I have tried to reinstall macOS on my MacBook Air with Apple M1, following the instructions, but a get the personalization error every time.

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dragan57 Author

Level 1

8 points

I have tried to reinstall macOS on my MacBook Air with Apple M1, following the instructions, but a get the personalization error every time.

Erase using Recovery Assistant and Reinstall

macOS Big Sur

When I power it on,

holding the power button, a screen appears showing the options icon, but no HD

Icon and the spinner spins indefinitely. The system does not ask to select a

user.

I am still able to open the Options. The Disk

Utility sees two volumes there Macintosh HD and Data. I can use it to delete

the contents and recreate the volumes.

I have tried to open

the terminal and enter resetpassword, but it cannot find any user accounts on

the volumes.

I do not have option Recovery

Assistant > Erase Mac.

When I select

Reinstall macOS Big Sur, it works for around 20 minutes and then stops with the

personalization error.

Using Terminal

Since I do not have a

second Mac, I have tried to use terminal to reinstall the OS.

I cannot change

directory to '/Volumes/Untitled', it does not exist.

I have tried to use '/Volumes/Data’

instead, and have managed to download the 11.5 GB package.

I am able to start the

installation, but unfortunately, a minute later I get the personalization error.

Please help me.

Posted on Aug 16, 2021 6:54 AM

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Answer 1

PRP_53

Level 10

85,015 points

Aug 16, 2021 7:59 AM in response to dragan57

Use Apple Configurator has that been used

If you have the following items, you can resolve the issue by reviving or restoring the firmware of your Mac:

Another Mac with macOS Catalina 10.15.6 or later and the latest Apple Configurator app, available free of charge from the App Store.
A USB-C to USB-C cable or USB-A to USB-C cable to connect the computers. The cable must support both power and data. Thunderbolt 3 cables aren’t supported.

If you don't have these items, follow the steps in the next section instead.

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Answer 2

PRP_53

Level 10

85,015 points

Aug 16, 2021 8:02 AM in response to dragan57

To perform this action will require booting from a Bootable Installer. This will have to be performed from a Qualifying Computer to run the version of macOS to be made on the Bootable Installer. Example : Bootable Installer of Big Sur would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Big Sur.

Once that is done read on for preparing the Destination computer >> Special Notation - works on Intel Based Apple Computers & May on Apple Silicon M1 CPU

Extra Special Notation regarding the Touch ID equipped Apple Computer. About Startup Security Utility and Must Enable from Recovery Mode the ability to boot from External Drive Before Attempting

Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer. Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ). The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map. Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

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