Installing macOS Sierra results in the error message "The installer payload failed signature check"

I had signature check issues when installing sierra using a bootable usb device.

The problem was that the bootable usb device I created had one file badly copied. The solution was just to copy this file correctly again and everything works!

- recheck your bootable usb device on your other computer where you kept the sierra installer, by typing in a terminal window:

diff /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Sierra/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg

- if files are different, copy the file again by typing:

sudo cp /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Sierra/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg

- now you can restart all your install from the bootable usb device. The signature problem should not appear again!

For those who want details, here are all the steps for a clean install:

First be careful, the new macOS versions erase the installer once installed.

=> Copy the installer somewhere else than Applications before launching the install!

Steps:

1.Download Sierra from the Purshase tab in the Apple Store. Quit the installer. Copy the installer somewhere else.

2. Create a bootable usb device

- Format the usb device (needs to be at least 8Go) with a GUID partition

- then, type in a terminal window:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/SierraInstaller --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app --nointeraction &&say Done

=> your bootable key is set.

3. Formatting your mac hard-drive:

- Before your format your hard-drive, make sure that you have copied/backup it on another device! and especially that you have copied the sierra installer on another accessible computer in case installation fails.

- start your mac when pressing cmd R or cmd alt R

- go the disk utility

- choose your hard-drive and erase

4. Installation:

- shut down your mac.

- insert your bootable usb device

- start your mac and concurrently press alt to be able to boot on the usb device

- in the utility menu open the terminal

- to check the date, type: date

- if not up to date, change it to the day when you downloaded sierra with the following format (month day hour minutes year), type: date MMDDhhmmYY

- quit the terminal

- choose sierra installation

=> if the signature problem still appears:

- shut down everything

- recheck your bootable usb device on your other computer where you kept the sierra installer, by typing in a terminal window:

diff /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Sierra/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg

- if files are different, copy the file again by typing:

sudo cp /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg /Volumes/Install\ macOS\ Sierra/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg

- now you can restart all the steps detailed in 4. Installation. The signature problem should not appear again!

I had the same issue but I found my solution here:

http://www.macworld.com/article/3097533/macs/installing-os-x-what-to-do-when-thi s-copy-of-the-install-os-x-application-c…er

For my case, Date/Time was the root cause which I used Terminal in Recovery Mode and fixed the date.

Hi there,

I was having the same issues, and definitely there is nothing wrong you've been doing.

I'd like to inform you after downloading the latest version .dmg version 10.12.1 and recreated a a USB Installer I was able to get rid of the issues.

Like in some other replies, you may have seen, about using the terminal to update the date; in my case, that was not my situation, since after trying that out; I was still facing the same error.

So, please, download the latest version of the macOS Sierra installer, and redo your USB installer; it should work this time.

*Looks the installer itself had issues on its own.

I hope this reply may have been of some help for you or anyone looking for a solution related to this error.

Thank you

I have a mac mini (mid 2010) and was trying to upgrade from yosemite to sierra, and hit this problem. Setting the date which was one of the suggestions - did not fix it. Deleting the downloaded file, and redownloading the file did not fix it either.

After much frustration, I came across an article in Reddit which indicated RAM error to be a possible cause. So, I tried to do a "hardware test" as the Mac booted (hold down the alt-d keys), and the mac gave out a wierd error code. Finally, I downloaded the fantastic and free "memtest" application for the mac, and sure enough it found many RAM errors !.

I have never come across such RAM errors in any of the computers I have owned before (i have used more than 20 computers over the years) - and would have never believed it, since, the mac mini appeared to be running fine in spite of those RAM errors ! I had upgraded the RAM from 4G to 8G many years back.

I replace the RAM with a new 4G pair (8G total), and sure enough the memtest passed with that new RAM, and deleting the downloaded macOS Sierra, and re-downloading, and re-installing worked !

I felt compelled to write this to help folks out there who may save some time reading this experience of mine. Also I want to thank the authors of the memtest tool without which I would not have been able to fix it on my own.

Well I made some progress and got past that error message, but you probably aren't going to like the answer, which is to download the Sierra again.

What made me do that, when the installer runs, if you look at the menu bar, there is a "display log" along with "all messages" instead of just the errors. What really bugged me was this, which came up just before the payload error:

Sep 22 04:33:18 newmini osinstallersetupd[9503]: Verifying InstallOS.pkg/InstallESD.dmg

Sep 22 04:38:32 newmini osinstallersetupd[9503]: pkgdmg is not signed or altered.

Sep 22 04:38:32 newmini osinstallersetupd[9503]: pkgdmg validation has failed.

After looking around the net everything seemed to point to a bad download, and I did manage to find the sha and md5 values for the image, which is:

SHA1: 139ef35e4af0da8286b2a3af326cb114d774f606

MD5: 98eb1328baa53f5b1e8445c869fcbb3a

To at least eliminate or confirm a good download, do this:

Open a terminal window up (Applications -> Utilities -> Terminal) then:

cd "/Applications/Install macOS Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport" with those double quotes.

then type in:

shasum InstallESD.dmg

and after a couple minutes it should return:

139ef35e4af0da8286b2a3af326cb114d774f606 InstallESD.dmg

then type in:

md5 InstallESD.dmg

and a bit quicker, it should return:

MD5 (InstallESD.dmg) = 98eb1328baa53f5b1e8445c869fcbb3a

If those strings don't match EXACTLY, you have a bad download.

At least you'll know if the installer is ok or not. If you do get those checksums but still get the payload error, I have no clue what to tell you. After all that I decided not to install Sierra anyway, it looks like from the posts coming in today there is some problems with afp (apple file protocol) and it's relationship to Time Machine, if you are using a network disk for backup. Will probably install it on a secondary drive to kick the tires but am not doing an upgrade until the dust settles a bit.

The second Apple support guy I talked to said to do a regular restore (CMD+R), but it always goes to internet recovery. I'm guessing there's no restore partition.

You are correct. Boot OS X Internet Recovery (read the note). It will offer to reinstall your Mac's originally installed operating system. It will not require an Apple ID to install.

Install that version of OS X, then download and install Sierra from the Mac App Store.

I have tried recreating the installer USB stick with a fresh download.

You can no longer use that technique.

I was having similar issue with 'The installer payload failed signature check'. SHA1 & MD5 checksums were okay, and even re-downloaded & recreated flash drive again. Still a problem. I reviewed the install logs and noticed two things:

1. Date/time was incorrect in the logs.

2. Errors referencing 'cert expired' - implying date problem, too.

• If you get the error, exit the installer and open up a Terminal window (from Utilities menu, if I recall).
• Type 'date' to check you system date/time.
• If incorrect, change it by typing 'date <month><day><hour><minute><two digit year>' e.g. date 0923110616.
• You'll get a prompt with new system date/time.
• Quit Terminal and restart the macOS Sierra installation.

This worked for me. Hope it solves problem for others.

What technique do you mean?

Putting the installer on a usb stick is perfectly acceptable.

Anyway, count me in with the same problem, same error message, in my case I'm just trying to upgrade el capitan, tried from the application folder right after the download, did the voodoo for the usb stick, tried that on two different usb ports, checked the clock, just doesn't work.

That was enough for one day but now seeing people with the problem on fresh installs, I think I'll wait awhile to see if another installer pops up. This seems more like a bug now.

I have same issue too. My Macbook pro is mid 2012, 2,9 GHz Intel Core i7. At the moment I cannot get through any osx version. El Capitan or any other updates couldn't get through via Mac App Store. Those previous updates are never gone through. When timing gets 0 zero it starts another 30 minutes and it goes repeatedly. Finally I tried MacOS Sierra, it is

The installer payload failed signature check. I tried all solution described by other none of them seemed to work. I was told Apple support team try it on different internet which was same error. i tried external hard driver was another death end.

Any suggestion?

Best,

Altan

I have gotten this error while trying to install Sierra, and similar ones while trying to install older versions of macOS/OSX, the issue is rarely hardware related. The easiest thing to try is to open terminal and check the date. Often times the reason it is failing the signature check is because the date is incorrect. You can open terminal from within the recovery partition or the bootable installer and type date to see the system time. If its off, follow this pattern to set the time correctly.

date {month}{day}{hour}{minute}{year} e.g. date 0923115416

This has worked for me most of the time, if not hardware diagnostics are needed.

I have the same issue. MacBook Pro 15 Mid 2015/512/16GB . I have tried every method including the online recovery, install from USB, Erase all partitions and Setup New Partitions, Boot into a USB drive on which I had installed Sierra before and run the setup from there. Nothing is helping. For me I do get Disk not ejected properly for my internal flash drive when I install on that. If I push in a second USB drive and install on that the OS installs just fine. I am guessing for me the Flash SSD or North bridge is failing (Hardware Issue). If you are seeing this too, maybe take it in for repairs at Apple.