Hello. I have a MBP 2011 13" with High Sierra and 16GB of RAM and just downloaded the High Sierra installer from the AppStore and made my 16GB flashdrive bootable to install it on my new SSD. The thing is when I click on Install MacOS from the recovery it shows me an alert which says: macOS High Sierra cannot be installed on this computer. I've downloaded twice the HS installer from the store but got the same message. And the method I use to create the bootable flashdrive is the one Apple provides on their page using the terminal and the createinstallmedia file. Could somebody help me please?
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MacOS High Sierra cannot be installed on this computer.
- Thread starter yeinerfonseca
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Hi @yeinerfonseca
I can try to help out a little, to be honest I’m not the most knowledgeable person but we might have some luck?!?
What version of macOS do you currently have on your MacBook Pro?
What are you trying to do with the macOS High Sierra Installer? I’m guessing that you are trying to do a clean installation/factory restore?
Thanks!
I can try to help out a little, to be honest I’m not the most knowledgeable person but we might have some luck?!?
What version of macOS do you currently have on your MacBook Pro?
What are you trying to do with the macOS High Sierra Installer? I’m guessing that you are trying to do a clean installation/factory restore?
Thanks!
Your MBP should be compatible with macOS High Sierra according to the Apple website.
MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
Have you installed macOS High Sierra on your MBP 13 previously?
MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
Have you installed macOS High Sierra on your MBP 13 previously?
My HS version is 10.13.6. And yes, I am trying to do a clean install on my new SSD.
I installed High Sierra previously. It had Yosemite I think.
Hey @yeinerfonseca
Okay, is the SSD internally or externally mounted?
You may have already done this but you would have to format the new SSD in order for it to be able to have macOS installed on it.
Also, when you get the message...
macOS High Sierra cannot be installed on this computer
Do you get any further options in that window?
Thanks!
Okay, is the SSD internally or externally mounted?
You may have already done this but you would have to format the new SSD in order for it to be able to have macOS installed on it.
Also, when you get the message...
macOS High Sierra cannot be installed on this computer
Do you get any further options in that window?
Thanks!
I would try formatting the disk in Disk Utility first, I think the new drive may be formatted with MBR partition map instead of GUID which makes the installer not accept the drive.
Right now I have my HDD mounted just to see if the installer is actually at least opening from the recovery so I could then mount the SSD which was already formatted to APFS and the map is Guid. I don't get any further options in that window unfortunately.
Yeah the old drive is HDD and the process I followed was making a bootable flashdrive and do it through the recovery as well.
Okay, so you currently have the original HDD in the MBP and are already on macOS High Sierra 10.13.6?
If that’s the case then I believe that the MBP should now have the latest appropriate firmware installed also.
If that’s the case then I believe that the MBP should now have the latest appropriate firmware installed also.
You should get a USB3 to SATA3 adapter cable. They are only a few dollars, and will allow you to boot from one while installing to another.
This would eliminate the need for the USB installer if it is not working properly.
This would eliminate the need for the USB installer if it is not working properly.
I wouldn't use APFS unless I had to.
Yeah, it currently has the original HDD. Do you know what's the latest firmware version for HS?
@yeinerfonseca
I don’t know of the top of my head, but I’ll try to check it out and get back to you.
I don’t know of the top of my head, but I’ll try to check it out and get back to you.
Do you have firmware 87.0.0.0.0 by any chance? I just googled it but I’m not sure if it’s correct as the firmware version varies by Mac model.
I checked my Late 2011 17" MBP, and the firmware is 87.0.0.0.0.
I am able to install High Sierra on the third-party SSD without issue. A side note, the USB installer and SSD is formatted HFS.
I am able to install High Sierra on the third-party SSD without issue. A side note, the USB installer and SSD is formatted HFS.
I have installed all the updates from the AppStore, but still don't know why I don't have that firmware you're saying.
I don't know why either, maybe there was a problem updating the firmware.
I have personally had a firmware issue on an iMac that prevented me from installing High Sierra to an non-Apple SSD. I could install earlier OS versions, but not High Sierra.
The reason why is because I pulled a failing HDD from the Mac that only had Yosemite installed.
I swapped with a third-party SSD and cloned the OS from another Mac I had and was running High Sierra on it just fine.
The issue appeared when I went to do a clean install of High Sierra on the new SSD. I forget the exact message, or if there even was one, but I think I wasn't even able to start the install process because the SSD showed as greyed out on the installer when picking the installation drive.
To install High Sierra on the third-party SSD, I had to open the iMac again, put an OEM Apple HDD back, install an OS before high Sierra, then upgrade to High Sierra, installing the Firmware in the process.
I then had to open the iMac again, swap the SSD for the HDD again, and then I could do a fresh install.
There may have been another way, but I couldn't figure it out.
@yeinerfonseca
Can you please go to the Apple Logo and click About This Mac, then click on the macOS version to reveal the build number and post a screenshot of that window?
Also, then click on System Report and then post a screenshot of the first window that appears?
Thanks!
Can you please go to the Apple Logo and click About This Mac, then click on the macOS version to reveal the build number and post a screenshot of that window?
Also, then click on System Report and then post a screenshot of the first window that appears?
Thanks!