When I try to update I get the message "Installation failed In order to continue installing, you need to be an owner." I've updated before and have never had any issues until this time.
Mac mini, macOS 12.1
Which model Mac do you have? Apple menu -> About this Mac.
If it's an Intel w/T2 Security Chip or an M1 Mac then the account you are using to upgrade needs to have a "Secure Token" and if it doesn't that is why you see the owner error.
If you have multiple user accounts, perhaps the one that was originally used when the Mac was first setup should be used to upgrade as that account will have a Secure Token. The first account on a Mac gets one and that user would normally create additional users and they will also have a Secure Token but I have witnessed accounts being restored from backup not having a Secure Token or if another local admin creates a new user it won't have a Secure Token.
The Intel w/T2 or M1 Macs are encrypted out of the box from the factory and the chain of trust and the Secure Token increases security considerably but can experience end cases such as this owner message. Or restoring users from Migration Assistant and finding they cannot boot the Mac, etc.
Which model Mac do you have? Apple menu -> About this Mac.
If it's an Intel w/T2 Security Chip or an M1 Mac then the account you are using to upgrade needs to have a "Secure Token" and if it doesn't that is why you see the owner error.
If you have multiple user accounts, perhaps the one that was originally used when the Mac was first setup should be used to upgrade as that account will have a Secure Token. The first account on a Mac gets one and that user would normally create additional users and they will also have a Secure Token but I have witnessed accounts being restored from backup not having a Secure Token or if another local admin creates a new user it won't have a Secure Token.
The Intel w/T2 or M1 Macs are encrypted out of the box from the factory and the chain of trust and the Secure Token increases security considerably but can experience end cases such as this owner message. Or restoring users from Migration Assistant and finding they cannot boot the Mac, etc.
It's an M1 Mac Mini. I purchased it from someone who used it for a few days and then stopped using it. However, it was completely reset before I got it and I've been able to update the software several times before. Does this I won't be able to update the software anymore since I was not the original purchaser? Or is there a workaround so that it can continue to be updated and kept secure with the most recent updates?
The very first account on a new M1 or T2 equipped Intel Mac would have a Secure Token. Any account created with that initial administrator account will also have a Secure Token. But if accounts were restored via Migration Assistant or otherwise restored from backup they might be missing it and won't be able to boot the Mac among other problems.
If you attempted to boot from an external drive to re-install macOS that's not going to work with M1 Macs very well. In fact, booting from an external disk entirely isn't exactly possible anymore. Apple uses the internal disk in such a way that if that internal disk was erased you wouldn't be able to boot anything from an external drive due to the security changes. The internal disk has to be working and in good condition in order to boot externally. Apple also removed Internet Recovery on the M1 Mac's.
If the internal disk is erased then you may be in a Catch-22 scenario where you need a second Mac with a USB-C data cable to connect to a second working Mac with Apple Configurator 2 installed. Then you can use that second Mac to revive or reset the first broken M1 Mac. It basically downloads the recovery partition, etc. onto the M1 Mac with the revive option or re-installs everything including macOS with the reset option.
Support at an Apple Store might be required if you do not have a second Mac. Or perhaps a 3rd party Authorized Repair Center or a vendor that supports Macs. They just need to attach a USB-C Thunderbolt data cable and run Apple Configurator 2 on a second Mac on your behalf to get things working again. Then you can restore from backup if you have a backup.
I suspect the method used to reset the Mac was not the correct method. The best way to do that is to open System Preferences and click the System Preferences drop down menu and choose "Erase All Settings and Content". That works exactly like resetting an iPhone or iPad. It wipes out the previous users data and resets to factory ready to prompt the new user as if it was new out of the box. That would create a secure token for the initial administrator account during the setup wizard.
If you do the System Preferences -> Erase all Settings and Content that will factory reset the M1 Mac. It will lose any data so backup what you care about first.
If you do that you will go through a startup wizard and the account you create from that process will have a SecureToken and you should able to upgrade to 12.2.1.
Thank you. Unfortunately that option is not available. I’m wondering if the seller never cleared it properly and if so, does that mean it will never be able to be updated? It’s strange because I’ve successfully updated the software several times already.
Okay, you are going to have to start over and you are going to likely need a second Mac with Apple Configurator 2 and a USB-C data cable to do it properly. You need to completely reset the device with Apple Configurator 2 which will download macOS Monterey 12.3 and wipe out the M1 MacBook Pro 13" and install macOS in a secure trusted manner. Then you can set it up again and you will have the Secure Token.
Whatever the previous owner did to reset the device was incorrect.
The option looks like below. It's on the drop down menu. It should be there if it's Monterey w/M1.
I have a recent MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) with M1 chip. So how do I get a "Secure Token"?
When I reset it I followed The specific M1 reset instructions. How can I find information on the secure token to know if I should reset it again?
Erase all Settings and Content not available on my Mac. MacBook Pro (13-inch, M1, 2020) OS 12.0.1
Monterey 12.2.1 update says I need to be the owner
