Big Sur Update not Working

I had the same problem. Originally I couldn't get it to load at all. I rang Apple tech support and we solved it. The first thing to do is shut down the MacBook for 5 minutes then try again. It didn't work - it downloaded the 3.69 Gb but hung at the 10 minute preparation phase.

Apple support then said to close down the MacBook again and restart in safe mode. This is done by keeping the shift key pressed just after you re-start the Macbook. I then started the update again and it went all the way through. 

I'm now updated to Big Sur 11.2. The support guy did say that he had had a look and there were other people with exactly the same problem. Hope this helps.

This happened to me a week ago. I contacted apple, and they tried to reboot the laptop from the loop, but nothing worked so they booked me in for an appointment to see one of their authorised services (I had to wait a week for the appt). When I arrived, they said they couldn't take my laptop in since it's considered vintage and apple don't supply parts for it (it's mid-2014). I went home and called apple, and they walked me through the process of erasing everything on my laptop and re-installing the software. Everything works now, and I have the Big Sur installed. I wasted a week waiting for the appt and I'm just happy that I backed up all my data before I clicked to update my laptop.

Hey lclay13!,

Thanks for reaching out on Apple Communities!

Sounds like you've got a Mac that's not fully starting after attempting to install Big Sur. We know how important a Mac can be to our day to day so we'd love to help if we can.

Let's start with trying to get that Mac started again with safe mode. Find those steps in How to use safe mode on your Mac.

Let us know if that doesn't allow your Mac to boot. We'd be happy to continue should you need us.

Regards.

I had to take my Mac into the Apple store and they had to totally erase it. They said something was wrong with the software and that was the only way to make it work. It is updated now and works fine but I lost all the stuff that wasn’t backed up.

Is yours a 2013/14? If so, Apple has blocked downloads/installs on those models temporarily because of problems.

Let us know your model/year.

I'm not sure what they did exactly. I just dropped it off at the apple store and the next day I picked it back up and it was completely erased but was working and updated. If possible it might be best to make an appointment with your local apple store, their genius bar should be open even if it is otherwise closed due to covid.

FWIW, it seems the servers may be jammed. See: can't update Big Sur 11.2 from 11.1 - Apple Community

I am having the same problem. It does not show a startup disk to choose from and then a lighting bolt shows up with no access to do anything on the computer. How do I get out of this? I have tried powering on and off many times and it’s not successful. I have the MacBook Air early 2015 edition.

I used this link: https://mrmacintosh.com/big-sur-upgrade-not-enough-hd-space-serious-issue-possible-data-loss/

and followed the instructions. It took me FOREVER and a lot of googling because I am not very computer savvy, but it actually worked! I was able to boot up my Mac from a operating system on an external hard drive and then I could search through the documents on my computer. I saved all of my documents on a USB drive. I ended up wiping my computer after that because there was all kinds of junk on there, I just had a few important files.

I had this problem for the longest time and finally figured it out! This website had the best solutions for me https://mrmacintosh.com/big-sur-upgrade-not-enough-hd-space-serious-issue-possible-data-loss/

Same exact issue with me. This is a big problem as I’m working remotely and cannot use my MacBook Pro now

Got my computer wiped today

Hi,

This may be because you don't have enough disk space or it's because your computer is too old for the macOS Big Sur update.

Thanks,

vartovsk1988

I'm really sorry but it looks like you're going to have to get your computer wiped. This same thing happened to me and I tried everything and had to completely wipe it at Apple :/.

Well, would have been nice to know before following Apple's promp to update my daughter's Macbook Air. Now we're stuck and she can't do her critical school assignments properly.

BAD BAD BAD planning, Apple. If there's really an issue with this year model, why would you even push the update prompt?

Now we cannot do anything, and I don't know any way to revert back to the pre-update status without totally losing all the files and apps she has on this computer.

Your OS product release manager should be shot (or well, maybe just fired).