A critical software update is required for your Mac. Connect to a network to install this update

Question

A critical software update is required for your Mac. Connect to a network to install this update

I'm getting this:

"A critical software update is required for your Mac. Connect to a network to install this update. Your Mac can't be used until this update is installed"

.. when trying to boot into Monterey on a MacBook Pro 13-inch 2016, but the machine can't connect to the internet until (presumably) this "critical update" is installed. Selecting the wireless router does not work, but my other machine (on which I am writing this) and both our phones connect with no problem at all.

There appear to be thousands of web pages that refer to this issue but to date I have not found any that actually have a solution. Suggestions include changing the logic board, reinstalling the operating system, performing PRAM resets etc.

I have already done a complete erase and reinstall of the latest operating system to no avail; in recovery or safe mode it connects fine.

I'm continuing the search but can anyone direct me to a page that actually has a solution that I can implement?

Posted on Sep 13, 2022 12:54 PM

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Answer 1

John Galt

Level 10

155,216 points

Sep 13, 2022 5:44 PM in response to The_Knowledge_Seeker

Unfortunately I do not know of a solution that will work in all cases. A defective logic board is a possibility.

The following appears to be a comprehensive description, but no definitive solution appears to be forthcoming: Critical software update required, but an error was encountered... Stuck

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Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

68,534 points

Sep 14, 2022 1:32 PM in response to The_Knowledge_Seeker

If reinstalling macOS did not help, then it means you have a hardware issue of some sort which is affecting the Touchbar. The problem is macOS is unable to upload the EmbeddedOS to the Touchbar. The EmbeddedOS is an OS that gets installed to the Touchbar to make it work. Just about any hardware component inside the laptop could cause the problem, but in my own personal experiencing supporting our organization's Macs, the usual culprits are the Touchbar itself, the Logic Board, or the Display Assembly (actually it is likely due to the Camera, but the camera is integrated into the Display). Most times I find liquid damage has been involved since the Touchbar connection to the Logic Board is near the back vent and edge of the Logic Board so it is easy for liquids to splash inside and hit the connector.

Since a reinstall failed, the only option left is it get an estimate to have the laptop repaired. FYI, the 2016 model is now considered "Vintage" and macOS 12.x Monterey is going to be the last supported OS for it. Monterey will likely stop receiving security updates around the end of 2024 although the laptop can still be used after that time, but the OS will become more vulnerable over time (may or may not be an issue for some people). These 2016 USB-C laptops have a lot of design flaws as well, so you may want to consider whether it is worth repairing the laptop or investing the funds into a new laptop.

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Answer 3

Top-ranking reply

The_Knowledge_Seeker Author

Level 4

3,727 points

Sep 15, 2022 3:30 AM in response to The_Knowledge_Seeker

I've worked out a (possibly partial) solution, so I thought I'd report back here in case it helps anyone else.

Ensure you have an up-to-date Time Machine backup in place (boot into safe mode to achieve this if necessary)
Shut Mac down.
Boot into Internet Recovery mode by holding done Option-Command-R on startup.
From Internet Recovery, use Disk Utility to erase the internal drive
From Internet Recovery, reinstall macOS
When asked whether you want to migrate data from another Mac or Time Machine, answer NO.
Set up a new user account.
Mac should now run perfectly (albeit without your personal data and applications)
At this point, the machine will look as though it's brand new, and you can set it up (add eMail accounts, etc.) as you see fit.

That's as far as I've got right now. This next bit is only conjecture:

If you use Migration Assistant to copy your personal data and applications over, the critical error will return, but if you manually drag files (such as the content of your backed-up Desktop folder), the error should (probably) not occur. I don't want to test this myself just yet because if it fails, I'll need to erase and reinstall macOS all over again, which takes hours, and I don't have that time spare for a while!

Does this help anyone else?

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A critical software update is required for your Mac. Connect to a network to install this update

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