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User profile for user: kanan11
kanan11 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Mac will not install MacOS from internet recovery mode.

My Macbook, running Catalina started playing up so I decided to copy all my documents (not via time machine, rather manually into a external drive). I then restarted my Mac and in the process I pressed the keys command + R. That took me to the recovery mode. From there I erased my Macintosh HD disk. Then I went back and clicked on "reinstall MacOS" which then started installing. Near the end an error messaged popped up "Could not create a pre-boot volume for APFS install". I had no idea what that meant so I did some research and was advised to restart my mac and press Command + option/alt + R, for internet recovery mode. I did that and then clicked on reinstall MacOS, but it would install Sierra, rather than Catalina (the system that my mac came installed with.) I did that and it started downloading but AGAIN towards the end it came up with another error message "an error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again" I tried running it around 3 times but the same happens. I again i did some research and found that maybe it's to do with the time. So i went on terminal and wrote the date and then tried installing again, but I keep getting the same error message. I tried restarting my mac again, and pressed command+R to go back to recovery mode, but now it only goes to internet recovery.


I tried going back to disk utility to erase my drives but was shocked to find there were multiple drives, for example in the internal section there is "Apple APFS Media", which has disks indented called "Macintosh HD, Preboot, Recovery, VM, under it. Some other disk include: Apple SSD SM0128G media.

Under the disk Images section, there is "apple disk image media, which has "OS X base System" indented under it.


I am so lost, someone please help me, I really need my Mac, with school, as school is online and I have no other device I can use.


Thanks in advance!

MacBook Air 13", macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 25, 2020 8:19 PM

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,707 points

Posted on Apr 25, 2020 8:25 PM

Internet/Network Recovery of El Capitan or Later on a Clean Disk


     If possible, back up your files before proceeding.


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately, at or before the chime, hold down the (Command-Option-R) keys until a globe appears.
  2. The Utility Menu will appear in from 5-20 minutes. Be patient.
  3. Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
  4. When Disk Utility loads select the target drive (out-dented entry w/type and size) from the side list.
  5. Click on the Erase button in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
  6. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
  7. Set the Format type to APFS (SSDs, only if installing Mojave or Catalina ) or Mac OS Extended, (Journaled.)
  8. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
  9. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  10. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.


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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,707 points

Apr 25, 2020 8:25 PM in response to kanan11

Internet/Network Recovery of El Capitan or Later on a Clean Disk


     If possible, back up your files before proceeding.


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately, at or before the chime, hold down the (Command-Option-R) keys until a globe appears.
  2. The Utility Menu will appear in from 5-20 minutes. Be patient.
  3. Select Disk Utility and click on the Continue button.
  4. When Disk Utility loads select the target drive (out-dented entry w/type and size) from the side list.
  5. Click on the Erase button in Disk Utility's toolbar. A panel will drop down.
  6. Set the partition scheme to GUID.
  7. Set the Format type to APFS (SSDs, only if installing Mojave or Catalina ) or Mac OS Extended, (Journaled.)
  8. Click on the Apply button, then click on the Done button when it activates.
  9. Quit Disk Utility and return to the Utility Menu.
  10. Select Install OS X and click on the Continue button.


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User profile for user: kanan11
kanan11 Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Apr 25, 2020 11:46 PM in response to Kappy

Hey thank you for your help.

I turned on my Mac and to my surprise there is only 1 internal disk and that is Macintosh HD. And 1 disk image “macOS Base System”. I clicked on Macintosh HD, and then erase, but there is no option for partition scheme. There is only 1 option and that is format, which has the options of: APFS or APFS (Encrypted) or APFS (Case-sensitive) or APFS (Case-sensitive, Encrypted)

Can you please advice what to do now.


Thanks

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Mac will not install MacOS from internet recovery mode.

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