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Danielm1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 25, 2014
21
2
Hi everybody. I try to update to Sonoma without success. I got the Checking "(null)" message always. I look for that on Google without success also. I have Macbook Pro 2018 (is it to old?). and I have the Mojave 10.4.6 OS. I tried before to go on Ventura but no more able. Thanks for your futures answer.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,239
13,311
Just wondering...
How much FREE SPACE is on the MBP's drive?

I reckon you need around 60gb of free space for the Sonoma install.
The install software isn't "that big".
But the drive's contents need to be moved around during the install, temp files, etc.

Installing Apple's OS's today "ain't like it used to be"...
 

Danielm1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 25, 2014
21
2
Just wondering...
How much FREE SPACE is on the MBP's drive?

I reckon you need around 60gb of free space for the Sonoma install.
The install software isn't "that big".
But the drive's contents need to be moved around during the install, temp files, etc.

Installing Apple's OS's today "ain't like it used to be"...
Thanks for your answer. I have 180gb of free space.
 

katbel

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2009
3,633
32,592
If for some reason downloading Sonoma from the App Store doesn’t work, you can download InstallAssistant.pkg 14.3 from the links posted here https://mrmacintosh.com/macos-sonoma-full-installer-database-download-directly-from-apple/
The InstallAssistant.pkg installs “Install macOS Sonoma.app” in /Applications
I just noticed that the installer 13.4Gb installs only a much smaller installer in Applications, around 40mb
and if you launch it it start downloading everything again from Apple.
It did that with Ventura already. I opened the package with Suspicious Package/Pacifist and it shows the full installer somewhere buried in a disk you should mount. There it's zipped and in all very tiny parts.
Supposedly they should be in the installer in your app folder. But they aren't 😟
How to get the installer to use what is in the package already downloaded and not trying to download everything again?!
 

bogdanw

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2009
6,117
3,029
I just noticed that the installer 13.4Gb installs only a much smaller installer in Applications, around 40mb
and if you launch it it start downloading everything again from Apple.
That should not happen. Make sure you have enough free space on the disk.
 

katbel

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2009
3,633
32,592
That should not happen. Make sure you have enough free space on the disk.
I have "only" 520 GB free disk... It happened on another computer as well and on external disk too, all with more than 500GB available
 

katbel

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2009
3,633
32,592
install sonoma.jpg

and on an external disk: as you can see it's asking 40mb

I guess it's the installer from Apple that doesn't work
 

bogdanw

macrumors 603
Mar 10, 2009
6,117
3,029
and on an external disk: as you can see it's asking 40mb

I guess it's the installer from Apple that doesn't work
Delete the 40mb app from /Applications and try from Suspicious Package - Export Item to Default Folder
 

katbel

macrumors 68040
Aug 19, 2009
3,633
32,592
Delete the 40mb app from /Applications and try from Suspicious Package - Export Item to Default Folder
Same small installer, alas

To download the full installer of Ventura- or any other I need -Sonoma for another computer to try-
I used Terminal
No issues and got the full installer ready in the application folders, easier than installing packages and it works

Code:
softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 13.6.4
 
Last edited:

MBAir2010

macrumors 604
May 30, 2018
6,975
6,354
there
I'm thinking your drive is not APFS formatted
as this happened to my macbook pro mid 2012 last year,
from Mojave to Catalina did not upgrade with the same error message.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,239
13,311
There's a relative newcomer to the field of apps that can create bootable installer drives:
"Mist":
(download the ".dmg" file)

Mist will both download the installer AND create a bootable USB flashdrive in one integrated app.
For the latest OS's, I'd suggest using a 32gb flashdrive, formatted to HFS+.

Free and worth a try if you're having continuing difficulties using other means...

EDIT:
I just tried using Mist to download/create a bootable flashdrive.
I picked Monterey (last version).
It took a little time, but went off without a hitch.
The installer boots my 2018 Mini.
 
Last edited:
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