PKG file installations fail in Sequoia

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burkek1960 Author

Level 1

14 points

PKG file installations fail in Sequoia

All .PKG file installations are failing in Sequoia. After (during?) "Validating packages ..." I get an installation failure:

Things I've tried:

Created a new 2nd Admin account and tried installing. Fails.
Tried installing via Terminal. Failed with the same message.
Moved the PKG to the desktop and tried installing. Failed.
Moved the PKG to the "Downloads" folder in the Mac Studio and installed. Failed.
Turned off the firewall. Installed. Failed.
Uninstalled NordVPN. Installed. Failed.
Rebooted. Tried again. Failed.
Right-clicked on installer and chose "Open with ..." and then "installer.app". The install failed.

The only thing I haven't done is:

Try installing use safe mode
Try turning off the SIP

Anyone else with Sequoia experiencing the same issue?

T/hanks.

KEv

Posted on Sep 20, 2024 10:39 AM

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Answer 1

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etresoft

Level 9

56,290 points

Sep 21, 2024 6:45 AM in response to burkek1960

burkek1960 wrote:

I compared the log file from safe mode to the one when in normal mode and the errors/failures were the same - all related to com.apple.installd. I even gave install.app full disk access. Made no difference.

It did make a difference. You've fundamentally changed some behaviour in the operating system. Do not make these kinds of changes to Apple files. Clearly, most people are not having this problem. So when you make a change like this, 1) it won't work and 2) your operation system is now unique in the universe. That can cause problems for years down the road.

I did not change any default settings in the Sequoia re-install. I was thinking a full disk wipe and reinstall might fix it

It will. Just make sure to avoid restoring the entire system. If you restore from backup, you can restore your user files and user accounts. Do not restore any software, apps, system settings, or "other files". You can manually restore any apps that you absolutely can't live without. But until you do that, please confirm that the problem is fixed. You can run this test and confirm that it now work while your life hangs in the balance.

I will wait for the October Sequoia release to see if that fixes it first.

I can absolutely guarantee that it will not.

If you search the internet, this exact type of thing happens periodically seemingly with every new macOS release, only to be fixed in an update.

Updates do often fix bugs. But such fixes are specific bugs and Apple will very clearly indicate which bugs are fixed. In most cases, these are fixes that few people encountered.

In these forums at least, it is much, much more common for people to attribute some problem that exists only on their computer to some system problem that apparently 90 million other people haven't noticed yet. They apply update, after update, getting more frustrated each time. To be clear - this is what is happening in your case.

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Answer 2

burkek1960 Author

Level 1

14 points

Oct 7, 2024 7:02 AM in response to burkek1960

Just to close this thread ... I ended up doing a complete reformat/reinstall of Sequoia. Would have preferred knowing the cause of the PKG install failures.

On a side note, Apple does not release _all_ information about bug fixes. The particular error I was getting with PKG files _was_ fixed by a subsequent macOS release on an older OS. I elected not to wait.

Thanks all.

KEv

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Answer 3

etresoft

Level 9

56,290 points

Sep 20, 2024 10:46 AM in response to burkek1960

burkek1960 wrote:

Anyone else with Sequoia experiencing the same issue?

Nope. Just you.

Turned off the firewall.

Why was it on in the first place?

Uninstalled NordVPN.

While NordVPN isn't known to cause problems, what other "security" apps do you have installed? Those cause tons of problems.

The only thing I haven't done is:

Try turning off the SIP

Please don't do this.

Is this one specific installer package or any installer package? If it is one package, what is it and where did you get it?

The installer has a built-in log feature. What does the log say?

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Answer 4

etresoft

Level 9

56,290 points

Sep 20, 2024 5:06 PM in response to burkek1960

Sure looks like some kind of networking problem to me.

There's lots of 3rd party system modifications floating around. Safe Mode should prevent that.

Maybe try posting a log file from Safe Mode.

Did you do anything during the install that wasn't a default setting? Did you try to erase the hard drive and reinstall the OS? I should think that will fix it.

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Answer 5

burkek1960 Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 21, 2024 1:29 AM in response to etresoft

I compared the log file from safe mode to the one when in normal mode and the errors/failures were the same - all related to com.apple.installd. I even gave install.app full disk access. Made no difference.

I did not change any default settings in the Sequoia re-install. I was thinking a full disk wipe and reinstall might fix it, but I will wait for the October Sequoia release to see if that fixes it first. If you search the internet, this exact type of thing happens periodically seemingly with every new macOS release, only to be fixed in an update. Thanks.

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Answer 6

burkek1960 Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 20, 2024 11:46 AM in response to etresoft

The firewall was on, yes.

No other security apps.

I know about the importance of the SIP.

Not just one installer. I've tried a bunch starting with an app demo for musicians that I was interested in trying. Can't buy it if I can't install it.

The error log is mostly identical for all of them:

Sep 20 14:33:06 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: Failed to load specified background image

Sep 20 14:33:06 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: Could not load resource readme: (null)

Sep 20 14:44:21 Mac-Studio-2 installd[23983]: PackageKit: ----- Begin install -----

Sep 20 14:44:50 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: PackageKit: XPC error in -[_PKInstallClientConnection proxy]_block_invoke_2 (Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4097 "connection to service named com.apple.installd" UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=connection to service named com.apple.installd})

Sep 20 14:44:50 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: PackageKit: Service connection invalidated!

Sep 20 14:44:50 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: PackageKit: XPC error in -[_PKInstallClientConnection blockingProxy]_block_invoke_2 (Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=4099 "The connection to service named com.apple.installd was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003." UserInfo={NSDebugDescription=The connection to service named com.apple.installd was invalidated: failed to check-in, peer may have been unloaded: mach_error=10000003.})

Sep 20 14:44:51 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: Install failed: The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.

Sep 20 14:44:51 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: Displaying 'Install Failed' UI.

Sep 20 14:44:51 Mac-Studio-2 Installer[23503]: 'Install Failed' UI displayed message:'The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.'.

Also neglected to mention that I did a complete re-install of Sequoia. No change.

Thanks.

KEv

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Answer 7

burkek1960 Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 20, 2024 3:31 PM in response to burkek1960

I also tried rebooting in safe mode and installed a PKG file. Same issue - failure at the end. So it's not some other app or extension that's seemingly interfering. I'm thinking now that it might be a Sequoia bug. But where then is everyone else with the issue? It might even be a false failure.

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