You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

You may not install this volume because the computer is missing a firmware partition w

Getting above message when trying to install Mojave on my iMac (late 2012).


Windows, Windows 6

Posted on Feb 9, 2020 2:26 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 10, 2020 8:40 AM

You do not say what macOS you are currently running— if you are trying to make a large jump you may have to stair step your way up.




Typically you are always better off running the most current macOS your machine will allow—especially for the built in security features.



Old app compatibility maybe one reason to hold back— you have to do your own homework here: https://roaringapps.com/apps


32-bit app compatibility with macOS High Sierra 10.13 ... - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208436


-----------------------------------------


https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina/


macOS Catalina - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP803?locale=en_US



System requirements macOS 10.15 Catalina


macOS Catalina will run on all Macintosh computers that supported Mojave:[1]


MacBook: Early 2015 or newer

MacBook Air: Mid 2012 or newer

MacBook Pro: Mid 2012 or newer

Mac Mini: Late 2012 or newer

iMac: Late 2012 or newer

iMac Pro

Mac Pro: Late 2013 or newer; Mid 2010 or Mid 2012 if upgraded with a recommended Metal-capable GPU




---------------------------------------------------------



macOS 10.14 Mojave - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP777


Upgrade to macOS Mojave - Official Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/macos/mojave


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12



MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)

MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)

Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)

iMac (Late 2012 or newer)

iMac Pro (2017)

Mac Pro (Late 2013; Mid 2010 and Mid 2012 models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards)



---------------------------------------------------------



macOS 10.13 High Sierra - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP765?locale=en_US


How to upgrade to macOS High Sierra

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969



MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)

MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)

Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)

iMac (Late 2009 or newer)

Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)



---------------------------------------------------------



If you can run macOS 10.12 Sierra, you can run macOS 10.13 High Sierra


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?ls=1&mt=12



---------------------------------------------------------



OS X 10.11 El Capitan - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP728


How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886



MacBook (Early 2015)

MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)

MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)

Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)

iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)

Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)

Xserve (Early 2009)




3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 10, 2020 8:40 AM in response to dthiems

You do not say what macOS you are currently running— if you are trying to make a large jump you may have to stair step your way up.




Typically you are always better off running the most current macOS your machine will allow—especially for the built in security features.



Old app compatibility maybe one reason to hold back— you have to do your own homework here: https://roaringapps.com/apps


32-bit app compatibility with macOS High Sierra 10.13 ... - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208436


-----------------------------------------


https://www.apple.com/macos/catalina/


macOS Catalina - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP803?locale=en_US



System requirements macOS 10.15 Catalina


macOS Catalina will run on all Macintosh computers that supported Mojave:[1]


MacBook: Early 2015 or newer

MacBook Air: Mid 2012 or newer

MacBook Pro: Mid 2012 or newer

Mac Mini: Late 2012 or newer

iMac: Late 2012 or newer

iMac Pro

Mac Pro: Late 2013 or newer; Mid 2010 or Mid 2012 if upgraded with a recommended Metal-capable GPU




---------------------------------------------------------



macOS 10.14 Mojave - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP777


Upgrade to macOS Mojave - Official Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/macos/mojave


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12



MacBook (Early 2015 or newer)

MacBook Air (Mid 2012 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid 2012 or newer)

Mac mini (Late 2012 or newer)

iMac (Late 2012 or newer)

iMac Pro (2017)

Mac Pro (Late 2013; Mid 2010 and Mid 2012 models with recommended Metal-capable graphics cards)



---------------------------------------------------------



macOS 10.13 High Sierra - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP765?locale=en_US


How to upgrade to macOS High Sierra

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969



MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)

MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)

Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)

iMac (Late 2009 or newer)

Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)



---------------------------------------------------------



If you can run macOS 10.12 Sierra, you can run macOS 10.13 High Sierra


https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?ls=1&mt=12



---------------------------------------------------------



OS X 10.11 El Capitan - Technical Specifications:

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP728


How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886



MacBook (Early 2015)

MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)

MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)

MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)

Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)

iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)

Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)

Xserve (Early 2009)




Feb 9, 2020 6:50 PM in response to dthiems

I've seen this message occur on MBPro Retinas when the internal drive is not properly erased for a Mac, or the internal drive contains a third party PCIe SSD or no internal drive at all. The macOS 10.13+ installers include a system firmware updater which requires a properly formatted internal drive (some systems like the Retina laptops may even require an original Apple SSD).


Make sure your internal drive is formatted as GUID partition and either MacOS Extended (Journaled) or APFS (top option) before selecting "Reinstall macOS".



You may not install this volume because the computer is missing a firmware partition w

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.