Problems installing Big Sur 11.2 update

Boot into Safe Mode by booting with the Shift key held down and and try downloading and installing from there..

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

Restarting and installing in safe mode fixed that for me.

Boot into Safe Mode by booting with the Shift key held down and check there to see if the problem persists.  Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE: Safe Mode boot can take up to 10 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

It feels like Apple does not want me to upgrade to Big Sur ... today I finally decided to make a clean install from Mojave to Big Sur on my main internal drive but the three attempts all taking 60 minutes to download the current Big Sur installer ALL failed at the VERY FINAL "The update could not be verified. An error occurred while installing the selected updates". Duh! I'll try later maybe in safe mode which seems to be the current trend :-/

Or maybe I just wait for Apple to get its act together and send feedback to:

https://www.apple.com/feedback/

Below my experience with this "update" I have a 2017 iMac with a 1TB SSD and 32GB RAM :

1. HD was backed up to an external drive using Carbon Copy Cloner (this creates a clone of the main drive). A Backup of the main drive is key to preserve the main drive's data (see more on the importance of this below).
2. Attempted a normal update to 11.2 using System Preferences: Software Update this resulted in a software download error.
3. Booted to Safe Mode (Shift S while booting) and tried the update again via System Preferences:Software Update that resulted in the same error.
4. Booted to Recovery Mode (Command R while booting) and chooses Instal MacOS. T his resulted in an error at the end if the installation process.  This also rendered the drive unusable; Drive would boot to a System error.
5. Booted to Recovery Mode, ran Disk Utilities: First Aid  and again tried to install the OS with the same error at the end of the instal process.
6. The following solved the issue:

a). Booted from the backup external drive (clone).

b). Launched disk First Aid and eased the main drive.

c). Downloaded Big Sur from the App Store (this places the OS installer in the Applications folder that, if you want, you can copy or move before the installation process is completed).  

d). Installed the OS (using the App Store Download).

e). After a successful install, used Migration Assistant to transfer the data from the backup drive to the main drive.

My first Mac was a 512Ke and I have NEVER seen a worst update process than with the original Big Sur and its "updates."  The initial Big Sur installation was basically the same fiasco, this time with Apple Support on the line - me talking to “senior advisors”.  If Jobs were alive today he’d fire them all (and I’m not kidding). 

I have Mac OS (M1) Big Sur did not download for 10 times.

Actually I reboot again and recover Big Sur, Now finally I Done it.

1.  Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Security & Privacy.
2. Click the FileVault tab.
3. Click , then enter an administrator name and password.
4. Click Turn Off FileVault.

[ ReBooting your M1 Mac to macOS Recovery ]

1. Click the Apple menu and choose “Shut Down”.
2. Now press and hold the power button until you see “Loading startup options”. (40sec around)
3. Click “Options”.
4. Lastly, click “Continue” and enter the password for an administrator account, if requested.

Booting your Intel-based Mac to macOS Recovery

The process of starting up Intel-based Macs from macOS Recovery has not changed. To use this mode, simply press the same Command (⌘)-R keyboard combination as before.

1. Press and hold your Mac’s power button for at least 10 seconds to turn it off, then let go.
2. With your Mac computer turned off, press the Power button to turn it back on and immediately press and hold the Command (⌘)-R key combination on the internal keyboard.

YES They are. I did this way and resolved problem.

1 : Shutdown >>

2: SAFE-MODE(REBOOT see below)

• IF Your Apple silicon(M1): Turn on Power and hold power button >> until you see the startup options window

>> Select Options>>Continue>>reinstall BigSur OS

• IF Your Intel processor(OLD): Connection to the internet. Then turn on Power and immediately hold Command (⌘)-R >> until you see an Apple logo or other image >>reinstall BigSur OS

I tried all sorts of things, rebooted, rebooted into safe mode, even took my iMac over to the modem and connected it via Ethernet. None of that worked.

I finally got it installed. This is what I did to the computer before it worked. I disconnected all peripherals (printer, external hard drive even my recharging bicycle lights!)

1. Reset PRAM
2. Boot into Recovery and re-installed 11.2.1 from the Apple site
3. Used "softwareupdate -ia" via terminal app

When my computer booted up after all of this , I went into settings> general>software update, it said it was ready to install the update.

Maybe this will work for someone else

Good Luck

You can go into recovery. This is another way to update to Big Sur 11.2. Press Command R press reinstall macos.

Select the disk. It will reboot itself. It's updated to macos big sur

11.2. That my Image. Thanks

I have had the same issue where after I start the update I got the exact same message saying the download had failed. For reference I live in South Africa and what worked for me was when I connected to a vpn server in the United States (I use Express VPN). Once connected to a vpn in the United States the download completed and installed with no issues. Not sure why this would solve this issue as I have never had any issues with previous MacOS updates in the past.

I booted into safe mode, unplugged all peripherals, turned off wifi, tested internet was good 45 mbps down 19 up. Big Sur 11.2 failed again. It always says the download failed and asks me to check internet. I tried 6 times yesterday and 3 times today. No joy.

I never get past 15 minutes remaining. I always get past the 1st phase which supposedly shows the minutes and seconds to download 3.25 MB. Then I am told that the update is being prepared and that it will take 15 minutes. 10 minutes or so pass. It still says 15 minutes remaining and then it crashes. I chatted with Apple Support and was told to unplug Ethernet and only use WiFi for the update. That did not help. I tried that in regular and in safe mode. Both situations are no go. 10 or so attempts have failed thus far in both regular and safe mode, with and without peripherals, with and with out WiFi, with and without Ethernet. I have good internet connections in all situations. I am working with a 27” 2017 iMac. I will call my ISP provider and see if there is a connection issue.

I had the same problem. This fixed it for me.

I connected my MacBook to the power rather than run on battery.

I turned off WiFi and connected my MacBook to the Ethernet via my ThunderBolt/Ethernet adapter.

I went into System Preferences -> Battery -> Power Adapter and set "Turn display of after:" to Never

I went into System Preferences -> Software Update and kicked off the upgrade.

After the upgraded completed I went into System Preferences -> Battery -> Power Adapter and selected "Restore Defaults"

I had the same issue.

11.2 installed without problem on my MacBook Pro but when I tried to update my wife's MacBook Air it got stuck at 15 minutes when preparing the downloaded file. It did this a couple of times. Then I restarted in Safe Mode. It seemed to get stuck at 10 minutes during the preparation stage. It stayed like that for 20 minutes or so. Just as I was preparing to go into Restore Mode, it resumed preparation. The only strange thing was, as the Mac was counting down to restart itself for installation, the update started to download again. However, the installation then went ahead properly. So, in a nutshell, Safe Mode worked for me but it took longer than it should.

Have same problem with installing Big Sur 11.2 update as other users here. I have a MacBook Pro 2019 13 inch. Tried several time on my own, before resorting to Help Desk. Then, as advised here, tried the Safe Mode — no luck. Have also now tried Recovery mode but not even get any response with Command R. What next? What has Apple done wrong here that we are all having so many problems? I have already wasted more than 12 hours on this!