515.0.0.0.0

To check your current firmware version, use the About This Mac command at the top of the Apple menu, and click on the System Report… button. In the Hardware Overview listing, this is given as the Boot ROM Version or System Firmware Version. What is your system firmware version?
 
Bigwaff said:
Your iMac model is iMac18,3 and latest firmware version is 515.0.0.0.0

To check your current firmware version, use the About This Mac command at the top of the Apple menu, and click on the System Report… button. In the Hardware Overview listing, this is given as the Boot ROM Version or System Firmware Version. What is your system firmware version?
Click to expand...
hey
in the hardware overview my system firmware version is: 499.40.2.0.0
OS Loader Version is: 540.120.3~37

how I can update it?
 
Monterey install would have updated your firmware, however, you did not perform the install of Monterey on your iMac. You performed the install on your MBP, hence, your iMac firmware was not updated. You need to perform the install of Monterey on your iMac. Try booting into Recovery (Command+R when booting) and reinstall macOS Monterey. For Monterey, firmware version installed should be 529.140.2.0.0
 
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Re waff's post above:

Could the OP do this:
1. Install Ventura on the SSD (portion of the fusion drive) which seems to have nothing on it.
and then
2. Back up the user-installed SSD
3. ERASE the user-installed SSD
4. Use CarbonCopyCloner to clone the Ventura install to the user-installed SSD
and finally
5. Use migration assistant to migrate apps, data, settings, etc. from the cloned backup BACK TO the user-installed SSD?
 
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