"An error occurred while preparing the installation"

So I tried resetting my laptop by erasing the drive with COMMAND + R. I tried reinstalling Sierra but it says "An error occurred while preparing the installation" I have gone through youtube and forums, all saying to fix the date in the terminal, which I have checked and its all correct. I have resetted the NVRAM or what ever it is. I tried running a first aid check on the boot drive and it came up with something. I need help ASAP

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Jun 17, 2021 7:25 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 17, 2021 7:54 AM

You ran First Aid and it came up with something.

What is this something.

What OS was your mac running before you erased it.


The certificates for several of Apples OS's expired in October 2019, Apple haven’t bothered getting these updated on 

their Recovery Servers with valid certificates. 


This may be the problem you are experiencing. 


Try resetting the date and time following the instructions below and see if this makes a difference..


Connect your mac to your router via cable, not WiFi


Boot to your Recovery HD, click on Utilities in the menubar select Terminal.


Make sure WiFi is switched off, it can reset the date back to today.


Enter a new date, for example or just copy and paste


sudo date -u 011421002017


press Return

enter your password

press Return


If Terminal returns an error saying sudo : command not found, then try again without sudo.

just enter 


date -u 011421002017


press Return


You won't be prompted for a Password if you did not need to use sudo


Once the date has changed you can quit Terminal.


Now try downloading the OS.

Click on Install OS X, press Continue.


If this works then when the OS is installed and booted up you can Open System Preferences> Date & Time

and reset the time back to today.

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1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 17, 2021 7:54 AM in response to alexii129

You ran First Aid and it came up with something.

What is this something.

What OS was your mac running before you erased it.


The certificates for several of Apples OS's expired in October 2019, Apple haven’t bothered getting these updated on 

their Recovery Servers with valid certificates. 


This may be the problem you are experiencing. 


Try resetting the date and time following the instructions below and see if this makes a difference..


Connect your mac to your router via cable, not WiFi


Boot to your Recovery HD, click on Utilities in the menubar select Terminal.


Make sure WiFi is switched off, it can reset the date back to today.


Enter a new date, for example or just copy and paste


sudo date -u 011421002017


press Return

enter your password

press Return


If Terminal returns an error saying sudo : command not found, then try again without sudo.

just enter 


date -u 011421002017


press Return


You won't be prompted for a Password if you did not need to use sudo


Once the date has changed you can quit Terminal.


Now try downloading the OS.

Click on Install OS X, press Continue.


If this works then when the OS is installed and booted up you can Open System Preferences> Date & Time

and reset the time back to today.

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