I tried to upgrade to Monterey and got the message storage system verify or repair failed: 69716. What does this mean?

Use If an error occurred while updating or installing macOS

This particular error is related to incorrect file system, as far as I understand. I'd offer you to create a backup as soon as possible.

Then you definitely need to https://support.apple.com/en-en/HT210898

In recovery mode. If the error persists, I'd offer to erase the whole disk, not volume because the file system error will only be resolved by erasing the whole disk

IMPORTANT

If there was no red "Safe mode" phrase it means that the safe mode did not start.

It appears only on login screen

In you case - suggest manually shutting down the computer by any means including Power Button.

Disconnect all external Drives

Restart and Immediately Hold the SHIFT key until the Apple Logo appears and then release.

This is Safe Mode and it does a Repair Disk, clear cache files and Only Loads Apple Software, extensions and fonts.

The Boot Up process may be long but normal.

If all goes well - this may or may not allow the upgrade process to finish successfully

YOu say you are on 10.14.

Try upgrading first to Catalina, then to Big Sur and finally to Monterey.

To get the older macOS versions see:

How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

Does any of the below apply to this computer ?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.14 is this information correct.

Was the Internal Drive formatted in the APFS format or still in the older HFS Journaled format.

There are reports appearing on the ASC Forums regarding failed installation of Monterey on older Qualifying Apple Computers. In most cases this is related to having a NON Apple Original internal drive ?  

The EFI Boot ROM included in Monterey is verifying for Original Apple Drive and if not found , may Balk or fail to upgrade to Monterey. 

Reports indicate the EFI BOOT ROM is Required to Flash the Computer and is a  requirement for a Successful Monterey Installation.

If you startup with the Option key depressed, the bootable disks /macOS' should be listed and you can selected which one to boot from.

• Option (⌥) or Alt: Start up to Startup Manager, which allows you to choose other available startup disks or volumes. If your Mac is using a firmware password, you're prompted to enter the password.

Mac startup key combinations - Apple Support

Older macOS versions like High Sierra do not understand APFS and thus can't identify an APFS startup volume in the Startup Disk Preference.

If you boot up with the Option key depressed what startup disks can you select?

Catalina was the first macOS version to split the startup volume into two

• a read-only System volume, by default on the internal disk named Macintosh HD, which forms the root of the boot file system,
• the writable Data volume, by default on the internal disk named Macintosh HD – Data, which is normally hidden from view at /System/Volumes and accessed via firmlinks,

MacOS versions before that can't identify the split system as a startup disk in System Preferences>Startup disk. I have verified that when I started up my Monterey Mac from an external High Sierra disk.

Turn off Filevault - shutdown - Startup to Safe mode - Try to update

And use THIS for Sure!

I'm having the same issue on an iMac 2017 with an original Apple 1TB APFS formatted internal ssd. I did add an extra volume with a capacity of 100Gb. I did then check both volumes (the start up disk and the new volume) with disk first aid and both volumes are OK! So now I'm stuck.

Thanks for the help! Before your tip, I did try to install Monterey on an extra volume (about 80 Gb big, so enough to hold the system) I added to an external APFS ssd of 1Tb. This time the installation took forever, but ended again with the system verify failure. I noticed the installation software did even made two extra volumes, called 'macOS test- data' ('macOS test' was the name I gave the volume) and a volume with the name 'Update'. I had to manually delete those volumes.

Well anyway I will try install in Safe Mode and I will let you know the result soon, but for the moment I'm done with installing...

An update of my efforts to install macOS on a separate volume (so NOT a separate partition) for testing purposes.

Monterey failed because of the title of this thread, so I tried Big Sur. The installation succeeded, so after some playing around with the new system, I decided to start up again with my existing macOS Mojave. It did start up normally, but at the end with a message that it could not use certain volumes (the exact message I don't recall). But it turned out that I ended up with 2 (extra) volumes: 'macOS test - Data' and 'Update', both about 80 Gb. ('macOS test' is the name I gave to the volume in the first place, with a size of 80 Gb.) It also turned out that none of those volumes appear as startup disks. So I ended up with two unusable volumes and no Big Sur. What is going on? Is it because I try to install the new system on a separate volume? Should I instead use a partition or what?

Thanks for your insights! So to make sure, also Mojave can't identify a split system? If so, what steps should I take to have macOS Big Sur (or Monterey) on my computer for testing purposes alongside my existing system Mojave?

Indeed, restarting with the Alt key did show two startup volumes, Mojave and Big Sur. So I could choose Big Sur and everything and it did start Big Sur. When restarting again, and this time choosing Mojave, I get the message:

and the incompatible disk are of course the ones with Big Sur. Anyway, everything is now how I planned. Thanks for the input!

iMac, Late 2015 model running Mojave just fine.

Simply trying to upgrade my OS to Monterey but experiencing same issues as many others.

Failed installation due to storage (-69716) even though there's plenty of space (1.2GB available).

I've tried several things over and over. Clean-up, hard restart, recovery mode. Repeat.

Can I change my disk format (as mentioned) without loosing files?

Will this finally work? Any other ideas or suggestions?

Please help, thanks!

Do you have a Fusion Drive?

MacMasterMatt wrote:

iMac, Late 2015 model running Mojave just fine.

Simply trying to upgrade my OS to Monterey but experiencing same issues as many others.

Failed installation due to storage (-69716) even though there's plenty of space (1.2GB available).

I've tried several things over and over. Clean-up, hard restart, recovery mode. Repeat.

Can I change my disk format (as mentioned) without loosing files?

Will this finally work? Any other ideas or suggestions?

Please help, thanks!