Unable to install Sierra GM(Resolved)

[python0704]

Hi,

I downloaded previous beta but didn't install concerned about the bugs. So I waited until the GM to install beta version. GM was downloaded with no problem. But when mac reboots to install, it said unable to install, couldn't verify. This happened when I try to install previous beta on Parallel too. But I thought it was something with Parallel. Can anyone help?

I used to install El Cap beta last year and unenrolled. Wonder if that's the reason?

 

[RumorzGuy]

Hi,

I downloaded previous beta but didn't install concerned about the bugs. So I waited until the GM to install beta version. GM was downloaded with no problem. But when mac reboots to install, it said unable to install, couldn't verify. This happened when I try to install previous beta on Parallel too. But I thought it was something with Parallel. Can anyone help?

I used to install El Cap beta last year and unenrolled. Wonder if that's the reason?

Are you trying to install on your MacBook, or on an older, unsupported computer?

 

[python0704]

Are you trying to install on your MacBook, or on an older, unsupported computer?

In the 2014 Retina MacBook Pro 15", it should be supported.

 

[RumorzGuy]

Indeed it should be, and is.

In case you were wondering, the reason why I asked you if you were trying to install on an older, unsupported Mac, is because to my knowledge, when the installer app can't be verified, that is one of the key signs that a person is trying to install on an unsupported machine. In fact, I received that very error with the GM installer, and I had to wait for dosdude1 to update his patcher tool before I could install the GM.

 

[grahamperrin]

… it said unable to install, couldn't verify …

You should discover whether the failed verification was of the volume where you want to install the operating system. Please:

1. reset NVRAM
2. start Recovery OS
3. use Disk Utility to verify the volume.

Does the volume appear to be OK? If not, please take a note of what, exactly, appears on screen. If you like, take a photograph.

 

[python0704]

Indeed it should be, and is.

In case you were wondering, the reason why I asked you if you were trying to install on an older, unsupported Mac, is because to my knowledge, when the installer app can't be verified, that is one of the key signs that a person is trying to install on an unsupported machine. In fact, I received that very error with the GM installer, and I had to wait for dosdude1 to update his patcher tool before I could install the GM.

You should discover whether the failed verification was of the volume where you want to install the operating system. Please:

1. reset NVRAM
2. start Recovery OS
3. use Disk Utility to verify the volume.

Does the volume appear to be OK? If not, please take a note of what, exactly, appears on screen. If you like, take a photograph.

I reset NVRAM and tried again, this time it shows "an internal error occurred". What should I try now?

 

[grahamperrin]

it shows "an internal error occurred".

Where exactly is that shown? Is it in response to you attempting something?

 

[python0704]

Where exactly is that shown? Is it in response to you attempting something?

It occurred after restart and began counting down installation. After a few minutes it showed cannot install, an internal error occurred, please restart and try again. I didn't do anything.

 

[zhaoxin]

You should put the install file in your /Applications folder instead of on another disk if yor are not to. Please check this first.

 

[grahamperrin]

after restart and began counting down installation. After a few minutes it showed cannot install, an internal error occurred,

Thank you.

Now again, reset NVRAM and before your next attempt to install, make the previously recommended attempt to use Disk Utility to verify the volume; and if any error is indicated within Disk Utility, take a careful note of the details.

 

[python0704]

You should put the install file in your /Applications folder instead of on another disk if yor are not to. Please check this first.

It is in the applications folder. I didn't do any more changes.

 

[zhaoxin]

Now I think what you can do is making a clone or a time machine backup. Then use a usb disk to do a fresh install, then use migrating tools to get everything back.

 

[python0704]

Thank you.

Now again, reset NVRAM and before your next attempt to install, make the previously recommended attempt to use Disk Utility to verify the volume; and if any error is indicated within Disk Utility, take a careful note of the details.

I tried your recommended attempts and didn't see any error indicated within Disk Utility. The only abnormal thing is it showed all my SSD volume in "other" and zero available. Maybe that's the problem.
[doublepost=1473519089][/doublepost]

Now I think what you can do is making a clone or a time machine backup. Then use a usb disk to do a fresh install, then use migrating tools to get everything back.

Thanks. However I would like to avoid fresh install because I don't backup parallel VR in time machine.

 

[grahamperrin]

a clone or a time machine backup. Then use a usb disk to do a fresh install,

I should hesitate before doing that, without knowing whether there's a problem with the storage. If there is, then the clone might be of data that's silently corrupt; and a subsequent fresh install could significantly reduce the chances of somehow regaining good (or less corrupt) data.

Postscript: messages crossed paths, I see that the HFS Plus file system appears to be OK.

@python0704 now make another attempt to install and if a failure occurs:

• key Command-L

That should present a log window, and within that window – hopefully – a menu that allows you to see more than just errors.

Maximise that log window and then scroll, until there's a reasonably good view of the context in which failure occured. Take a photograph and please share it here.

 

[python0704]

I should hesitate before doing that, without knowing whether there's a problem with the storage. If there is, then the clone might be of data that's silently corrupt; and a subsequent fresh install could significantly reduce the chances of somehow regaining good (or less corrupt) data.

Postscript: messages crossed paths, I see that the HFS Plus file system appears to be OK.

@python0704 now make another attempt to install and if a failure occurs:

• key Command-L

That should present a log window, and within that window – hopefully – a menu that allows you to see more than just errors.

Maximise that log window and then scroll, until there's a reasonably good view of the context in which failure occured. Take a photograph and please share it here.

Hi, below is the image of the error and logs. Looks like a lot of errors and I'm not advanced to address them.

 

[blasto2236]

Just delete the installer and re-download from the App Store. I got the same message when I downloaded a previous beta over a relatively choppy internet connection. Something in the installer was corrupted. Deleting it and re-downloading over a more stable internet connection resolved the issue for me.

 

[python0704]

Just delete the installer and re-download from the App Store. I got the same message when I downloaded a previous beta over a relatively choppy internet connection. Something in the installer was corrupted. Deleting it and re-downloading over a more stable internet connection resolved the issue for me.

Just tried. Same error. No luck for me.

 

[randolorian]

There are some errors in that output about the disk check failing. Run Disk Utility First Aid.

 

[fischersd]

Maybe someone discussed this with the OP, but, from the original posting:
"This happened when I try to install previous beta on Parallel too. But I thought it was something with Parallel."

@python0704 - you're trying to install macOS Sierra running under Parallels? or is this a native installation? If you're building this in a virtual environment, you really need to make that clear from the outset.

 

[grahamperrin]

There are some errors in that output about the disk check failing. …

Well spotted, thanks, that's why I requested the photographs.

Earlier, from the opening poster:

… didn't see any error indicated within Disk Utility. …

I wonder whether something other than the affected volume was selected for that verification.

… Run Disk Utility First Aid.

Normally that's good advice, however the details logged are cause for concern. This, specifically:

… Disk repair retry failed too many times. …

The limited number of retries is not only to avoid endless looping. The limitation is also to avoid worsening the problems with what may be, already, a seriously inconsistent HFS Plus file system.

@python0704 if you do not have a verifiably good backup of your home directory and other user data, then my strongest recommendation is to immediately cease using the Mac.

It's possible that a commercial utility – such as DiskWarrior – will be able to use available data, plus the best of the bad file system metadata, to (re)create a good file system metadata but the longer that you use the disk in its current state, the lower the likelihood of an acceptable end result.

Side notes

There's a little guesswork above, because the logged information does not show the details of the disk repair failures.

https://www.apfeltalk.de/community/attachments/installer-log-02-27-16-txt.133060/ from February 2016 is someone else's log of a failed installation of an operating system, not Sierra but there's the same phrase,

Disk repair retry failed too many times

 

[python0704]

Well spotted, thanks, that's why I requested the photographs.

Earlier, from the opening poster:



I wonder whether something other than the affected volume was selected for that verification.



Normally that's good advice, however the details logged are cause for concern. This, specifically:

… Disk repair retry failed too many times. …

The limited number of retries is not only to avoid endless looping. The limitation is also to avoid worsening the problems with what may be, already, a seriously inconsistent HFS Plus file system.

@python0704 if you do not have a verifiably good backup of your home directory and other user data, then my strongest recommendation is to immediately cease using the Mac.

It's possible that a commercial utility – such as DiskWarrior – will be able to use available data, plus the best of the bad file system metadata, to (re)create a good file system metadata but the longer that you use the disk in its current state, the lower the likelihood of an acceptable end result.

Side notes

There's a little guesswork above, because the logged information does not show the details of the disk repair failures.

https://www.apfeltalk.de/community/attachments/installer-log-02-27-16-txt.133060/ from February 2016 is someone else's log of a failed installation of an operating system, not Sierra but there's the same phrase,

Disk repair retry failed too many times

Is this a software issue or hardware issue? If hardware, my Applecare should help. If software, does my Time Machine backup three days ago also contain bad file system metadata? Will a fresh installation of El Cap solve the issue(I prefer not to do it unless have to)?
[doublepost=1473627728][/doublepost]

Maybe someone discussed this with the OP, but, from the original posting:
"This happened when I try to install previous beta on Parallel too. But I thought it was something with Parallel."

@python0704 - you're trying to install macOS Sierra running under Parallels? or is this a native installation? If you're building this in a virtual environment, you really need to make that clear from the outset.

I previously tried to install a beta on Parallels but failed, I thought it was on Parallels end. Now I tried to install GM native and failed again.

 

[grahamperrin]

> … the longer that you use the disk in its current state, the lower the likelihood of an acceptable end result.

Hint: using a full system installer is considerable use. The more that's installed/written to the disk, the lower the likelihood of an acceptable end result.

Whilst I advise you to refrain from using OS X, or attempting to (re)install, macOS: it's almost certainly OK to use Recovery OS. That's because Recovery OS is far less likely to write to the part of the disk that's having problems.

Now – without booting Recovery OS – if you use Disk Utility to verify the startup volume, we can be sure that the utility will make no attempt to repair what may be an already seriously inconsistency directory. After Disk Utility finishes its live verification of the volume, it will probably be impossible to copy the details from the window of the utility (a design flaw) but you can use the Console utility to view, and copy from, the tail of this file:

/var/log/fsck_hfs.log

Close to midnight here, I aim to review this in the morning …

 

[python0704]

> … the longer that you use the disk in its current state, the lower the likelihood of an acceptable end result.

Hint: using a full system installer is considerable use. The more that's installed/written to the disk, the lower the likelihood of an acceptable end result.

Whilst I advise you to refrain from using OS X, or attempting to (re)install, macOS: it's almost certainly OK to use Recovery OS. That's because Recovery OS is far less likely to write to the part of the disk that's having problems.

Now – without booting Recovery OS – if you use Disk Utility to verify the startup volume, we can be sure that the utility will make no attempt to repair what may be an already seriously inconsistency directory. After Disk Utility finishes its live verification of the volume, it will probably be impossible to copy the details from the window of the utility (a design flaw) but you can use the Console utility to view, and copy from, the tail of this file:

/var/log/fsck_hfs.log

Close to midnight here, I aim to review this in the morning …

The log showed below,

/dev/rdisk0s2:
/dev/rdisk0s2: fsck_hfs started at Sun Sep 11 18:39:46 2016
/dev/rdisk0s2: Executing fsck_hfs (version hfs-305.10.1).
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Performing live verification.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
/dev/rdisk0s2: The volume name is Mac
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking extents overflow file.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking catalog file.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking multi-linked files.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking catalog hierarchy.
/dev/rdisk0s2: Invalid directory item count
/dev/rdisk0s2: (It should be 198597 instead of 198600)
/dev/rdisk0s2: Invalid directory item count
/dev/rdisk0s2: (It should be 35 instead of 34)
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking extended attributes file.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking volume bitmap.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** Checking volume information.
/dev/rdisk0s2: ** The volume Mac was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
/dev/rdisk0s2: fsck_hfs completed at Sun Sep 11 18:40:31 2016
/dev/rdisk0s2:

Indeed some errors. Disk Utility from Recovery OS repaired these errors and I have successfully installed GM. Glad to be able to finally use PIP and Tabs I've been waiting for. Thanks for help from everyone in this tread and especially thank you.

 

[grahamperrin]

Thanks @python0704

The invalid directory item counts are relatively minor inconsistencies. If the original problem had been nothing more than invalid counts, I would have expected fsck_hfs to repair the counts in a single run (one repair, then automatic verification that no further repair was required).

With the OS as currently designed, it's too late to tell the details of the original problem.

I reckon that you were very lucky; that whilst the file system now appears to be OK, it will be a good idea to perform a more thorough check that is not limited to file system metadata.

Cross reference

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/23443574 under iMac won't start up – another case where it's likely that the OS automatically performed a limited number of attempts to repair a DIRTY HFS Plus file system.

 

[python0704]

Thanks @python0704

The invalid directory item counts are relatively minor inconsistencies. If the original problem had been nothing more than invalid counts, I would have expected fsck_hfs to repair the counts in a single run (one repair, then automatic verification that no further repair was required).

With the OS as currently designed, it's too late to tell the details of the original problem.

I reckon that you were very lucky; that whilst the file system now appears to be OK, it will be a good idea to perform a more thorough check that is not limited to file system metadata.

Cross reference

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/23443574 under iMac won't start up – another case where it's likely that the OS automatically performed a limited number of attempts to repair a DIRTY HFS Plus file system.

Since I'm not that advanced to perform a more thorough check, I'm just gonna assume it's fixed and enjoy unless something else comes up. Thanks for your help.