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

Hi there,

My situation was a bit different from you guys but I managed to solve it. So would like to share here hope can help anyone who has similar case as mind.

My first attempt to install Sierra on my MBP15 Mid-2010 was through AppStore by clicking the Update button on the big banner, it was able to download the media but few minutes after the installation process started it returned me the error message "The installation payload failed signature check". I Googled round for a while and came to this thread trying few suggestion mentioned here but no luck.

At the end, I deleted the previous downloaded installer and re-download through AppStore (Search "Sierra" then click Download, make sure you have deleted the previous downloaded copy of Sierra installer) and then install from that copy and bingo, it worked for me.

My conclusion was, for some reason the downloaded file dmg image was not complete, however, because the installer launcher is a separate program so you won't get the error message until the installer unpack the dmg.

As a side note, I did try verifying shasum and md5 result as suggest by few others in this thread but I've got different results so that may imply the checksum method may not apply everyone.

Good Luck!

Dan

My installation is taking more than 7 hours so I just went about my day and ignored it for a while, but if it isn't making and progress in the log (give it about an hour between progress) then it might be hung, I would recommend possibly restarted or recreating the installer.

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.

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 did the process Dr.Ripco described and the checksums were nothing like those.

Last login: Tue Jan 2 10:54:37 on ttys000

Alans-MBP:~ Alan$ cd "/Applications/Install macOS Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport"

Alans-MBP:SharedSupport Alan$ shasum InstallESD.dmg

eb0915d88664c7b296159b9baf13570b4ed09963 InstallESD.dmg

Alans-MBP:SharedSupport Alan$ md5 InstallESD.dmg

MD5 (InstallESD.dmg) = ba1cbdd05db5b6d4064c5ee1800a8d76

Alans-MBP:SharedSupport Alan$

Hi,

I had the same problem, I had updated to High Sierra and then wanted to downgrade. I had also replace the HDD with a SSD and upgrade the ram from 4 to 8 GB (macbook pro early 2011).

did everything from checking date etc.... but nothing worked. Apparently if you upgrade to High Sierra your system id is locked with the higher version.

This is how i resolved it.

Thankfully i had the old bootable HDD, and the original RAM. Reopend the mac and replace the SSD and RAM(8GB) with the original HDD and RAM (4GB).

Wiped clean and reformatted the SSD via USB.

Copied the mac High Sierra to the application folder, and installed it onto the SSD (which is connected via USB)

It ran perfectly, post that I opened the mac again and replaced the HDD with the SSD (that I just installed High Sierra). Replaced the RAM (4GB) with (8GB).

It works now perfectly.

Do let me know if this helps.

I had exactly the same problem. I have been running High Sierra almost since it was released on my iMac, MacBook Pro & MacBook Air without any issues. A couple of weeks ago the MacBook Air progress bar during boot would freeze. I tried all the “solutions” offered in the forums even reformatting drive and doing a fresh install but to no avail. The MacBook Air would boot up after the fresh install but as soon as it was shut down and restarted the symptoms would return.

I then decided to downgrade to Sierra so erased drive & re-formatted and that’s when I got the error message "The installer payload failed signature check". Did checksum checks, all ok. Checked time again OK. Downloaded installer again, but still no joy.

In desperation I did internet restore and although that worked fine it re-installed Lion. Does anyone know how Apple determine what OS to install? Anyway once I got Lion installed I could upgrade to Sierra. Apple appear to have created a real can of worms with High Sierra, so I am staying where I am until they confirm the “hanging progress bar” issue has been resolved.

Go to the Window Menu item at the top of the screen. Select the installer log. This should give you some idea of why it is failing.

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 have the same issue and I just have macOS installed, no Windows on the bootcamp partition. I have the most updated macOS prior to macOS Sierra....

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.