I'm using a 2021 MacBook Pro 16". I wanted to install Sequoia 15.2 (the currently installed system) onto an external drive (I had just used Disk Utility to erase it with a single APFS partition), so I used Recovery Mode. Installation seemed to go smoothly, but when it was done, a message was displayed that the system on the drive where the system had just been installed couldn't be verified. When I booted from the MacBook Pro's internal drive, the system version displayed in the Startup Disk area of General Settings tells me that the installed system on the external volume is 14.7.2. Why is that the case? Thanks.
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Why did Recovery Mode install macOS 14.7.2 on my external disk?
- Thread starter llee
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I'm going to GUESS that since you chose "recovery", the installer assumed that you wanted to "recover to" the same version of the OS that is on your internal drive.
If you want 15.2 on an external drive (while leaving 14.7.2 on your INTERNAL drive), then I think you need to download the Sequoia installer "as an install app", put it into your applications folder, and run it from there. You should be offered the opportunity to change "the target", so that the new install goes onto the external drive.
Another way to do it:
Get a 32gb (or larger) USB flash drive.
Get "Mist" by downloading it from here:
github.com
(download the dmg file)
Mist is a nifty (and free) app that will download the version of the OS you need AND create a bootable flash drive, all in one integrated process. I've used it and it works. Be patient, takes a little while.
Then, invoke "startup options" to boot from the flashdrive, and do your install that way (again, to the external).
Hmmm... one other thing...
You ARE using an SSD as the external boot drive, right?
Platter-based HDD's are just too slow to work on the latest versions of the OS...
If you want 15.2 on an external drive (while leaving 14.7.2 on your INTERNAL drive), then I think you need to download the Sequoia installer "as an install app", put it into your applications folder, and run it from there. You should be offered the opportunity to change "the target", so that the new install goes onto the external drive.
Another way to do it:
Get a 32gb (or larger) USB flash drive.
Get "Mist" by downloading it from here:
Release 0.20.1 · ninxsoft/Mist
Fixed a bug that resulted in macOS installers being created that were only ~500MB in size Thanks hronro, weegie247, gjoris, EAZYBLACK, tifredfr, clickoncentral, dordal and A00736470!
github.com
Mist is a nifty (and free) app that will download the version of the OS you need AND create a bootable flash drive, all in one integrated process. I've used it and it works. Be patient, takes a little while.
Then, invoke "startup options" to boot from the flashdrive, and do your install that way (again, to the external).
Hmmm... one other thing...
You ARE using an SSD as the external boot drive, right?
Platter-based HDD's are just too slow to work on the latest versions of the OS...
Thanks! Well, 15.2 is already installed to the internal MacBook Pro drive (I never miss an upgrade). The main way I've been creating a bootable backup is to use the Legacy Copy feature in Carbon Copy Cloner. But two days ago, that failed for the first time. I've tried 2 external drives, one SSD and another disk drive. I've tried both methods: MAS download installer, and recovery mode installer. Why won't recovery mode see that my internal drive has 15.2, and install 15.2 on demand? That's a mystery to me.
I'll try that Mist (thanks!).
But back to the situation at hand. Apple Support (I have 3 days left for AppleCare+ for this unit) told me to try installing the 15.2 version of "Install Mac Sequoia.app" that I downloaded right after the Carbon Copy Cloner failure two days ago (I don't believe it has changed since then) while in Safe Boot Mode. None of this is really new to me, it's just that this is the first time I've experienced these consistent failures. I used to use a bootable flash drive created with apps called "Install Disk Creator", "Diskmaker X", and Dan Frakes' method (from MacWorld). I really doubt that Safe Boot Mode is gonna solve this, but I've tried everything else. I'm afraid I'll have to wipe and install to make this Mac work right, but I have an Apple case number in "case" I have to take it in, so I'll track down the solution eventually.
Meanwhile, here's hoping that the creative philosophy behind macOS starts moving back from security to usability. It'll never happen any more than I'm likely to trust network storage for anything (yes, I'm that old!). Thanks again.
I'll try that Mist (thanks!).
But back to the situation at hand. Apple Support (I have 3 days left for AppleCare+ for this unit) told me to try installing the 15.2 version of "Install Mac Sequoia.app" that I downloaded right after the Carbon Copy Cloner failure two days ago (I don't believe it has changed since then) while in Safe Boot Mode. None of this is really new to me, it's just that this is the first time I've experienced these consistent failures. I used to use a bootable flash drive created with apps called "Install Disk Creator", "Diskmaker X", and Dan Frakes' method (from MacWorld). I really doubt that Safe Boot Mode is gonna solve this, but I've tried everything else. I'm afraid I'll have to wipe and install to make this Mac work right, but I have an Apple case number in "case" I have to take it in, so I'll track down the solution eventually.
Meanwhile, here's hoping that the creative philosophy behind macOS starts moving back from security to usability. It'll never happen any more than I'm likely to trust network storage for anything (yes, I'm that old!). Thanks again.
There are other threads in the forum, including one dedicated to CCC.
And the word is... with 15.2... bootable clones are no more.
So... at least for the moment... might as well forget about creating a bootable "clone" of the internal drive using either CCC or SuperDuper.
The "alternative way" to creating a bootable external drive that is a "near-clone" to the internal is to:
1. install a copy of the OS onto an empty drive
and then
2. use setup assistant to migrate all your user data from the internal drive to your newly-created external drive.
Then, you'll have something "externally bootable" that is a relatively close copy of the internal.
And the word is... with 15.2... bootable clones are no more.
So... at least for the moment... might as well forget about creating a bootable "clone" of the internal drive using either CCC or SuperDuper.
The "alternative way" to creating a bootable external drive that is a "near-clone" to the internal is to:
1. install a copy of the OS onto an empty drive
and then
2. use setup assistant to migrate all your user data from the internal drive to your newly-created external drive.
Then, you'll have something "externally bootable" that is a relatively close copy of the internal.
I tried the Mist install drive creator, and the process appears to have completed successfully, but my Startup Disk control in Settings>General won't let me choose it as a startup disk. Could that be because my destination choice for the bootable drive is in the SD card slot? I'll try a thumb drive before I give up, I guess.
Wait, the instructions for Mist said to start with a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) target. I tried APFS first, but Mist wouldn't let me choose it as a destination. But Mist's process didn't make it APFS. Macs that use Sequoia can't boot from a Mac OS Extended (Journaled) drive. What have I Mist (missed)?
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Oh, what I Mist (missed) is that, although you can’t choose the bootable installer disk in Startup Disk of Mac Settings>General, you can choose it as a startup disk in Mac Recovery’s Options, if you wait long enough for it to appear as a choice.
Here’s a tip if you’re using Mac Recovery’s Options to permanently select a startup volume other than your internal drive. Once you click a startup disk’s icon, you can hold down the control key to make the button underneath the disk icon display “Always use”. Click that, and the startup disk designation won’t revert to the internal drive until you specify that or make a different choice for the startup disk.
I’m not sure my issue is completely solved yet, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks!
Here’s a tip if you’re using Mac Recovery’s Options to permanently select a startup volume other than your internal drive. Once you click a startup disk’s icon, you can hold down the control key to make the button underneath the disk icon display “Always use”. Click that, and the startup disk designation won’t revert to the internal drive until you specify that or make a different choice for the startup disk.
I’m not sure my issue is completely solved yet, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks!
I may never know what caused this issue, but it was apparently solved through an in-place installation of the current system version to my internal boot drive. After that installation was performed, the installation, migration, and booting from the migrated external backup all went without issue. I wouldn't have thought that the internal system could have become corrupted in such a way that the only observed detriment was this. Thanks for your suggestions and help.
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