Install Issue: TSplicedFont failed creating descriptor...

I have attempted to install El Capitan more times than I can remember all without success. I made a USB installer and got further with it, also tried to install to an external drive that I had successfully installed El Capitan Beta on. Per some of the earlier posts, when it got to the last second and seemed to hang, I walked away and let it go. It did continue further, but after it came back to the Install OS X screen several times, the drive was trashed and un-repairable. I reformatted the external partition. So after 3 days of frustration including a support chat with Apple I give up. El Capitan has issues with my 2010 Mac Mini and I agree they haven't flushed all the bugs out. Far too many people with El Cap install issues across a variety of machines. Yosemite runs fine. When the next update comes out I'll decide whether I'll try to update the OS. What happened to "it just works"? IMHO I think it passed away with Steve Jobs. Thanks to all for the great posts and ideas.

Hello,

I had the same problem. I solved it by creating an USB Boot Stick with OSX Yosemite with Disk Maker X, installed Yosemite and then updated to El Capitan and at least played back the last Time Mashine Backup...

Not a comftable way, getting everything back in place took me more than 6h but all other attemps failed...

Hi all,

I found a solution.

My scenario: I am replacing a 5200RPM native OS drive with a shiny new 500gb Solid State Drive. I don't have an OSX install disc, or image on USB. When I tried running the installer, it wouldn't move forward. Looking at the logs, there was constant chirping about

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: {

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: UnicodeRange = "<__NSCFCharacterSet: 0x7fe26c5d3940>";

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: name = NotoSansBuhid;

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: },

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: {

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: UnicodeRange = "<__NSCFCharacterSet: 0x7fe26c5d39f0>";

MacBook-Pro Unknown[439]: name = NotoSansHanunoo;

For those that don't know, Apple is badass and includes recovery options into it's BIOS to install a fresh OSX without the need of a USB drive, install disc or anything physical. All you need is internet.

1. Boot down mac computer.

2. Replace the drive.

3. boot up and immediately hold down cmd+r (Recovery)

4. It asks for wifi credentials or ethernet connection.

5. Then it brings you to the recovery page. You have 4 options.
* Restore from Time Machine backup
* Reinstall OS X

* Get Help Online
* Disk Utility

6. Select Disk Utility.

7. Identify the new drive. "Erase" (format) the drive to be Mac OSX Journaled, GUID partition.

8. Quit out of disk utility.

9. Go back to the menu of 4 options. Select Re-install OSX.

*10. It'll eventually ask for Apple ID credentials.

11. Type them in, and it'll begin installing El Capitan OSX.

12. I still note those errors in the logs, but they seem unrelated to the actual install process. I think it's just crying in the background for unknown reasons..

*Please note, at Step 10, is where I got stuck before and began my google search. I looked at the installer logs, and noticed the same exact message you all were seeing about TSplicedFont failed. When I was at step 10, I was using my mother's Apple ID credentials to go forward, and I thought the messages in the logs were related to missing files and such... But I think it's just noise in the logs that don't affect the actual installation.

The reason why I personally got stuck was the credential my mom had for her Apple ID. The password she was using was "old security" type password and was considered insecure. Since my mom didn't change it to be properly secure, Apple accepted the password, but never moved forward because it's insecure and needs changing. So every time I went to use my mother's Apple ID with correct password, it would give me a 'unknown error' but wouldn't say the password was wrong... because it wasn't wrong, just insecure and old. If I typed in a blatantly wrong password for her Apple ID, it would fail immediately with incorrect credentials. After some spinning of wheels, I tried a different Apple ID (my own) and instantly it started downloading the files and began installing the OSX El Capitan.

Out of curiosity, I went to https://appleid.apple.com/ and entered my mother's credentials with the old password. It let me login, but it instantly asked me to change the password as having all lowercase wasn't secure anymore and must be changed.

So my suggestions is not to linger on to this log message, as it's probably just noise in the logs. What you should really make sure of, if you're using an Apple ID to install the OSX, is to make sure the password has been updated, and that you can login using those credentials at https://appleid.apple.com/

IF USB OR DISC IS FAILING. Try the method i described above using CMD+R on boot.

Hope this helps.

Henry

I am currently having these same issues trying to install El Capitan on my iMac (2009ish):

Here is what I have done so far:

1. Downloaded El Capitan (several times over) from the App store, installed on 16GB USB stick using TERMINAL method (also tried Diskmaker, same result).

2. Installing on a totally wiped, 320GB hard drive, reformatted - checked for errors - there is nothing on this drive and it should be working fine!

3. Reset the PRAM (command-option-p-r), and SMC ((left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time)

4. Unplugged the computer and left it overnight

5. Reset the date using terminal, tried both -ntupdate using the internet, and also disconnecting the network and doing a manual date/time entry. The date is in January 2016.

Each time it tries installing, I get the corruption error, and the log shows activity, and PLENTY of it.

The install log has been running for over 18 hours, and currently is on process #192,000+ and counting!

The errors all begin with, "Language Chooser [439:7042] TSplicedFont failed creating descriptor for:" and then a UnicodeRange after that.

Every once in while, it flashes up a LOG MESSAGE QUOTA EXCEEDED - SOME MESSAGES FROM THIS PROCESS HAVE BEEN DISCARDED error - it happens too

Any ideas on what may be going wrong and how to fix it?

I NEED to get an operating system on this computer, I know its old - but its still worth something!

Thanks for your help all!

Hi carrascoproducer,

I have tried your methods, CMD+R, and it still isn't working.

Just to clarify, if I remove my USB key - and connect the network cable, and then press CMD+R upon startup (I've tried before the power button, just after the sound, etc) all I get is the white question mark and the grey folder blinking. It does not proceed past this point.

If I have the USB key in, then I get to the utilities screen, but then it wants to install from the usb drive, not from the network. As soon as I remove the USB key, the screen goes blank grey, and I have NOTHING.

Also, my iMac was pre-Lion, in which (I think) apple built-in the recovery into the mac. I think my mac originally had Leopard 10.5 on it. It's a 2008/09 era iMac. Yeah, its old but according to Apple, it should run El Capitan (iMac 2007 and newer).

I have a disc copy of Snow Leopard, I am wondering if I should give this a shot, and then upgrade to Mavericks once it is installed. I was HOPING for a clean install of Mavericks, but at this point I will settle for a working Mac again!

Thanks for your help Carrascoproducer. Your advice is sound, it may just be the age of my hardware.

Hi, carrascoproducer,

Thanks for sharing your solution.

I already have tried it, but in my case, there is only the OS X Lion available to install, even if the Mac is connected to Internet.

Could you help me?

Hi Leo,

Maybe your mac isn't compatible with OSX El Capitan?

IF it is compatible, i would try installing OSX Lion.. Then once logged in, go to the App Store, and search for El Capitan. From there, download the installer from the App store and run it.

-Henry

This is still an issue on a brand new device trying to do a NetRestore. There's nothing on the drive, but it's still repeatedly complaining about the character set and not being able to create a descriptor for it. Additionally, every once in a great while I get a complaint from InstallAssistant, "Chuck download failed, retrying...."

Known good device (brand new out of the box). Has happened to multiple known good new devices.

Known good network cable, connection, etc.

I Had the same issue. MacBook Pro 15 early 2011 after upgrade HDD into SSD and clean OS X 10.11 El Capitan install from USB 16Gb drive created with Lion Diskmaker.

The only advice helped me: clean OS X 10.10 Yosemite installation, basic setting, then upgrade into OS X 10.11 El Capitan from AppStore.

Hi Rob,

Yes, I created the USB installer using the same computer (2008 aluminium MacBook). After running into this error I re-created the USB installer on my iMac and still have exactly the same problem. If you look in the Installer Log this error pops up before you even attempt to install OS X.

Before my first install attempt I reset the PRAM and formatted the hard drive. Have since tried repeating this and resetting the SMC (clutching at straws) to no effect. Obviously can't perform internet recovery because my recovery partition no longer exists.

I had an early version of the El Capitan installer on USB which worked fine. Unfortunately I overwrote that with this updated installer (10.11.6). My next step is try to find an older version of the El Capitan installer.

I am sorry to hear that Rob!

I tried it on my Mac mini late 2009. El Capitan was downloaded on a USB Stick and booted from it.

It hung every time on this last second. When deactivated Wifi it installed completely at a sudden and i could reboot it.

I left my mac working for a couple of hours, when i came back home the installation was complete.

Your symptom is unreleated to this thread

Try this: Re: question mark folder when i startup?

same issue there. I am installing a fresh copy of elcap with usb stick and mac pro 2008. Did you find a solution?

Having the same issue on a macbook pro from 2011 - installing el cap from a usb stick.