MacBook Pro Catalina to Ventura upgrade failed, how to resolve

I finally gave in and attempted to upgrade a 2018 MacBook Pro from Catalina to Ventura. All was going well until it wasn't. Now I've got a MacBook Pro that wants to upgrade, does some "stuff", and then reboots into "Recovery" where I can start the whole chain over. Something isn't happy but I don't know what.


I've found a "/var/log/.install_failure.log" file and the only error I can find is at the end of this:


/local/Default nodestate: starting check

/local/Default service discovery: not needed, no discovery function

/local/Default service discovery: successfully completed

No index configuration, all searches will be unindexed

Failed to open file <private> [2: No such file or directory]

Node is 10.7 or later

initiating reconnect for ...


Are there any other log files to look in for hints about what's going wrong when the Ventura upgrade tries to run?


In terms of data, I've got "ditto" copying everything on the local disk to an external USB SSD (that seems to be the only tool that ges all of ther permissions correct and that can deal with long path names), so once that is done I should be good to stasrt a rebuild, but I'd rather not have to do that and just fix the O/S so that the upgrade completes.

MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)

Posted on May 18, 2023 6:34 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 23, 2023 8:16 AM

Oh now I found the error:


2023-05-24 00:34:21+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[268]: SUOSUServiceDaemon: Removing client: accessoryupdaterd (pid = 107, uid = 278, path = /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileAccessoryUpdater.framework/Support/accessoryupdaterd)

2023-05-24 00:37:24+10 MacBook-Pro installerdiagwatcher[243]: ------- Install Failed -------

2023-05-24 00:37:24+10 MacBook-Pro installerdiagwatcher[243]: Operation: OSITemplateMigrationTasksInstantiateTemplate failed, Failure Reason: (null):0

2023-05-24 00:37:24+10 MacBook-Pro installerdiagwatcher[243]: This was an attempted upgrade install from 22D68 to 22E261


And a bit later:


2023-05-24 00:52:11+10 localhost Installer Progress[128]: Progress UI App Starting

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: softwareupdated: Starting with build 13.3.1 (22E261)

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: Initializing SoftwareUpdateMacController (SUMacControllerServer)

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: Initialized SoftwareUpdateMacController (SUMacControllerServer)

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUAlarmObserver: Setting alarm event stream handler

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUCustomTimeObserver: Setting alarm event stream handler

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUAuthenticationManager: Disabling local authentication requirement

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUServiceDaemon: Error reading /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000s0000068/C/com.apple.OSUpdate.SUOSUServiceDaemon.state: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file ▒~@~\com.apple.OSUpdate.SUOSUServiceDaemon.state▒~@~] couldn▒~@~Yt be opened because there is no such file." UserInfo={NSFilePath=/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000s0000068/C/com.apple.OSUpdate.SUOSUServiceDaemon.state, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f8f97f09de0 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=2 "No such file or directory"}}


That's error has been seen before: Unable to install macOS Catalina Suppleme… - Apple Community


and what percentage...


2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: BackgroundActivity: Activity check-in with Interval 0

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: IASGetCurrentInstallPhaseList: phases = (

{

ConclusionDelay = 0;

InstallPhase = "Boot 1";

InstallPhaseActualPercentageKey = "27.34375";

InstallPhasePercentageKey = 27;

},

{

ConclusionDelay = 0;

InstallPhase = "Language Chooser";

InstallPhaseActualPercentageKey = "72.65625";

InstallPhasePercentageKey = 73;

}

)

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: IASGetCurrentInstallPhase: Current phase name is "Boot 1"

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: currentPhase = "<IASPPhase: 0x60000264aca0: 'Boot 1', percentage 27.3, delay 0>", phases = (

"<IASPPhase: 0x60000264aca0: 'Boot 1', percentage 27.3, delay 0>",

"<IASPPhase: 0x60000264ad20: 'Language Chooser', percentage 72.7, delay 0>"

)

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: Progress app is loading▒~@▒



Similar questions

11 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 23, 2023 8:16 AM in response to gumbygaming

Oh now I found the error:


2023-05-24 00:34:21+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[268]: SUOSUServiceDaemon: Removing client: accessoryupdaterd (pid = 107, uid = 278, path = /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/MobileAccessoryUpdater.framework/Support/accessoryupdaterd)

2023-05-24 00:37:24+10 MacBook-Pro installerdiagwatcher[243]: ------- Install Failed -------

2023-05-24 00:37:24+10 MacBook-Pro installerdiagwatcher[243]: Operation: OSITemplateMigrationTasksInstantiateTemplate failed, Failure Reason: (null):0

2023-05-24 00:37:24+10 MacBook-Pro installerdiagwatcher[243]: This was an attempted upgrade install from 22D68 to 22E261


And a bit later:


2023-05-24 00:52:11+10 localhost Installer Progress[128]: Progress UI App Starting

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: softwareupdated: Starting with build 13.3.1 (22E261)

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: Initializing SoftwareUpdateMacController (SUMacControllerServer)

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: Initialized SoftwareUpdateMacController (SUMacControllerServer)

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUAlarmObserver: Setting alarm event stream handler

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUCustomTimeObserver: Setting alarm event stream handler

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUAuthenticationManager: Disabling local authentication requirement

2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: SUOSUServiceDaemon: Error reading /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000s0000068/C/com.apple.OSUpdate.SUOSUServiceDaemon.state: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=260 "The file ▒~@~\com.apple.OSUpdate.SUOSUServiceDaemon.state▒~@~] couldn▒~@~Yt be opened because there is no such file." UserInfo={NSFilePath=/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n00000s0000068/C/com.apple.OSUpdate.SUOSUServiceDaemon.state, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f8f97f09de0 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=2 "No such file or directory"}}


That's error has been seen before: Unable to install macOS Catalina Suppleme… - Apple Community


and what percentage...


2023-05-24 00:52:13+10 MacBook-Pro softwareupdated[273]: BackgroundActivity: Activity check-in with Interval 0

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: IASGetCurrentInstallPhaseList: phases = (

{

ConclusionDelay = 0;

InstallPhase = "Boot 1";

InstallPhaseActualPercentageKey = "27.34375";

InstallPhasePercentageKey = 27;

},

{

ConclusionDelay = 0;

InstallPhase = "Language Chooser";

InstallPhaseActualPercentageKey = "72.65625";

InstallPhasePercentageKey = 73;

}

)

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: IASGetCurrentInstallPhase: Current phase name is "Boot 1"

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: currentPhase = "<IASPPhase: 0x60000264aca0: 'Boot 1', percentage 27.3, delay 0>", phases = (

"<IASPPhase: 0x60000264aca0: 'Boot 1', percentage 27.3, delay 0>",

"<IASPPhase: 0x60000264ad20: 'Language Chooser', percentage 72.7, delay 0>"

)

2023-05-24 00:52:19+10 MacBook-Pro Installer Progress[128]: Progress app is loading▒~@▒



May 18, 2023 6:46 AM in response to gumbygaming

I would think that trying to upgrade to Ventura from Catalina could be your issue. while it is technically possible to skip over a macOS, some users have encountered issues when trying that. additionally, I think I would at least upgrade from Catalina to Big Sur before trying to go on to Ventura. but if you have the time, I would step up one macOS at a time.

May 18, 2023 7:43 AM in response to gumbygaming

if your Mac shipped with Catalina installed, you can use the keyboard shortcut "shift-option-command-r" to enter recovery. then while in recovery, use disk utility to erase the Mac. then while still in recovery, you should see the option to reinstall Catalina. once Catalina is installed, you can find the downloads for Big Sur and Monterey by visiting How to download macOS - Apple Support.


May 18, 2023 8:05 AM in response to gumbygaming

gumbygaming wrote:

You're telling me there's no way to resolve the error preventing the upgrade to Ventura and thus the only option is a wipe?

does the Mac still boot into Catalina? if not, then no, you need to "wipe" it.

From recovery, is there any way to backup/preserve what's stored in the keychain?

sorry, but frankly. IDK. you need an answer to that from someone that uses keychain.

May 18, 2023 7:25 AM in response to jeffreythefrog

This is the first time I've done a Mac OS upgrade and it didn't present any other options when I chose to ugprade. I have since discovered how to be selective about upgrade choices but that doesn't help me now. Some better guidance from Apple at the start of the process would have been nice.


I will have a go at using another system to create a boot USB for Intel Mac to get to Big Sur.


Now that the upgrade to Ventura has partially taken place, is it possible to "go back" to Catalina and then step forward to Big Sur?

May 23, 2023 7:53 AM in response to Old Toad

That's actually a useful reply, thanks.


Today I went back to the Macbook to see what state it is in and thought maybe trying "Safe Mode" would be useful to start a reinstall but that was a bit of a surprise.


I can do a "Safe Mode" boot into Ventura (13.3.3) but not a "normal" boot. A "normal" boot hangs about 25-30% the way into the white bar. Safe mode and join Wifi and see's a disk at about 80% full.


Does the sytem keep a log file for failed boots to see what it is hanging at?

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

MacBook Pro Catalina to Ventura upgrade failed, how to resolve

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.