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Upgrade to Monterey stuck on "Less than a minute remaining"

I am upgrading from High Sierra 10.13 to Monterey. The install is stuck at "less than a minute remaining". After a few hours I gave up on Monterey, forced quit with the power button and now my Mac won't boot.


I've launched in Recovery Mode and reinstalled High Sierra to get an error message that High Sierra can not be installed (com.apple.osinstall error - 3). So now I have no OS.


I subsequently tried to install Monterey from Recovery Mode.......only to be stuck once again at the same place of "less than a minute remaining" for endless hours.


Can anyone help me figure out how to either:

1) Reinstall High Sierra or

2) Install the Monterey upgrade


Right now, my Mac won't boot and is dead in the water.


Thank you

Posted on Aug 5, 2022 11:28 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 6, 2022 1:00 AM

While in recovery mode, did you erase the internal volume as APFS (GUID), and then tried to install Monterey or High Sierra?


Do you have SSD? Old spinning HDD is VERY slow on APFS so don't install Monterey on that.


Does internet recovery work? If yes, erase the whole internal device (not just volumes under it) as APFS and do a clean install.


How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


If all else fails, you could make a bootable Monterey or High Sierra USB flash drive, boot it, and erase the whole internal device (not just volumes under it) as APFS and do a clean install. But you need another Mac that supports either macOS for that.


How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support


I presume you have a backup?


Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 6, 2022 1:00 AM in response to MaKuh

While in recovery mode, did you erase the internal volume as APFS (GUID), and then tried to install Monterey or High Sierra?


Do you have SSD? Old spinning HDD is VERY slow on APFS so don't install Monterey on that.


Does internet recovery work? If yes, erase the whole internal device (not just volumes under it) as APFS and do a clean install.


How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


If all else fails, you could make a bootable Monterey or High Sierra USB flash drive, boot it, and erase the whole internal device (not just volumes under it) as APFS and do a clean install. But you need another Mac that supports either macOS for that.


How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support


I presume you have a backup?


Aug 6, 2022 4:40 AM in response to MaKuh

Follow the advise of @ Matti Haveri First


Fall Back positions as Last Resort


Scorched Earth Method 


This method will WIPE ALL Data and there is No Recovery - Period.


>> Only works on Intel Based Apple Computer


To perform this action will require booting from a Bootable Installer


The Bootable Installer can Only be performed on an Apple Computer 


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


Notation: If the computer being used to perform this action is Too New or Too Old to qualify to run the version of macOS - this computer can not be used.


Alternative is, to gain access to a Qualifying Apple Computer from a family member, friend or associate.


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. This applies to macOS 10.14 Mojave and above


5A - Formatting for macOS 10.13 High Sierra and below requires HFS Journaled 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.

Upgrade to Monterey stuck on "Less than a minute remaining"

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