Clean Install of High Sierra: Multiple Fails, Pls Advise

Question

Clean Install of High Sierra: Multiple Fails, Pls Advise

I'm trying to clean install High Sierra on a Mac Pro 5,1 (mid-2010, 6-core). High Sierra has been on this machine for two years.

Many attempts have failed, the last three failed with the message: "The recovery server could not be contacted". That's a new one.

Quick details:

1. I want to install High Sierra to an NVMe 480GB SSD. Two early attempts failed (they stopped at a window with a stuck progress bar)

2. Several more attempts installing High Sierra to the system drive also got stuck.

Then tonight I read I should try the file “Install 10.13.6 macOS HIGH SIERRA”. So I downloaded it, recreated a USB boot installer with that installer and then got the error "The recovery server could not be contacted" again.

3. Even an attempt to simply reinstate High Sierra from a Time Machine backup failed. My old school Time Capsule died last year, so backups from multiple Macs are all on a USB3 portable HD.

I followed prep directions from an Apple Support page to the letter.

Is there a way of doing a clean install via Terminal?

Thank you in advance!

Mac Pro, macOS 10.13

Posted on May 18, 2023 12:27 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

BDAqua

Level 10

239,927 points

May 18, 2023 2:32 AM in response to TheUncannyValley

Do you have another drive you can Install to???

APFS won't work for Sierra, Sierra needs MacOS Extended Journaled. High Sierra won't work fir APFS on earlier Macs.

What has often worked for others is to use this Restore Method instead of CMD+r keys...

Option-⌘-R

Upgrade to the latest macOS compatible with your Mac.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254793247?answerId=258936149022#258936149022

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Answer 2

najirr

Level 1

8 points

Feb 4, 2024 1:07 AM in response to TheUncannyValley

I have MacBook air early 2015 model.

I tried cmd + r reset all disk tried updating date from terminal and installing os however it didn't work.

My advise

cmd + option + r (to update to latest version)

also make sure update date by going into terminal

date mmddhhmmyy (e.g today is 4th feb 24 and time is 12:54 so date 0204125024)

after that reset the disk by going into utility

lastly install os it will work for MacBook air.

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Answer 3

May 18, 2023 9:45 PM in response to BDAqua

Hi BDAqua,

A funny coincidence...I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep (for a very different reason) so I logged in here to check for replies and saw another comment where you made a very similar suggestion. I made a mental note to try it tonight.

Long story short, I do have an extra SATA SSD and I'm about to replace the Mac Pro's system drive with this one and try the option-cmd-R method. And I'll be sure to use MacOS Extended Journaled.

Thank you for your reply. I believe you helped me once before and I really do appreciate it. All the best!

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