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User profile for user: koakey209
koakey209 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

problems upgrading my imac

I tried to upgrade my iMac from Catalina to Monterey and it seems to have a problem.. I can't start the machine up now I just get a folder with a ? in it and then the url support.apple.com/mac/startup is at the bottom. I have gone there but the suggestions haven't helped. I want to try and create a bootable install usb and started following the instructions to do this from another iMac that I have (macos: Catalina). One of the first things it says to do is to download a version of the macos from the app store. The instructions say that the macos should be downloaded into the Applications folder as "Install macos [version of os]".. but when I click on the "Get" button in the app store the System Preferences window appears and it says it is downloading but it appears to be downloading into the /Library/Updates directory instead of the /Applications directory.. How do I tell app store or my to download the macos not as an update but to download to the /Applications directory? Thanks for you help on this.


Kendel

Posted on Jan 9, 2022 9:56 AM

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User profile for user: PRP_53
PRP_53
User level: Level 10
91,789 points

Posted on Jan 9, 2022 10:41 AM

Understand the below method will Wipe the Drive of ALL DATA and there is No Recovery - period


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 Monterey would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Monterey.


macOS Monterey is compatible with these computers


NOTATION >> 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.


Once that is done, read on for preparing the Destination computer 


>> Only works on Intel Based Apple Computers.



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 


1 - Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer.


2- Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. 


3 - It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 


4 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).


5 - 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.


6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 


7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 


8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

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User profile for user: PRP_53
PRP_53
User level: Level 10
91,789 points

Jan 9, 2022 10:41 AM in response to koakey209

Understand the below method will Wipe the Drive of ALL DATA and there is No Recovery - period


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 Monterey would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Monterey.


macOS Monterey is compatible with these computers


NOTATION >> 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.


Once that is done, read on for preparing the Destination computer 


>> Only works on Intel Based Apple Computers.



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 


1 - Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer.


2- Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. 


3 - It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 


4 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).


5 - 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.


6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 


7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 


8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

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User profile for user: lllaass
lllaass
User level: Level 10
210,459 points

Jan 10, 2022 1:40 AM in response to koakey209

It appears that the drives in your iMac was initially setup as a Fusion drive using both the SSD and HDD together for speed at an affordable cost since at the time your iMac was designed SSDs were expensive.


See the following to determine if you have a Fusion drive:

How to fix a split Fusion Drive - Apple Support

SOme users have reported here problems with a Fusion drive.. HOwever, if you only use the HDD your Mac will be slow since typically you will have a 5400RPM HDD.


I would install on the Fusion drive is that is what you now have. After that I would backup and then replace the slow HDD with an SSD and install Monterey on that migrate data to the new Monterey.

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User profile for user: koakey209
koakey209 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Jan 9, 2022 4:15 PM in response to PRP_53

Thanks this was helpful.. I have more questions... So it appears that I have a 1TB HDD disk and a 64GB SDD as well. Most of the examples I see only show one or the other.. None with both of these storage devices. Should I install the new macOS on the SDD or the HDD... does it matter? Before I had this problem I believe I only notice 1 drive called Macintosh HD and I am pretty sure it was the 1TB drive.. So if that was the case what is the SDD used for?


Thanks,

Kendel

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problems upgrading my imac

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