My computer Mac said it needed an update started update but it is stuck on 25 minutes remaining. What can I do?

This happened to me, i found out later that it was because i allowed the mac to update...but didn’t have enough storage for the update. So my mac was stuck in between a update but kept failing the update and not letting me log in. So they told me to restart in target disk mode, i think what this does is...it allows you to save your files/doc onto another computer and then you can delete things on the mac to make storage to continue the update. Now onto how i actually fixed mine.... i shut down the mac when the option was available and as soon as i pressed the power off button, i next pressed Command and R at the same time, this took me to recovery mode. I had to delete storage from the mac since i did not have another laptop at disposable so i sadly had to restart my entire mac and clear everything. Once I did that i had enough space for the update, and then was given the option to re-download MacOS Sur. Sorry for the long post hope it does help anyone, since apple was kind enough not to help me

I just got off the phone with support tech and they advised me to shut down my computer and when I was turning it back on and heard the starting noise I would press command are and release it as soon as I saw the Apple logo. Soon after that you enter your Apple ID and your password or the password to your computer in your back in.

please let me know if this helped..! :) find me with this name in all platforms.

Ok guys same thing happened to me and I have figured it out... it is a MISSION!! Pretty much what happened is whenever you wanted to update to Big Sur OS, your Mac didn’t have enough space for the new update but it erased the old system so your computer stays in this limbo. If you have a backup then call Apple support so they can help you wipe the hard disk and you can just get all your stuff from backup. If you’re like me and you don’t have a backup, your best bet would be borrowing another Mac to temporarily transfer the files that are most important to you to wipe the disk of the computer. Keep in mind you will need a thunderbolt cable to do this! Like I said, mission! I am finally getting the thunderbolt cable today, let’s see how it goes. Good luck to all of you, I hope this was of some help!

This same thing happened to me. I’ve been working with apple to solve this problem. I was able to go into disk utility by pressing Shift Option Command R. This way it didn’t ask for the administrator password. Once at disk utility I deleted my windows boot camp partition and reinstalled my previous software(Mojave). I restarted my computer but no luck. I also tried target disk mode but no luck there either my disk is encrypted and I have no access. So now I have to erase everything and reinstall Mojave. I hope that the steps I took help anyone, even if they didn’t work for me.

The fix is to contact Apple Support using the link provided.

my MacBook Pro prompted an update.

so I started update; message appeared to choose startup disk, but asking to choose restart in Target Disk Mode???

Why would I choose this and then it says to connect to another computer using Thunderbolt cable and use it as a hard disk??? Why do I need to do this? I only have this laptop. Can someone help me with this please?

Use target disk mode to move files to another computer - Apple Support

I also have this problem has this been solved! I only have my laptop

Im having the exact same issue. I only have the one laptop and do not want to move any files. I can this be fixed so my laptop finishes its update and I can get back to being able to use it with the same files on it as before.

I am having that very same problem. Was there ever a more sound solution brought to light? Cause I'm no genius bit I promise you transferring my files to another computer and all that is not the solution were looking for... And whats the diagnosis please?

I ticked helpful I did not mean to! I have the same problem and this is profoundly Unhelpful!! I don’t have another computer, moving files is not the issue. If this update is too big for my computer then I don’t want it - if it needed more space it should have told me that before beginning the update. I want to cancel the update, restart my computer as normal and get on with my work please. Anyone have any idea how???

This just happened to me on a 2017 Macbook Pro. I stupidly didn't back it up and now I am devastated and thinking i may have lost everything if i can't get this working. What would cause this issue? Is there too much on the HD? What do I do when i start it up in target mode? I don't have another computer to connect to it. Somebody from Apple please help.

This is what my laptop has been doing this for days now, does the other computer that I use for target disk mode need to be another Mac computer, I has loads of stuff for work that I need and can’t replace, please let me know what I can do.

Hi, i just tried what you said. I shut down and I am trying to press command and R. It did not work for me. can Apple respond please?

Like others, I need to work with this computer on Monday. This is what a very big glitch!!!

This link is not working. I am now forced to attempt restarting in recovery mode - and now my computer won’t recognize my password. I am really shocked at this result from a simple update. My computer is completely messed up (to put it politely) by this update I didn’t even want and Apple are totally unresponsive. It’s appalling and infuriating and really distressing.