Base build is not compatible for this install method - macos upgrade

Sorry I don't have a reference from Apple regarding this. One of my colleagues said there is information about the problem on the Macadmins Slack Channel. Mostly what I've gleaned is based on in-house testing. Looks like this thread on Jamf Nation describes the issue (and a workaround if you're a Jamf house):

https://community.jamf.com/t5/jamf-pro/the-base-build-is-not-compatible-for-this-install-method/m-p/295103

I had a 40 min call with Apple support and explained them the issue.

They asked to check if device gets the update in recovery mode?

I told them that the installation (the update) was successful.

Once I replied to them that it was successful, they explained that it not their problem, and I have to speak with MDM server solution support.

The MDM support was unhelpful.

I'm decided to test Update deferrals in the different way and write the XML file, that I'm posted above.

I want to use it as custom configuration instead of build in MDM solution.

I have the same problem on a MacBook Pro with M1 Pro. I'm currently on 13.4.

Thank you for letting me know @yoshicarroll. I’ll give it a try later when I’m in the office. Initially I assumed that a reinstall will wipe the whole disk but since it won’t, this seems to be the way to go.

Are you able to confirm whether you got this information from Apple somewhere and provide a reference if so? We have the same issue and have started using config profiles to stagger our update visibility across our company. Luckily we have a workaround in that we can use Jamf to send a Download command to prepare the update for installation by the user. But it's happening so often now that it's becoming too cumbersome.

Currently I'm using this profile:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>Restrictions</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess.C72C75C5-EFFC-4107-99AE-BF586B060B2C</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.applicationaccess</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>9446E80E-6735-408E-9DC1-E80A6666CF74</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
            <key>allowRapidSecurityResponseRemoval</key>
            <true/>
            <key>allowRapidSecurityResponseInstallation</key>
            <true/>
            <key>enforcedSoftwareUpdateMajorOSDeferredInstallDelay</key>
            <integer>45</integer>
            <key>enforcedSoftwareUpdateMinorOSDeferredInstallDelay</key>
            <integer>5</integer>
            <key>forceDelayedMajorSoftwareUpdates</key>
            <true/>
            <key>forceDelayedSoftwareUpdates</key>
            <true/>
        </dict>
        <dict>
            <key>AllowPreReleaseInstallation</key>
            <false/>
            <key>AutomaticallyInstallAppUpdates</key>
            <false/>
            <key>AutomaticallyInstallMacOSUpdates</key>
            <true/>
            <key>AutomaticDownload</key>
            <true/>
            <key>AutomaticCheckEnabled</key>
            <true/>
            <key>ConfigDataInstall</key>
            <true/>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>Software Update</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.78F884D3-BDA8-48AE-A776-228BE5EFC1A4</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.SoftwareUpdate</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>78F884D3-BDA8-48AE-A776-228BE5EFC1A4</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>An update restriction</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>6155859A-643F-4F70-9371-99D3D3AB25E9</string>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>420C79D4-15B7-4875-A656-E042D5E8AE16</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Safe mode made no difference.

Yes I guess it is a bit of an ask to request a special MDM exclusion policy. Glad to hear you managed to get the update applied using the reinstall method.

Let me know if the custom config works - I was following this model myself and found the same issue. If it can work via custom config then I can attempt to implement ours the same way.

This is exactly what the issue is, and what we had to do on a case by case basis, to correct it out the company that I work for one of the big five accounting firms in the US. Furthermore, this solution is crap because we can't do this for every single Mac user in our company, so I really need Apple to step up their game and get us a fix for this. The MDM profile's worked fine until these versions.

Safe mode doesn't fix it. Same issue, M1 Pro chip on MBP and wired internet. Stuck on 13.4.