Reinstalling Big Sur

[drewaz]

I'm trading in a 2019 Intel MBA with Big Sur ... I booted in recovery mode and erased the HD and HD-data and then clicked on the icon to install Big Sur and used the HD option (not the HD-data option). so .... it's saying I have 10 hours remaining and doesn't seem to be progressing at all.

is this normal?

 

[Apple_Robert]

How long have you been downloading Big Sur? Do you have a VPN running?

 

[drewaz]

Not using a VPN.

I started the installation process about an hour ago ... the progress bar is about 4/5 blue but it doesn't say whether it's downloading or installing ... it's now estimating 11 hr and 28 minutes and still not progressing. speedtest indicates all is well with downloads.

 

[casperes1996]

If you have another Mac you could make a USB installer. But I mean, no, 10+ hours is not normal. My last OS install the progress bar estimated just a hair over an hour but it took more like 40 minutes.

but technically erasing the two partitions isn't really the way you're meant to erase the disk. This may end you up with two data partitions or something. You're meant to erase the disk as a whole, not its individual partitions or volumes. - I think the Recovery Mode Disk Utility is set up to show it by default, but on the regular Disk Utility you need to enable seeing disks in the view menu otherwise you only see volumes.

 

[drewaz]

thanks for the help. I erased both partitions based on something I read from Apple (I think) .... I just ran across this post: "After talking with an Apple senior advisor I was informed to simply restart the computer. He said there was an issue with the progress bar not completing therefore not continuing the process of restarting the Mac. After I shut down the Mac and restarted it with the power button it instantly came on and allowed me to login with the update already installed!"

I'll try this in an hour or so ....

thanks again for your help!

 

[Apple_Robert]

thanks for the help. I erased both partitions based on something I read from Apple (I think) .... I just ran across this post: "After talking with an Apple senior advisor I was informed to simply restart the computer. He said there was an issue with the progress bar not completing therefore not continuing the process of restarting the Mac. After I shut down the Mac and restarted it with the power button it instantly came on and allowed me to login with the update already installed!"

I'll try this in an hour or so ....

thanks again for your help!

In the future, open Disk Utility to (view all drives) and erase the top drive listed as Apple SSD, (followed by numbers) rename to Macintosh HD. After install, you will see HD and data like you had before.

Yea, restarting shouldn't (normally) pose a problem. Just know that it doesn't always happen that way.

 

[drewaz]

I just restarted and got the flashing folder with a question mark ... rebooted in recovery mode and was directed to internet recovery which isn't responding. I will call Apple tomorrow and see if they will accept the trade in that doesn't have an OS installed.

 

[theapplehead]

I just restarted and got the flashing folder with a question mark ... rebooted in recovery mode and was directed to internet recovery which isn't responding. I will call Apple tomorrow and see if they will accept the trade in that doesn't have an OS installed.

Boot into Internet Recovery mode if possible. Once there go to Disk Utility and choose to “View All Devices”. That should show you the main SSD on your Mac which would be the one you’d want to format. Format that, then try reinstalling macOS.

 

[drewaz]

I tried Internet Recovery again and it took around 45 minutes to load but I did eventually get to the icon to install BS. So far, it's been working on it for over 5 hours but according to the progress bar should be completed soon.

I have no idea why there is such a lag connecting to Internet Recovery or installing BS. If I had been patient I would have had this job completed hours ago. But, it does look like the end is in sight ... fingers crossed.

Thanks for the help.