Apple security update 2018-002 10.13.6 fails on Mac Pro

I had a similar problem. During restart, instead of booting up the OS went into a loop in which it would start the install but eventually return an error message saying the Mac could not install the update and to either try again or boot into diagnostic mode to check the hardware. I did both several times. The hardware was fine and I received the same error message every time I restarted. Eventually, I wound up restoring from a Time Machine backup from earlier in the day. I suspect there is an easier fix but I could not wait.

Same issue with a mid-2010 MacBook Pro. I tried both from the Apple Store update and again from a downloaded dmg: I think it it hangs while shutting down rather than restarting since I never hear a restart sound. The screen just shows a cursor but nothing else. I even tried applying the update from "Safe mode". Aside from taking much longer to boot when entering "Safe mode", I got the same result.

I booted into recovery mode and reinstalled Mac OS rather than restoring from a Time Machine backup. But Apple Store still said the update was needed. Just for grins, I did try applying the update from the dmg again but it still hangs. I was hoping that the newly installed High Sierra would have the update applied, but it does not.

Thank you. It still took a while before an update button became actionable but I got Safari updated. The security update I passed on but that just sent the install into Download anyway so it’s pulling another 1.80Gb. That is painful because I’m on CenturyLink and they cannot provide more than a 1.5 Mbps connection. Real 21st century...

Addendum

Why this install is pulling another 1.8 Gb is puzzling.

Me too - mid 2015 MBP, but came back with an installation failure message - some file permissions failed.

For me, managed to do the Cmd-R and recover back to previous snapshot of the OS, and reboot. Immediately went into App Store Preferences and removed automatic install of system files and security updates, and redid. Safari ok, but it still then tried to automatically apply security update on reboot, which failed again. At least it was consistent. So redid the Cmd-R and recover back to previous snapshot, which blew away my TimeCapsule back up status. Now relatively stable on shutdown/restart, further helped with the Cmd-Opt-P-R clearing of PRAM, but App Store telling me there is an update to do and to restart...not this time matey.

Apple, please fix this? 10.13.6 (17G65), Safari Update (12.0.1) and Security Update 2018-002

Wish I could save the log when the installation fails, but it cannot access the disk so can't.

Not exactly the same but we ran the Safari 12.1 update on two different 5K Retina 2017 iMacs yesterday and upon booting this morning each computer crashed. On both, they took a much longer time to boot, then started with gray screens and a program called the Installer Logs came up with a log of errors. We had to reinstall High Sierra on each to get them back up and running.

I then ran the software update you're referring to. The machine restarted fine but now the App Store is still saying it needs to be updated without any record of it having just done so.

*** is going on today?

Download is way too slow and after reading about having to reinstall OS I killed the download and will ignore the update until there is a replacement. This is the worst patch from Apple I've encountered.

This security update totally broke my brand new MacBook Pro running OS X high Sierra. Really worried apple becoming more & more trashy like Microsoft. Nothing works, my main work machine is now down. Does anyone at all test these things anymore under Steve cook?..speechless and extremely ****** at this fiasco.

Hi,

I tried to install this security update both on my Mac Pro 2013 and MacBook Pro 2017 (both 10.13.6).

Mac Pro 2013: after update reboot I got the account screen; after inserting the password the white line went around the end, then I got the white apple black screen with terminal log (I saved a copy) and reboot/switch off options. No way to enter any account; no way to get this repaired thorughout Recovery Partition.

I solved myself by booting my Mac from an external drive with HS 10.13.6 installed and launching Disk Utility S.O.S. from there on my Mac Pro internal SSD.

MacBook Pro 2017: I launched the update. After rebooting I entered my account normally, but App Store is asking for applying the same security update. It seems that it hasn't been installed. Safer to leave it right now.

AppleCare yesterday told me over the phone that there wasn't any issue about this update...

I originally posted the problem on reddit, however just crickets over there. I didn't even know it was related to the Security Update until coming here. I thought it was just trying to install Mojave because I have that stupid "Update to MacOS Mojave" notification I can't get rid of.

It seems to be related to the Safari 12.0.1 Security Update. The App Store settings default was to install updates automatically, so it did the Update without my knowledge. From there, it's hitting an unknown road block during the install.

What I discovered when booting from the backup, in the Macintosh HD folder, it had a subfolder called "macOS Install Data". I think it's junk left behind causing the Mac to think it's still in install mode. It's just a presumption because when I trashed it, the Mac was able to restart normally.

After rebooting normally, I got a notification about the Security Update again. I tried installing it. Same thing happened, again. Same log file errors. Rebooted into backup and removed the Install Data folder. It is booting normally.

Definitely, stopped the auto updates on all my computers. I want to make sure I have a current backup before doing any software updates.

Had same experience with my Mac Pro late 2013 running High Sierra 10.13.6 Got a crash report then it froze. After shut down and restart it failed to install again citing missing resources. Third restart got me back where I started with the update appearing as available in the App Store Update section.

On my wife's Late 2011 i5 the 2018-002 install ran cleanly and quickly, on my Mid 2012 i7 the install took roughly an hour (on a Crucial SSD but would have been half a day on an HDD) and had multiple black screen periods and reboots but left alone it eventually ran to completion.

That said according to the latest System Report I now only have 3 Applications despite Launcher running to 4 screenfuls....

Update on this. I contacted AppleCare (so glad I got it for this computer since I cannot afford downtime for any reason) and went through a first round with someone who was obviously just checking off trial and error items on a list in front of her. When that was not getting any results, she put me through to the next round with someone who had some expertise in Apple products.

The upshot was that apparently the installer for the Safari 12.0.1 had completed its update but was still remaining as the default volume to boot from. Since the installer had done its job already it was failing, hence the call to the Installer Log program. The tech had me run in Recovery Mode to explicitly set the volume from which to boot going forward and that setting held on the next reboot.

A simple problem in the end but not easy to figure out if you're not seeing things from the perspective needed to diagnose.