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Cannot Reinstall macOS

I erased my personal information on my mid-2011 Mac desktop in order to get it ready to sell. Now when I try to re-install macOS High Sierra onto the Macintosh HD, I get an error that reads "Could not create a preboot volume for APFS install." I have tried holding down Command-R when restarting Any suggestions, please?

Posted on Jul 11, 2021 12:06 PM

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Posted on Jul 11, 2021 12:13 PM

Hello, WendyO1.


How are you attempting to instal High Sierra?

Are you using a bootable installer or have you booted into Recovery mode?

Please see this linked article –

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

5 replies

Jul 11, 2021 1:03 PM in response to WendyO1

From the MacOS Utilities screen, select Disk Utility.

• In Disk Utility, make sure you select View > Show All Devices.

• Select the topmost device/media and then click Erase.

• Name the drive Macintosh HD (or Macintosh SSD), use the APFS format and the GUID partition map scheme.

• When Disk Utility has finished the reformat, quit DU.


• Back at the MacOS Utilities window, select Reinstall macOS High Sierra and try the process again.


EDIT - if at all possible, connect to your router with an ethernet cable rather than wi-fi. It's faster and less prone to fail. Good luck!

Jul 11, 2021 1:16 PM in response to WendyO1

WendyO1 Said:

"Canot Reinstall macOS: [...]’could not create a preboot volume for APFS install’[...]

———-


Mount the Hard Drive in Disk Utility:

While booted into Recovery Mode [Hold Down: command + R keys upon boot], go to Disk Utility> tap the Hard Drive, then tap the Mount button. See if you can then install it. If it is already mounted, then unmount it and then remount it. See where you can go from there.

Cannot Reinstall macOS

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