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Mac OS Monterey 12.1 update

Hello,


I am having an issue updating my 2020 M1 MacBook Air to OS 12.1. When I tried updating, I got a message saying that only owners can update, (which I thought was a bit strange, considering I am the owner). Restarted Air, then tried to update again, only to say that it was up to date,(12.0.1)


I also have a 2020 Intel iMac, was able to update to 12.1 with no problems.


Hope someone can help me.


Thank you




MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.0

Posted on Dec 14, 2021 3:08 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Dec 17, 2021 7:05 PM

I did as you suggested, force quit in activity monitor, checked for update, & there it was, 12.1. Sadly though, when I clicked on update now, I got the same error as before, "Installation failed. In order to continue installing, you need to be an owner".


Now I am totally confused.


Maybe I should wipe HD & re-install

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28 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Dec 17, 2021 7:05 PM in response to dialabrain

I did as you suggested, force quit in activity monitor, checked for update, & there it was, 12.1. Sadly though, when I clicked on update now, I got the same error as before, "Installation failed. In order to continue installing, you need to be an owner".


Now I am totally confused.


Maybe I should wipe HD & re-install

Dec 17, 2021 8:02 AM in response to comfortablynumb

Not sure if this will work, as so many other very good suggestions have already been offered.


Terminal and this command without Quotation marks  " softwareupdate --list-full-installers " What is the output.?


If Monterey 12.1 is seen - good.


Again without Quotation marks " softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 12.1 " which will pull the Full Version of 12.1 approx. 12.17 GB size.


I would stop there and make a TM Backup first. Then, Copy the new " Install Monterey " in applications folder to External Drive.


Restart in Safe Mode and then run the Installer.

Dec 15, 2021 6:55 AM in response to comfortablynumb

comfortablynumb wrote:

Hello,

I am having an issue updating my 2020 M1 MacBook Air to OS 12.1. When I tried updating, I got a message saying that only owners can update, (which I thought was a bit strange, considering I am the owner). Restarted Air, then tried to update again, only to say that it was up to date,(12.0.1)

I also have a 2020 Intel iMac, was able to update to 12.1 with no problems.


This is not the first report that I have heard of this issue...



Add Terminal.app to >System Preferences>Security&Privacy>>Privacy>"Full Disk Access" folder using the +/-


Then from Terminal copy & paste:

sudo softwareupdate -i -a -R


this will bypass the secure token/owner check from the Software Update pref pane—


-i Install

-a All appropriate updates

-R Automatically restart (or shut down) if required to complete installation)


The Monterey 12.1, a major point update to macOS. The update is ~ 2.36GB

Dec 16, 2021 9:25 PM in response to comfortablynumb

See if this works…

Missing Update


1.) Open System Preferences > Software Update. Confirm that no update is available, and leave the window open.

2.) Open Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.

3.) Go to View > All Processes

4.) Search for ‘com.apple.MobileSoftwareUpdate.UpdateBrainService’ . Select it and click Force Quit. [If that doesn’t work, try “com.apple.NRD.UpdateBrainService” instead.]

5.) The 12.1 Update should appear in System Preferences. Click Update Now.

6.) The update may not download - force quit the com.apple.MobileSoftwareUpdate.UpdateBrainService again using Activity Monitor to start the download. [Again, you may need to force quit “com.apple.NRD.UpdateBrainService” instead.]


https://lifehacker.com/how-to-get-macos-12-1-on-your-m1-mac-when-the-update-wo-1848219524

Dec 17, 2021 7:34 AM in response to comfortablynumb

I encountered this when trying to run an update on an external macOS install. As it turned out, Monterey updates can only be installed on designated start up disks. I was getting the same message.


Try going to System Preferences->Startup Disk, unlock access, and set the internal drive as a startup disk again and reboot and see what happens.


It is possible that somehow the Mac may have "forgot" that the internal drive was the designated startup disk.

Dec 17, 2021 5:03 PM in response to comfortablynumb

I have an M1 Macbook Pro: I had a similar yet strange issue. I ran the installer through the About this Mac window, it downloaded the whole thing. I restarted and I was told I was still running 12.01. I restarted with the Command+R in order to reinstall from my back-up drive, I didn't re-install, instead I restarted from my existing installation which when highlighted told me that my existing Os was 12.1. When I rebooted and checked it continued to say I was running 12.01. I will check out the command line option to see if that straighten things out.

Dec 28, 2021 9:47 AM in response to PRP_53

Doesn't work for me either:


Mottis-mini-M1-mac:target $ sudo softwareupdate -i -a -R         
Software Update Tool
Finding available software
No updates are available.
Mottis-mini-M1-mac:target $ softwareupdate --list-full-installers
Finding available software
Software Update found the following full installers:
* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.1, Size: 12157035487K, Build: 21C52
* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.0.1, Size: 12128428704K, Build: 21A559
* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.2, Size: 12433351292K, Build: 20G314
* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.1, Size: 12428472512K, Build: 20G224
* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6, Size: 12428553042K, Build: 20G165
* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.5.2, Size: 12440916552K, Build: 20G95
Mottis-mini-M1-mac:target $ softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 12.1
Scanning for 12.1 installer
Install failed with error: Installation failed 


So what's next? I do not wish to reinstall the OS now -- both it takes ages to download and install, and I'm not sure it'll cure the problem. This is my development work Mac...

Mac OS Monterey 12.1 update

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