When I start up, it tries to start up on a mac OS Installer and then crashes

Question

When I start up, it tries to start up on a mac OS Installer and then crashes

I was dong an update to High Sierra and next time the system started up the system crashes. I get a log file (which I will attach after this initial post). To get the system to boot properly, I need to restart holding the option key, which brings me to a screen with 2 "disk" images, one is the mac OS Installer and one is the "regular" HD. using the right arrow, I select the "regular" HD and it starts up as regular.

Every thing seems to run fine once I get on the regular HD.

By the way this is a 27" iMac 2011 with a SSD (1TB) and 20 GB of memory installed.

I know that this system cannot run/install Mojave and did not try to install but it may have tried as system updates may have tried. My system OS is 10.13.6

What can I do to get rid of the mac OS installer "starter" disk?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Dec 11, 2018 3:13 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

BDAqua

Level 10

239,351 points

Dec 11, 2018 5:31 PM in response to Charlie Marino

You can't unmount it if you are booted from it.

In regular boot it doesn't show in DU under Images?

Have you done a PRAM reset, CMD+Option+p+r...

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

In fact, do 3 in a row, takes a bit of time.

Reply

Answer 2

Dec 11, 2018 5:03 PM in response to BDAqua

Once I'm up on the "regular" SSD, the other volume doesn't show. Next time I restart I'll check what that Disk utility instance shows. If I can unmount it, I will and try a normal restart.

Thanks for the hint.

Reply

Answer 3

Dec 11, 2018 9:50 PM in response to BDAqua

I did the PRAM reset three times as suggested. It made no difference.

So I restarted with command - r and reinstalled the operating software and that has seemed to work. I need to let it restart again and see if it hangs up again.

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 11, 2018 10:05 PM in response to Charlie Marino

It didn't hang up, but went through everything.

Once it was up, it showed some updates that would be needed. Safari 12.02 and Security Update 2018-03 - 10.136. I installed them, restarted to complete the installation and when it came up, everything was back to normal.

So apparently problem solved. My guess that the Security Update and/or Safari Update had not finished when this started (I remember doing that install and caused the problem.

Reply

Answer 5

Dec 12, 2018 6:58 AM in response to Charlie Marino

Oops, I was premature. Came to the computer this morning after evening scheduled shut down and restart in the morning and IT"S BACK. Same problem, same workaround (i.e. startup with option key, etc.).

So any other suggestions?

Reply