Big Sur 11.2 update hanging

Are there any AntiVirus, Disk Cleaner, Optimizers, Defrag, VPNs etc installed which should be removed as per Developers Instructions. They are useless, unneeded, cause havoc and interfere with the normal operation of the OS. The Built-in Security of Big Sur is all that is required. If this does Not Apply - Disregard

If doing over wifi - it is very iffy but doable. Better results via Ethernet connection.

If over Ethernet is used, suggest Shutdown Router. Shutdown computer. Restart Router then same to computer but hold Shift Immediately at startup. Safe Mode does a Repair Disk, clears cache files and only load Apple Software and fonts - loads slowly - Normal. Try again.

If over Wifi - same as ethernet Router and computer restart and Safe Mode except disconnect ALL Other devices using the Wifi - want Max Bandwidth to this computer and try again.

ok, now I’m going to restate the original issue;

1. M1 does not go into Safe Mode = no fix
2. M1 does not go into recovery mode = no fix

only method found to work is close out of the stuck download, restart and then download from App Store. The MacOS image will be 11.2, its circa 12GB. It doesn’t what is open on your Mac or connected to, you reinstall and when it restarts all your apps are still there and open as though nothing had happened.

This version still does not the WiFi Finder to iPhone sync bug, rather frustrating...

My M1 Mini hung about half way through with a dancing horizontal blue bars screen of death.

Forced power down. Install finished normally after reboot.

Only unusual software installed is "Little Snitch.app"

I have exactly the same issue. I have tried the update multiple times with the same result. I have a 2018 13inch MBP Four Thunderbird Ports on 11.1

I have had the Activity Monitor running during the update and can see no system activity while the "Preparing macOS Big Sur 11.2 Update" dialogue box is on screen.

I am experiencing the same problem updating to 11.2. Update sticks at "About 10 minutes remaining" and doesn't progress. The fans sure do spin fast though.

This is on a MacBook Pro 16-inch, 2019 running 11.1.

My MacBook is a new M1 Pro. This update is stuck at "preparing... about 15 minutes remaining"

I have tried to enter safe mode and reinstall from recovery as suggested. The MacBook will not allow me to enter safe mode or recovery mode. I have tried to clear PRAM. Got me beat, I have used safe mode on this machine before without issues.

Same here. Got stuck. Cannot enter safe mode nor recovery mode. Had a similar issues last time with the update 11.1 but I could get around it booting in safe mode. Now these options are not even working any more !!!

I think I have moved the update on, I deselected auto-update, then selected the "x" on the download to cancel. I rebooted, and then started the update again manually, the download is almost complete of 4.18 GB. I assume it will work this time

The machine will not go into safe or recovery mode, as the original issue raised. Not sure why the update has disabled these functions or how to override them. Maybe the auto-update has got stuck even though it has been disabled.

I just got back in the game by booting my macbook pro and holding the option key. It provides you the option to select the boot device. Hold the option key until your hard disk shows up. After that you can select your disk and it brings you "at least in my case" in the boot recovery menu where your can reinstall the OS.

I did this but it got stuck again on a grey screen, but after booting again with holding the shift key I could enter the safe boot mode. Lauched App Store. Downloaded the 11.2 image to my machine and started the install and voila after 45 minutes it all came back to normal.

I hope this helps other people to get around the issue.

For our friends at Apple: please fix this issue, because it is a crappy way to upgrade your system and most non-techie savvy folks will be stuck when this happens to them.

Booting into Safe Mode allowed the update to 11.2 to be installed successfully in 1-1.5 hours.

I have a suspicions that the Enterprise Security Software I have installed on the MacBook Pro was the cause of the installation not progressing beyond 10 mins remaining.

I performed the update with radical patience, so to update in normal mode not safe mode.Perform the update and it will hang in 15 minutes then 10 and finally 5 but will update. Only make sure you are not using the mac os at all leave it alone

I had the same problem. Press the on/off button (shortly) and then the installation go further. You can see, that the time is changing from “about 2 minutes to go” to “about 1 minute to go” to the end of the installation.

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.

I have same problem on my 2015 MacBook Air. First time I have experienced this type of problem with my Mac - reminds of my days with a Windows PC

Come on Apple sort it out - I've stopped auto updates until there is a decent build Big Sur 11.3 maybe..........