The update to 10.11.1 is hanging after about 3/4 of the installation - what can I do???

The update to 10.11.1 is hanging after about 3/4 of the installation, all I can see even after 8 hours is an apple and an incomplete progress bar - what can I do???


I have tried different ways to restart my MacBook Air (2011), It always comes back into the hanging installation screen...

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Oct 21, 2015 10:01 PM

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79 replies

Oct 23, 2015 8:32 PM in response to Vance Strickland

After recovery back to 10.11.0 I tried again updating to 10.11.1 from the App Store -- same result: it got stuck at about 70%!!!


Reboot with cmd-r did not help at that point, neither did reboot with shift.


What I had to do (as the first time):

1. Reboot with alt-cmd-p-r --> black screen, then finished the installation to 100%, where it got stuck again

2. Reboot with cmd-r --> recover 10.11.0.


So update to 10.11.1 just does not work on my MacBook Air (2011).

Oct 23, 2015 9:57 PM in response to cajuncool

I've had the same problems when I tried to upgrade to 10.11.1 (and some more):

  • Installs 10.11.1 but says I'm still running 10.11
  • Reinstall 10.11.1 and hangs on bootup (3/4 progress bar)
  • Progress bar starts from the beginning several times and then the screen goes blank
  • PRAM reset, no difference
  • Reinstall El Capitan (10.11), then upgrade to 10.11.1. This time it gives me a login screen, but:
  • Application directory is empty! 10 minutes later (while on the call with AppleCare) some applications show up!!
  • Boot in "safe" mode -- application directory is empty again, can run System Preferences but error when I click on General.

The thing of it is this was with a brand new (1 day old) iMac 27" 4.0 GHz. After two trips to the Apple store they offered a full refund so I took it.


Also, I have an older iMac (2012) and that is running 10.11.1 fine (but I upgraded that a couple of days ago). Could it be a problem with the current bits on the update server? Hmmm.

Oct 24, 2015 1:03 AM in response to cajuncool

Mac mini 2011

so now it worked for me 🙂


I just reinstalled the 10.11.0 from the Time Machine, while there, did the Disk Utility - First Aid to my boot disk, re-download the 10.11.1 from the App Store (here was curious, I got the message that the 10.11.1 was already installed!!!) anyway I went ahead with the download, executed it, and everything went well and it is running apparently without problems.


I already did it also for my MacBook Pro 2011 and it is flying as an eagle 🙂

Oct 25, 2015 11:04 AM in response to Onemanoneboris

I feel the same! This is the worst update experience since my first Mac in 1995! Four times I have tried and failed each time. I have had to revert to Mountain Lion each time. The most recent attempt updated Ok - BUT - when I tried the recent download to 10.11.1 this hung at the end of the progress bar - and stayed there!


I left it for hours more - nothing. No matter what I tried re restart always the same full white progress bar. I started up from a backup firewire drive and did all the repairs I could - even with Disk Warrior - to my MacMini HD. Again, the same problem!


I have wasted the best part of a WEEK! Finally I have restored Mountain Lion from my Time Machine backup this time - and that appears to be OK

Fortunately, I only tried on my MacMini and not on my iMac or MacBook Pro.


What is going on?????? Why have there been so many problems - especially with the update 'hanging'


This is APPALLING! I will now do as I should have done and wait for several months until Apple have got their act together with a stable and updateable OS - that works for ALL their customers.

Oct 26, 2015 11:43 AM in response to ricdick

OS X 10.11.1 update is a complete failure. Something has to be done very soon. The best option is to restore your system from a TimeMachine, revert to 10.11 or Yosemite, or make a bootable external HDD to use temporarily until the issue with this update can be resolved. Finally, this should be a warning to all those who are hungry for updates. DO A BACKUP BEFORE EVERY UPDATE. It wouldn't hurt though.

Oct 26, 2015 5:27 PM in response to Blubery52

I have not been able to install the update on my late 2013 Macbook Pro, but it seems to me that this issue is possibly not widespread. There are not all that many posts about it here, and there are no articles about this in the usual places. You'd think that if it were a widespread issue, it would be like, you know, Update Gate or something. What do you all think?

Oct 27, 2015 2:54 AM in response to cajuncool

it is a big mess by Apple, I cannot imagine that the company grown to big as they did and start (some time ago) to decline in quality of their delieved products. it is a big quention that started to roll in our minds, should we stop the OS X updatings? Yosemite was clearly the missing part of the Marverics and El Capitain is to complete the iOS adaptation of the OS X, they brought some new features YES, they brought also better performance YES, but the big question is, do we really need this? and when put it on the balance, is their value good enough for the troubles (hours lost and patience) they are causing?


until now I say yes, the updates until now deserve all the lost hours, but future updates? I am honastly thinking stopping right here on the 10.11.1 and thats it.


for this actual problem, be patient, the download file from the App Store is ok, make a duplicate of it on other location so that you don't have to re-download it. mostly important is that you backup your system before you start the update.


If your system hangs on the ± 3/4 of the progress status, don't panic,

1. turn of the computer, start in recovery mode (Apple+R) and recover your older system.

2. then advice, while running the older system, fo to Disk Utilities and do the First Aid to chack and repair your startup disk permissions.

3. re-install the update from the downloaded file and cross your fingers, if it works 🙂


if it not works, then next and best possibility is to do a clean install. build a 8GB USB stick with a installation 10.11.1 version. google it how to do it.

format your startup disk and install a fresh copy of the 10.11.1.


Of course, the main point on all these try-outs they will work IF YOU HAVE A BACKUP of your system, if not you are "dead".


Patience and persistence are also man righteous and necessery for reaching our personal life targets, but Apple be careful because the those virtues have limits

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The update to 10.11.1 is hanging after about 3/4 of the installation - what can I do???

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