M1 iMac clean install not possible

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M1 iMac clean install not possible

Hello Apple Community,

I am out of hope right now. My new M1 iMac (16GB Ram, 256GB storage, middle version) has recently started to get many bugs and crashes. These include random restarts (a purple light flashes and the iMac restarts, the following messages say kernel panic), not possible to open/close programs, impossible to install/delete programs, safari constantly reloading pages etc. The list is long.

So I thought it would be a good idea to reinstall MacOs in case of this being a software problem. Using the recoverymode by holding the on/off button, I reinstalled BigSur without wiping the SSD. After reinstalling, the probems persisted. So the next step was wiping the SSD and then reinstall MacOS (did it with this method https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211983). This is were the problems got worse. Since then, the iMac can't download the BigSur and every solution I tried have failed me. Most of the times it gives me the errormessage "PKDownloadError error 8".

Doing some research, this seems a problem with the internet connection, especially with WiFi. So thanks to the middle version I have the ethernet connector in the powerbrick - giving me the same error right off the start. I can't change the DNS-settings of my router so that solution falls short for me. Turning off the firewall of the router may have led to finishing the download, only ending in the error message "An error has occured loading the update" without further explanation.

My next step was loading the installer on an external USB drive and install BigSur from there. Only to realise that this leads to the error message saying, that the "Installation cannot proceed because the installer is damaged". I did a new setup of the external drive several times, every time leading to this error.

I have an appointment with the Apple Support but judging by the experience of some other users i doubt, that they will know any solution.

Has anybody experienced the same problems and found a solution? Is this a warranty case and shall i just return it? The machine is unusable at this point.

iMac 24″, 11.4

Posted on Jun 22, 2021 1:19 AM

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Answer 1

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PRP_53

Level 10

85,093 points

Jun 22, 2021 1:47 AM in response to Ahnbar

If you get a personalization error when reinstalling macOS on your Mac with Apple M1 chip

Do not know if you have read the above Apple Article specific to M1 Reinstallation procedures.

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Answer 2

Ahnbar Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 22, 2021 4:28 AM in response to PRP_53

I did all the steps recommended in the guide, nothing worked. While using the terminal the iMac crashed and restarted once, another time I got the error code "curl: (23) failed writing body ( 0!= 5632)" and a third time the download finished only to get the same error message when using a bootable installer (Installation cannot proceed because the installer is damaged.

Apple Support had no idea aswell so I'll get a replacement.

Thank you for your answer.

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Answer 3

PRP_53

Level 10

85,093 points

Jun 22, 2021 4:42 AM in response to Ahnbar

Welcome.

The issues you earlier outlined - had you used Migration Assist when setting it up as the New M1 computer??

If Yes - what was migrated from the older machine and what version of macOS ? Reason asking are two fold. If migrated Everything from a machine with Pre-Existing unresolved issue and / or older version of macOS to the new M1 Chip computer - some or many of the older version of Applications might Not have been compatible for the M1. Also, the pre-existing unresolved issues would have been migrated to the virgin and new M1 with Big Sur.

Food for thought when the replacemet machine arrives and being setup. It might be better to only Migrate the User Account and noting else.

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Answer 4

Ahnbar Author

Level 1

8 points

Jun 22, 2021 4:50 AM in response to PRP_53

Hmm actually I am not sure if I migrated more than just the User Account but I will certainly don't do it in the future. Thanks for the heads up!

Do you think it is possible that an unoptimized program could have caused all those problems in the first place? I used an Photo editor (LuminarAi) which was unoptimized for Apple Silicon and therefore often crashed and had several memory leaks? Won't be using the program in the future aswell, even if there won't be any problems with a new machine.

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Answer 5

PRP_53

Level 10

85,093 points

Jun 22, 2021 6:09 AM in response to Ahnbar

The Devil is in the Details as per their Site https://skylum.com/luminar-ai-b

Skylum is a member of the Apple Developer program. We’ve received the prototype hardware, and right now we’re working with it to ensure that LuminarAI will be compatible with these new processors. We have a long history of developing for the Mac platform and will ensure that all our technologies are perfectly adapted for the new hardware.

The native support on the M1 chips may take some time. However, using the software on new Macs will be possible much faster than the native support due to Rosetta 2 that aids the transition. This translation process will provide you with a fully operational software. LuminarAI is expected to launch in compatibility mode with the new Macs by the end of January.

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M1 iMac clean install not possible

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