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tm0000

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 29, 2014
339
9
I wanted to format my MBP... So I erased the disk and then tried reinstalling the OS. It’s stuck on “about 5 minutes remaining”.

It’s been hours. The progress bar hasn’t advanced even a bit.

Please please help!
 

dianeoforegon

macrumors 6502a
Apr 26, 2011
907
137
Oregon
Give it some time. I have seen it take hours.
When it gets to the end and never clicks over, you can try shutting down and on restart it should boot into Sierra. Since your drive is empty, you can't really hurt anything if you stop.

Did you format as HFS+ Mac OS Extended Journaled?
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,193
13,243
OP:
Are you doing a "download from online and install"?

If it doesn't complete, I'd suggest you try another way:
Create a bootable USB installer, and boot from that and install from that.

You'll need:
- a USB flash drive 16gb or larger
- a copy of the Sierra installer (it may currently be in your Applications folder)
- ONE of the following free apps:
-- Boot Buddy
-- DiskMaker X
-- Install Disk Creator

Download one of these.
Initialize the USB flash drive to HFS+ with journaling enabled.
Then use the utility to create the flashdrive.

Then, power down the MacBook.
Plug in the bootable flashdrive.
Press the power on button.
IMMEDIATELY hold down the option key and KEEP HOLDING IT DOWN until the startup manager appears.
Select the USB drive with the pointer and hit return.
You should boot to the installer.
"Point" the installer at your internal drive, and give things another try.

It -might- go easier if you erase the internal drive first, but DON'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU ARE BACKED UP!
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,193
13,243
[[ Or even easier yet, just use the built in command "createinstallmedia" ]]

Using the above command in terminal is generally NOT "easier" for someone unskilled in terminal, the ins-and-outs of Mac OS installation, or both.

If one doesn't have the command line "just so" (particularly regarding the "target volume", it won't work.

Any one of the above 3 utilities can do the job easily using a graphical interface, no prior knowledge of terminal required...
 
Last edited:

lleach823

macrumors newbie
Mar 21, 2018
2
0
Give it some time. I have seen it take hours.
When it gets to the end and never clicks over, you can try shutting down and on restart it should boot into Sierra. Since your drive is empty, you can't really hurt anything if you stop.

Did you format as HFS+ Mac OS Extended Journaled?
[doublepost=1521701848][/doublepost]Give it some time is not the way to fix this. There is something wrong that needs to be corrected. My Macbook a1524 has been stuck at the same '5 minutes remaining' for five days. How much more time shall I give it? This is ridiculous, to give it some time? I don't have a USB slot anywhere on this device besides the charger hole. Does anyone know how to fix this? Otherwise, Imo smash it on the seventh day. L
 
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