Update failing at unpacking "essentials.pkg"

I have used the same installer on another Mac in my house and it worked like a charm. So it is not corrupted installer(at least in my case).

I read on the web that Apple added some sort of "hardware check" in this OS X installer version. My wild guess would be that installer stops since some of the checks fail... Though my Mac is unibody model bought from Apple Store, so there are no custom parts in it.

Is there a workaround if you don't still have your original Apple memory?

Also, what is special about the Apple memory?

Thanks so much for posting this! It worked for me as well.

Apple seems to have added a hardware check into installer. My installation failed several times, then i ran Apple Memory Test and it showed errors.

I have got my Mac to Genius and they are working on it.

you can hold down the 'D' key on system startup chime, this should load your system into hardware diagnostic mode.

I had exactly the same error, did the HW diag and it turned out to be faulty memory.

I can't change my memory however, it's as it came out of the factory - as it's soldered onto my logic board.

Had the original same error code (update failing at unpackaging "essentials.pkg"), and was on the phone with apple for 4.5 hours on Friday, 17 Oct 2014.

I have two 21.5" iMacs, side by side. One is late 2009 (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) and the other is middle 2011 (i5 Quadcore processor).

Both have had their original memories, since purchase, upgraded to 16gb, (non-factory-native).

The older iMac (core 2 duo) upgraded to Yosemite seamlessly,...flawlessly, on Friday 17 Oct.

The newer iMac (quadcore) is the computer that stops at 19 minutes with the error code discussed here. Luckily from time machine, directed by the patient senior apple tech, I could return to 48-hour-earlier Mavericks. And I am still there with the 2011/newer/quadcore. Still awaiting a solution.

The senior tech who stuck with me for almost 5 hours, noticed another tech on the phone with an individual with the same identical error code and problem on the evening of 17 Oct...

I said then that I suspected that this would become an evolving and broader problem.

He agreed, and the two senior apple techs linked their reports to go higher with/in the Apple System.

I do not know if I have 2009 or 2011 original memory sticks conveniently laying around somewhere.

Did not need it, obviously, for the older iMac.

And decline to use it if I have it on the newer iMac.....if when I return the full 16gb ram, I will get error codes.

So.

Still waiting for a solid sound (more profound and broadsweeping) solution from Apple, Inc.

I have the quadcore iMac I want to ugrade, and a 2009-ish Macbook I want to upgrade.

To Yosemite.

So here is my update, linked from another thread,...and it is equally pertinent here. This thread seems to be viewed more.

vetusvates

Oct 26, 2014 12:12 AM

Re: Can't install Yosemite - failing packages

in response to Maharbal

Update.

So.

I tried again with all fresh new ingredients.

I downloaded (again, but the newest) DiskMaker X app from the link provided above.

I downloaded (again) fresh new Yosemite install from app store. (Took some time.)

I used the new DiskMaker X app to put the new Yosemite on a new fresh clean USB drive. (Really took some time.)

Booted quadcore iMac while pressing alt/options.

Used Disk Utility to "erase MacIntosh HD" (nervously).

Then proceeded to attempt (again) to install/upgrade said quadcore iMac to Yosemite OS.

Field started at 16 minutes remaining, then 15 remaining, then 14, then 13,.....then stopped....same error of 'update failing at unpacking "essentials.pkg" '.

So.

Now.

Again, using Time Machine Backups to restore to hours-ago-version of Mavericks. (Taking some time.)

(Note, there was a time when an "upgrade" and a "clean install" were two different things. Required different things. Is this no longer so?)

I am hoping for any response or help from Apple to use their/our new Yosemite product.

Any help or assistance or response from Apple will be appreciated.

Hi vetusvates and thanks for sharing,

I will repeat as I said in one of my previous posts in this thread, THIS IS A HARDWARE PROBLEM.

Verify and repair permissions on your HDD using Disk Utility:

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/repair-disk-permissions-to-speed-up-your-mac/

If it cant repair itself, change the hard drive.

Then move on to RAM. User either Apple RAM Test or alternatives, be sure that everything is 100% good:

http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-test-the-ram-on-your-mac/

The clue is that Apple added hardware check to this OS X update which is not allowing Yosimite to be installed on hardware-degraded systems.

If your warranty is expired, consider yourself if you want to give them another buck.

P.S. I have been using Mac as my primary work tool for the last five years while doing IT consultancy including services as integration of Apple products into businesses. That is just to make you sure that I know what I am talking about.

Well.

Thank you very much for your response, zephyr.

I've been successfully buying and/or upgrading operating systems since my first OS X 10.4 Tiger desktop.

And on multiple computers, I might add.

I have often, using the specs provided on apple's website, upgraded RAM from the factory minimum.

Never before have I had to go to such extreme research and troubleshooting...simply to upgrade to the next OS X.

Never before have I had to face the prospect of an imperative to get a new hard drive, or new computer, to use a new OS X.....

....which is to say that surely, certainly, and according to postings on apple's website,....

....it is possible for my newer, minimally used, Intel i5 quadcore iMac to accommodate Yosemite without fanfare or fireworks.

Apple has always leaned more toward customer retention than toward customer loss. In my experience, and in my opinion.

So I'm still waiting and hoping for a Yosemite Release that will smoothly upgrade later (newer) model iMac's.

Like I said, Yosemite upgraded perfectly on my older model iMac, no problems.

Both having had ram up-grades, not de-grades.

I totally understand and share your frustration.

I have been upgrading my OS X for the last 5 years without any problems. But now my Mac is at repairs, since we dont have Genius where I live, I had to deliver it to "Authorized Apple service" (********! they had it for a week already.) Luckily, since my employer cover all computer-related expenses, i have borrowed a MBP in the meantime and not going to pay anything for RAM change. But I see how much of a pain it is going to be for anybody else...

I really hope that voices of concerned customers will be heard by Apple and if it a programmatic issue, it will be fixed.

UPDATE:

Got my MBP back from repairs this evening, HDD was scratched. Yosemite installed smooth as silk. Service confirmed there was a RAM issue, they had to replace motherboard since in my model RAM is molded into motherboard. Now everything is perfect.

I also get the same error while trying to install Yosemite from a USB stick and after removing the 3rd party memory ( kingston ) I got the same issue.

I try over 3 different times to install Yosemite with the USB stick and I always get the same error.

My hard drive was not the issue because I formatted before installing Yosemite.

The fix for me was using another installation I have in other USB stick, I don't know if the issue was the USB stick, or where I installed Yosemite inside the USB stick because on the one that worked was installed in another IMAC.

As you can see not always this error is related to memory, hard drive, or a bad motherboard.

Try everything before you send your imac for repair.

Try installing Yomemite in a USB, you will find info on google.

Try installing Yomemite in a USB, here you will find how you can do it:

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/10/how-to-make-your-own-bootable-os-x-10-10-yo semite-usb-install-drive/

If you want to install Mavericks it is the same steps but you have to download it thru the app store and then going to Purchases and then

I can confirm that the third party RAM trick worked on a MacBook Pro 2012.

Tried creating a USB with Yosemite installer and this had the same issue freezing at the "Essentials.pkg" point. The unit also has a Crucial 500Gb SSD drive as well so I had the original 500gb HDD ready just in case.

Swapped out the third party 16GB RAM with the original supplied 4GB leaving the SSD in place and upgraded without an issue. Post upgrade re-installed third party 16GB RAM, ran perfectly.

Thought I would post my experiences to confirm the fix!

So.

Yesterday I had another evening that I was willing to sacrifice on/for the "yosemite project".

Leaving no stone unturned, I thought I had narrowed the 2 x 2gb original iMac ram sticks down to 4 ram sticks (in my collection of various ram sticks).

With a little googling I narrowed it down to the two I believed came with the i5 quadcore.

Took the 4 x 4gb out, put the 2 x 2gb in.

And.....

Yosemite successfully installed...!!!...

Thank you all very much for your input, and "robfromdingley village" pushed me over the edge...of willingness to try the long road...which became the short road.

As well as the successful road.

Returned the 4 x 4gb upgrade, and computer continues to work.

Excellent.

The only oddities I am seeing are :

1) occasional (more than rare) Safari browser crashes...and

2) some apps are slow to respond (for example "Contacts")...and

3) the moderate use temperature often runs high : 135F - 145F.

The slow apps, and force quit "reports" seem to be going to Apple,

as well as the Safari closing down "reports".

So, hopefully these kinks and herky jerky movements will be remedied in the near future.

Again, I thank all of you for your encouragement.

You too, "zephyr".

(I will post this on the other similar thread, too.

Anything that might help another...well...that was me who needed the help this time.

Next time maybe the next person.)