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zoyecote Author

Level 1

4 points

MacBook won't boot after OS update - can access in Targed disk Mode

Hi,

A friend's 12 inch Macbook, early 2015 (MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2015) - Technical Specifications)

received an OS upgrade a few weeks ago, then never booted up to UI. Apple logo appeared, progress bar started a few times, but stuck.

I can access it in Target Disk Mode.

Not a pro Mac user here, tried what I googled so far:

all kinds of recovery reinstall option combinations (Command (⌘)-R etc) How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support, original that came with the Mac, latest, etc
Reset NVRAM, SMC

When I logged in single user mode, the date command said it is 21 Jan, 2021 (today it is 7 May, 2022). I set correct date with date -u, now correct date is retained between reboots.

When I open /var/logs in Targed Disk Mode, and order by modified, latest date is 23 March (the problematic update happened around this time), I cannot see recent boot logs.

Often it takes a lot of time for my Mac to see the friend's Mac in Targed Disk Mode, have to wait, or try several times.

I saved friend's disk in TDM to an external HDD with rsync, not sure the backup is perfect, but seems like we got the data.

Would like to revive the MacBook. Any advice on how to progress?

MacBook

Posted on May 7, 2022 6:05 AM

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Top-ranking reply

Level 8

42,019 points

Posted on May 7, 2022 7:00 AM

Have you tried making a bootable usb How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

with the latest os the macbook can carry: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

Boot up the macbook from the stick and try to install macOS that way.

Hope this works!

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4 replies

Top-ranking reply

Level 8

42,019 points

May 7, 2022 7:00 AM in response to zoyecote

Have you tried making a bootable usb How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

with the latest os the macbook can carry: How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support

Boot up the macbook from the stick and try to install macOS that way.

Hope this works!

Reply

zoyecote Author

Level 1

4 points

May 7, 2022 12:23 PM in response to WheelieNick

Install got stuck. :(

Created Big Sur bootable USB disk

Booted into it

Installation started, asked for wifi password, disk to boot from (selected Install Big Sur...), language,

Then a process bar completed

Then switched to another window entitled macOS Update Assistant with the word "Updating:", and a new process bar. Here it got stuck right after starting, for more than 20 minutes now.

How should I proceed? Try to look at some logs...?

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zoyecote Author

Level 1

4 points

May 7, 2022 12:47 PM in response to zoyecote

Without any transit, after about 30 mins the install processed to next stage. Now it seems like the OS wants to boot, but also got stuck at a screen with only the Apple logo and the beginning of a progress bar. In the past few weeks this was the symptom of the problem, too: apple logo, stuck progress bar.

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zoyecote Author

Level 1

4 points

May 7, 2022 7:09 AM in response to WheelieNick

Thanks! Have not tried yet, will do!

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MacBook won't boot after OS update - can access in Targed disk Mode

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