MP 7,1 Install macOS on new SSD kit

[Regulus67]

I am making progress.
With a bootable macOS Sonoma drive, it takes 7 minutes Starting Internet Recovery, with wi-fi.

The SSD kit is identified

To install from the USB drive I need to change boot security. But so far, I am not able to make any changes.
Warning when I choose macOS Password...

So skipping that.

Next step - Disk Utility. Create the partition for macOS.

Having given up trying to install macOS Monterey. It is time to install macOS Sonoma 😮‍💨

Yes, Apple WON this round
(Apple support failed)

 

[mattspace]

Apple is the sole supplier of the parts, they’re sold as user-installable, and the user-installation process both doesn’t work, and Apple is unable to instruct a remedy to make it work.

File a formal complaint for deceptive trade practices with your local jurisdiction, stipulate that the remedy you require is for them to send a representative to you to fix it on-site.

 

[mattspace]

I am making progress.
With a bootable macOS Sonoma drive, it takes 7 minutes Starting Internet Recovery, with wi-fi.

The SSD kit is identified

View attachment 2389987

To install from the USB drive I need to change boot security. But so far, I am not able to make any changes.
Warning when I choose macOS Password...

View attachment 2389989

So skipping that.

Next step - Disk Utility. Create the partition for macOS.

Having given up trying to install macOS Monterey. It is time to install macOS Sonoma 😮‍💨

View attachment 2389998

Yes, Apple WON this round
(Apple support failed)

I was actually wondering if you had tried creating an external bootable drive first, with the old ssds installed, THEN replacing the SSDs.

 

[Regulus67]

I was actually wondering if you had tried creating an external bootable drive first, with the old ssds installed, THEN replacing the SSDs.

I did not even think of that. As I had no problems last year replacing 1TB with a 4TB kit. Installing macOS Monterey was just as smooth as installing macOS Sonoma today.
I have come to the conclusion that Apple actively puts in hurdles to prevent us from installing older versions.
As everything I did the last 4 days, and the hardware, was identical. Only change was which macOS I was installing.

I do not wish to pursue a complaint with local authorities. Besides, I have not read the EULA at all.

I find it a lot more helpful to post here on this forum. Apple might not care whatsoever, but this will help other users in a similar situation.
And despite Apple Support claiming it's our internet connection that is faulty, this makes it clear it is not.

edit: I wrote a long detailed answer to Apple Support, and rated them second-lowest grade

 

[Regulus67]

 

[Regulus67]

Tip to anyone planning to upgrade with a new Apple SSD kit.

Before you remove the old SSDs. Change Boot Security to allow booting from a bootable USB drive.
That might prevent the problems I had?

 

[avro707]

do not wish to pursue a complaint with local authorities. Besides, I have not read the EULA at all.

You should pursue action against them. Apple needs a smack once in a while to bring them back to more reasonable behaviour.

Although that will make you most hated on the forums here among the devotees of Apple, it serves us all better.


Changing boot security is worth trying but I found it still didn’t help much when trying to install Windows. I was still blocked.

At least you got the machine working and don’t have an expensive room heater.

 

[benmuetsch]

Tip to anyone planning to upgrade with a new Apple SSD kit.

Before you remove the old SSDs. Change Boot Security to allow booting from a bootable USB drive.
That might prevent the problems I had?

Short: Most likeley not. You can still downgrade to Monterey now (via USB - allow first).

Long:

The stupid way the Apple T2 architecture and security concept works makes some processes ectremely difficult.
When restored the Firmware via DFU and there is/was no further activation lock, your Mac should be pretty much as new but has no OS installed and all NVRAM should be cleared, hence no USB boot option as the security settings went back to default. You can only change these via local OS recovery with an admin account and passwort.
When no OS and local admin availabe, only option is to use internet recovery first.

 

[mattspace]

When restored the Firmware via DFU and there is/was no further activation lock, your Mac should be pretty much as new but has no OS installed and all NVRAM should be cleared, hence no USB boot option as the security settings went back to default. You can only change these via local OS recovery with an admin account and passwort.
When no OS and local admin availabe, only option is to use internet recovery first.

Good explanation for the chain of events.

 

[Regulus67]

Short: Most likeley not. You can still downgrade to Monterey now (via USB - allow first).

I agree with mattspace that the "long" explanation is good.

Even if my mac could be downgraded to Monterey, I will not attempt that.
It was such a long and frustrating experience, so now I am just grateful it is in working order again

 

[Regulus67]

An update on downgrading macOS on a mac with T2 chip.

I purchased an iMac Pro a week ago. It came with Sonoma installed. And I forgot to bring the notes on user passwords.
But it turned out I did not need the passwords. As it was only the login which required a password.

I was forced to reinstall Sonoma. Having done that, it was a normal macOS install. And I created the user and logged in.

Having created the admin user account.
Next step was to restart the machine and go into Startup Security Utility to allow booting from the USB stick.
It asked for a password, and now it accepted my new admin password. And let me change the settings.

I was then able to boot from the Bootable USB with Monterey. And the installation proceeded as normal


I believe this would work on my Mac Pro with Sonoma as well. But I don't have a need to do it, as the other Mac Pro is running Monterey.

 

[H2SO4]

Which is nearly the price of a car!

I’m definitely not going the SSD upgrade route on mine.

Me neither. I have a spare in case my internal goes belly up but upgrades will be on an NVME blade as soon as I deem Sequoia good enough to be trusted.

 

[avro707]

I've not seen anything to say that the faults I reported with W6800X Duo in Seq.whatever are fixed so I haven't upgraded that machine.

However, the NVME blades do work fine on my other 7,1 in MacOS 15. They are Samsung 980. The card is the Sonnet 4 blade unit.