FIX- Could not create a Preboot Volume for APFS install

This is the reason why I cannot fix my OS. I deleted my Macintosh HD and tried to add one but the only choice available is AFPS. Nothing I do makes Macintosh Journaled available. I tried partitioning the drive with all the remaining memory (this DOES have Journaled as an option) and immediately stops the process and it says that it cannot because the kernel is in use. I tried internet recovery mode. I tried restore from backup. None of them will shake hands or have anything to do with AFPS format and the processes all fail. PLEASE HELP ME!

That's just it. When I try to reinstall, because it is NOT a Mac Journalled format it won't accept the reinstall. It doesn't like the AFSP format and rejects it. I am stuck. I cannot reinstall. It won't accept it. It won't let me reformat as a Mac Journalled format. It won't move. I don't know what to do. Please Help.

Hi sam,

I have the same problem as yours. Here are what I did that worked for me.

- restart using command + R

- disk utility -> click on any drive that allows you to delete.

- restart using option + command + R ==> get you into Internet Recovery Mode

- disk utility -> click on "container disk1" -> partition ->partition again --> choose Mac OS extended

- install OS

Hope this helps! good luck sam

Thanks, but it doesn't work. Look at my screenshot posted above. Whenever I try to partition that drive as anything I have the exact same message as thedragonspb:

The volume “Recovery” on disk1s3 couldn’t be unmourned because it is in use by process 0 (kernel).

I found how fix this

You need USB 32(or bigger) GB flash card.

In Internet Recovery Mod:

- Open DiskUtility

- Format USB to guid and mac os extended

- Install Mac OS to USB

- After OS installed, open Disk Utility and reformat your disk to Mac OS Extended

- Download Hight Sierra from iTunes and install to your disk 🙂

P.S. Sorry for my English

Hi. I’m totally new to using Mac and I badly need guidance and support on this. Well, I’m trying to install MacOS in a newly bought 13.3” inch Macbook Pro with touchbar 2017. Upon installation, problem occured and it didn‘t get through stating that it “could not create a preboot volume for APFS install”. I followed the instructions on how to install by using COMMAND + R, then Disk Utility, however, under Macintosh HD, the format option is just APFS and the one with APFS encryption. In this regard, what do I have to do to properly install this MacOS in this new Macbook Pro? Thank you very much in advance.

Thank you so much. I called 1-800-MY APPLE hotline and they fixed the problem. It really pays off when you get a product warranty. It won’t hurt as well to consider having Apple Care Protection for future product concern. Merry Christmas! 🙂

Hi Ethoic, thanks. I have followed your way and the format of my volume "Macintosh HD" is now in "Mac OS Extended". However as I clicked "install Mac OS" after internet recovery mode it still shows "Mac OS High Sierra", not "Sierra", which still requires APFS. Did I miss any steps here?

I originally formatted the disk to the Afps format and got the error everyone else did after trying to install. What I did was go back to the disk utility and partitioned the drive so that I could picked Journaled instead since after formatting apfs was the only option. I was then able to go through the install process. I didn’t split the drive size when partitioning just used all the space I had for the new partition

Update: I ended up going back to disk utility and creating a drive with APFS (All variations of APFS are the only ones available) and make a partition with mac os extended. When that is done, turned off the mac and turned it on again. The mac started up, going through all the installation/set up process. Managed to get to the desktop with no problems, apart from the fact it is a little laggy (My mac is a late 2011 model afterall)

FIXED:

I had the same issue while formatting my "Mac high sierra" got the error "could not create a preboot volume for APFS install"

follow the below steps

1) format you drive with APFS

2) restart your mac

3) go to internet recovery without pressing Command+ R

4) connect wifi

5) it will take you automatically to MAC OSX recovery

6) format your drive again

7) Install mac os x

DOne

How do the steps above allow you to reformat an external drive as HFS+? As pointed out above, after I formatted my external drives to APFS, since that was an option on the Disk Utility list and I assumed it would make the drives work better, now the only option to erase the drive are APFS options.

After reading all the issues, now, how do I go back and reformat an APFS drive to HFS+?

Hi, Ethoic!! Thanks for your help, I been following your steps, and now I got stuck were I’m supposed to do the new drive with the + sign after that I did names Machi...HD and I try to do the format but I don’t see the format u recommended, I only see other options like APFS, APSF (encrypted), APSF (case sensitive) and APFS (case sensitive, encrypted) which one should I choose ? Please let me know Thanks in advance

Hi, I went about this backwards, initially. I erased my hard drive and used the new formatting.

Apparently, this screwed up the 10.13 OSX installer which expects to do the formatting itself... so it stalled out on me.

Read a post that recommended reformatting the drive to the old HFS + format.

Booted up in "Internet Recovery Mode" and downloaded 10.13 and let it install.

All went well this time.

Of course, had to restore my files via Time Machine.

Good luck!
Dave

Update. I took the MacPro in to a Certified Apple repair company in my town. They have yet to be able to solve this. They tried deleting the container through Terminal and were unsuccessful. We called the manufacturer of my SSD (OWC) and they say it is an Apple issue and that we need to contact them. Am still unable to reinstall High Sierra.