My /Volumes/MacOS Base System doesn't exist was copied to

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Level 1

25 points

My /Volumes/MacOS Base System doesn't exist was copied to

The main Recovery (internet) Partition on my 2011 MBA got messed up in December 2018, during one of my numerous attempts at performing a clean, USB install of macOS High Sierra. The following information is from a recent install log of macOS Sierra:

Sep 14 19:28:13 MacBook-Air osinstallersetupd[547]: Using product <OSISSharedSupportProduct: 0x7fbdea716f60> at distance 10

Sep 14 19:28:14 MacBook-Air osinstallersetupd[547]: Using product <OSISInstallMediaProduct> based on media at /Volumes/OS X Install ESD at distance 5

Sep 14 19:28:14 MacBook-Air osishelperd[564]: Will not add removal tool because target is not /.

Sep 14 19:28:14 MacBook-Air osinstallersetupd[547]: Using product PKSecureNetEnabledProduct <file:///Volumes/Macintosh%20HD/macOS%20Install%20Data/> at distance 5

Sep 14 19:28:14 MacBook-Air osinstallersetupd[547]: Using product <OSISSoftwareUpdateCatalogProduct: 0x7fbdecab50d0> at distance 25

I have purchased and returned 7 or 8 (I have lost count) MBA’s since December 2018 because this same issue is replicated on every new MBA. I have contacted Apple Support and visited the Genius(?) Bar, which has been a waste of time. I purchased a MBP a few weeks ago and was re-reading the original installation logs and found the following:

---- Begin System Software Update Arming -----\

Warning: kextd unavailable; proceeding w/o lock for <unknown>\

Warning: proceeding w/o DiskArb\

Ensuring /Volumes/macOS Base System's caches are up to date.\

Warning: /Volumes/macOS Base System/AppleInternal/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory\

Warning: /Volumes/macOS Base System/Library/Apple/System/Library/Extensions: No such file or directory\

Note: /Volumes/macOS Base System/System/Library/Kernels/kernel: No such file or directory\

Primary kext cache does not need update.\

CSFDE property cache does not need update.\

Localized EFI Login resources do not need update.\

Mounting helper partition...\

Looking for missing files.\

Copying files used by the booter.\

creating com.apple.Boot.plist data with UUID B392677C-67A5-4583-B8DF-DEB7B13F0E6C.\

copying /Volumes/macOS Base System/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.corestorage/EncryptedRoot.plist.wipekey to /System/Volumes/Data/macOS InsSytall Data/Locked Files/Boot Files\

copying /Volumes/macOS Base System/usr/standalone/i386/EfiLoginUI/ to /System/Volumes/Data/macOS Install Data/Locked Files/Boot Files\

copying /Volumes/macOS Base System/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.corestorage/EFILoginLocalizations to /System/Volumes/Data/macOS Install Data/Locked Files/Boot Files\

copying /Volumes/macOS Base System/System/Library/PrelinkedKernels/prelinkedkernel to /System/Volumes/Data/macOS Install Data/Locked Files/Boot Files\

Copying files read before the booter runs.\

Moving aside old label.\

Copying new booter.\

Activating new booter.\

Activating files used by the booter.\

Activating files used before the booter runs.\

Successfully updated disk1s2/macOS Install Data/Locked Files/Boot Files.\

Rolling back any incomplete updates.\

Cleaning up fallbacks.\

Sep 13 23:22:43 MacBook-Pro OSInstaller[644]: Finding disk for productURL: /macOS Install Data

Sep 13 23:22:43 MacBook-Pro OSInstaller[644]: Using product <OSProduct: 0x7fa16ed59900> at distance 5

Every install now is based on Media at distance 5, the result is my Startup Volume is not in /Volumes, it is located in /Volumes/System/Volumes/Data. I believe it is due to a file in “SharedSupport”, however, I am not sure where to look. If anyone has any ideas, I’s be most grateful. Thank you in advance.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Oct 14, 2020 6:01 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

68,444 points

Oct 18, 2020 9:33 AM in response to leanmean

I have not seen your exact issue reported on these forums before so there is something unique about your situation.

Lets start with the older 2011 MBAir since it will be the simplest one to deal with because it doesn't have a T2 chip which can make things more difficult plus there is no data you need to worry about. When you boot into the macOS installer whether in Internet Recovery Mode (Command + Option + R) or from a bootable macOS USB installer (10.11 or 10.13). If you use a USB installer make sure to create it using only these Apple instructions since third party utilities may make unknown modifications to the installer:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Also delete any older macOS installers located within the "Applications" folder on the Mac where you are creating the USB installer in case those installers are damaged. Download the most recent versions of the macOS installers from the links contained in the article I just linked earlier.

Then use Disk Utility to erase the whole physical drive as GUID partition and MacOS Extended (Journaled). If you are installing macOS 10.13, then within Disk Utility you will need to first click on "View" and select "Show All Devices" so that the physical drive appears on the left pane of Disk Utility. Then make sure to select the "Apple SSD ....." item which should be the top most item in the list. See this Apple article for exact details including screenshots:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208496#erasedisk

If you are installing macOS 10.10 or earlier (sometimes Recovery Mode will install Lion or Mountain Lion instead), then you need to partition and format the whole physical SSD as described in this article:

https://www.owcdigital.com/assets/support/support-formatting-and-migration/Mac_Formatting_6-10_R3.pdf

Once the SSD is properly erased, then select the "Install macOS" option.

Let me know what happens and what if any errors are reported and at what stage those errors occur (take a picture of the whle screen and post here). Do not install any third party apps or restore or migrate from a backup. Just perform a clean install as described here.

If you are using a bootable macOS USB installer and encounter issues, then try using a different brand of USB stick since the quality of USB sticks is extremely poor.

I suggest performing a clean install of macOS on the other Macs as well using this same procedure. Only after you have tested everything should you manually reinstall your third party apps and manually transfer your data. Of course you can try to use Migration Assistant to restore your user account(s) and data, but there is always a chance you could be migrating the issue back to your system. It is up to you if it is worth the risk. But for now I want to see how the clean install goes for the 2011 MBAir.

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Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

68,444 points

Oct 14, 2020 10:15 PM in response to leanmean

It might help to know exactly which single Mac we are dealing with here (pick just one) including the currently installed version of macOS which is on it and the macOS installer you are using to upgrade the system. Is the Mac using Filevault?

If you are running the installer from within macOS, then try booting into Safe Mode to run the installer so that third party apps do not interfere, or better yet try using a bootable macOS USB installer or Internet Recovery Mode.

What do you mean by this?

leanmean wrote:

Unfortunately, reinstallation does not change anything; I have reinstalled Catalina a few times.

If you reinstalled Catalina (implies success), then you are already at the latest version of macOS so you shouldn't be needing to install any other OS on that system. If I am incorrect on the interpretation, then the information I asked earlier in this current post is essential.

Did you try a clean install as I suggested in my previous post? I've never heard of OS upgrade issues as you are describing so something on your currently installed OS must be non-standard or some third party software is interfering.

Make sure to first have a good backup before upgrading or reinstalling macOS in case something goes wrong.

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Answer 3

HWTech

Level 9

68,444 points

Oct 14, 2020 6:57 PM in response to leanmean

Your screenshots show that the Mac is using Catalina on the SSD. To reinstall macOS you must select the "Macintosh HD" volume which contains the system files and not the "Macintosh HD - Data" volume which only contains the user data. See here for information about the new volume structure:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210650

Here are the instructions for installing macOS (you may need to first erase the whole SSD):

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208496

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Edit: A 2011 laptop can only go up to macOS 10.13 High Sierra. If you are running macOS 10.15 Catalina on a 2011 laptop, then you are running an unsupported configuration.

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Answer 4

leanmean Author

Level 1

25 points

Oct 21, 2020 11:36 PM in response to HWTech

I returned the MBP to Costco today and took the opportunity to look at the install log of the MBP on display. Interestingly I found the very same issue of /Volumes/macOS Base System/et al. does not exist... and;

copying /Volumes/macOS Base System/System/Library/Caches/com.apple.corestorage/EncryptedRoot.plist.wipekey to /System/Volumes/Data/macOS Install Data/Locked Files/Boot Files

copying /Volumes/macOS Base System/usr/standalone/i386/EfiLoginUI/ to /System/Volumes/Data/macOS Install Data/Locked Files/Boot Files, etc.

Below is additional information from setup and installation;

2020-09-13 15:59:53-07 MacBook-Pro Language Chooser[270]: Setup: Factory cable attached: 0

2020-09-13 16:19:58-07 Lisas-MacBook-Pro suhelperd[703]: Mount point /Volumes/RecoveryHDMeta

2020-09-13 16:20:06-07 Lisas-MacBook-Pro atomicupdatetool[1465]: atomicupdatetool: Failed to prep /Volumes/macOS Base System for brtool

2020-09-13 16:20:06-07 Lisas-MacBook-Pro atomicupdatetool[1465]: atomicupdatetool:EnsureRecoveryBooter: Started operations on Target (Subject) Volume = disk1s2

It looks like the system attepts to add the recovery volume, etc. directly into /Volumes/;

2020-09-13 16:19:58-07 Lisas-MacBook-Pro suhelperd[703]: Mount point /Volumes/RecoveryHDMeta

Mount point /Volumes/RecoveryHDMeta

Failed to prep /Volumes/macOS Base System for brtool

Assert existing-or-new subject dir name should be recoveryVolumeSubjectDir=/Volumes/Recovery/B392677C-67A5-4583-B8DF-DEB7B13F0E6C

If exists, do hard test for any existing Recovery Volume subject dir being a DIR

UUID recoveryVolumeSubjectDirPreExisted=0

No subject dir found in Recovery so will create

Recovery vol subj dir url for creation = file:///Volumes/Recovery/B392677C-67A5-4583-B8DF-DEB7B13F0E6C

Did create dir; err=(null)

Determined appleBootPartitionSlurpProceed=0

Not slurping legacy Apple_Boot

No caller opinion if to do boot install, and no path

Determined bootSystemInstallProceed=1

Determined bootSystemSourcePath=/System/Volumes/Data

All of this leads me to believe this may be a problem (bug?) that occurs when Catalina is installed during the initial setup process in new MacBooks only. If so, I have a hard time believing Apple is unaware, especially given the response I received from their engineers: “the information doesn’t show anything mounted incorrectly. The data they are viewing is showing the MacBook Pro is operating as expected”. Interpreted translation - Yes, we know...

I only found it because I was looking for something else. While I have an issue with my 2011 MBA which has caused me similar issues with new MacBooks, this problem is something else entirely.

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Answer 5

leanmean Author

Level 1

25 points

Oct 14, 2020 7:42 PM in response to HWTech

I understand that a 2011 MBA only goes up to High Sierra, this problem is "shared" (I have the same problem, installation based on media at distance 5 on both MacBooks; I am thinking it must be a shared file. Unfortunately, reinstallation does not change anything; I have reinstalled Catalina a few times. Thank you, though.

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Answer 6

leanmean Author

Level 1

25 points

Oct 14, 2020 11:58 PM in response to HWTech

I currently have a 2020 MacBook Pro, 13" A2289. A backup would have been useless, as the issue occurs right after installation. I posted the information from my 2011 MBA because this is where the problem originates; I believe the RAM file for disk1s1 is being shared. This has been an ongoing problem for two years and has occurred on the last 8 MacBooks I have purchased, and ultimately returned, as Apple Support can't or won't acknowledge that anything is wrong, which I don't understand.

Is it possible to delete a RAM file? I don't care about using my 2011 MBA, it's close to useless now, I just want my new MacBook to be configured correctly.

Thank you very much.