MacBook Air 2017 error first aid-ing, reinstalling macOS, and erasing

Recently got the “? Folder” icon on my trusty 2017 13in MacBook Air.

A little background info on this MacBook Air: back in 2021, it wouldn’t turn on and couldn’t find the SSD. After a couple apple support calls and a visit to the Genius Bar, the consensus was that I should send it in for a new SSD. Since there was no way I could afford that, I got an OWC 240GB Aura N2 M.2 SSD and did it myself. Everything was working great. Until…

So I’ve followed all/as many of the apple support articles as I can.

FirstAid in Disk Utility: “First Aid process has failed”

Reinstall macOS: “the operation couldn’t be completed. Permission denied”

Erase APFS volume: “erase process has failed”

Not sure what to do next.

I did read something about needing to make a clone?

Also read that this may be because I have a third party chip? I do still have the original (non-functioning) SSD.

Any info to point me in the right direction would be amazing. Thank you in advance!