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Can't install Security update 2018-002: error_7e7aee96ca

When trying to upgrade my High sierra with Security update 2018-002, I get error_7e7aee96ca. See picture. I tried twice. Ran disk check. Everything is fine, the update just cannot be applied.


Macbook Pro 2016


If relevant, I upgraded o Mojave but reverted through TM backup due to insanely buggy.

User uploaded file

MacBook Pro TouchBar and Touch ID, macOS High Sierra (10.13.6), 2016

Posted on Nov 1, 2018 4:56 AM

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25 replies

Nov 1, 2018 2:59 PM in response to Tigersoul925

Same here on my Late 2013 Mac Pro. Froze it up on the restart. I did a safe boot, got nothing but messages that Mac OS could not be installed. Finally had to start up in Recovery mode and re-install High Sierra. Tried the security update again (2018-002), and locked up again.


Frustrating thing is Apple combined it with an Epson printer update and a pro formats update which I would like to install individually. And, interestingly enough, included is Safari 12.0.1, which was already installed. I'm now just 4 minutes shy of spending 3 hours on this.


Gary

Nov 1, 2018 8:06 PM in response to Tigersoul925

I have the same problem. The weird thing is that Security Update 2018-002 is already part of 10.13.6. It is up to 004. I called Apple Support and they said the same thing - 10.13.6, the latest High Sierra already has that update. They suggested clicking on a link they sent me to install 10.13.6 fresh. I am not tryng this until tomorrow. Too late now. I too reverted back from Mojave - Mojave did not support my printer.

Nov 2, 2018 2:29 PM in response to Tigersoul925

I have the same problem - ERROR_7E7AEE96CA - I had also upgraded to Mojave but had to revert to 10.13.6 via a SuperDuper bootable clone restore.

My reason for reverting was because I regularly use an Automator applet which, under Mojave, constantly requests access to the Finder and System Events via intrusive "Don't Allow"/"OK" messages making the applet unusable.

Nov 3, 2018 5:59 AM in response to Tigersoul925

When I attempted to install this Security Update on my early-2014 MacBook Air (10.13.6), I ultimately received an installer log on the screen saying that the update could not be installed on this computer and to read the log for clues. Unfortunately, I couldn't save the log (it suggested I save it in the "root" directory and then said I didn't have permission, but it wouldn't save elsewhere either -- weird), so I restarted and eventually got to the error screen in your screenshot. I restarted a 3d time and am now able to use my MacBook, which installed the updated Safari 12.0.1. The Security Update, however, is still available in the App Store. I'll wait.

Nov 4, 2018 12:47 PM in response to Tigersoul925

There has been a back and forth on this mobile device management site Security Update 2018-001 High Sierra or Security Update 2018-002 High Sierra | Discussion | Jamf Nation


Upshot is that downloading the stand-alone installer (which is misnamed confusingly) and running the update a second time does the trick.


Recap: For me it failed with the same error but had not actually got to the point of running the update. At this point you select the boot disk and get logged back in without updating. It seems it expects to find the distribution but can't find it because it is confused about locating the boot disk.


I would say this an important security update, numerous patches for some pretty important CVEs. And from my reading it is supplemental to 10.13.6


By the way Mojave is incompatible with my Thunderbolt drive so I'm a Mojave refugee also. :-) And the security messages can be silenced by adding the offending app to Accessibility preferences in Security. But I'm off-topic now.

Can't install Security update 2018-002: error_7e7aee96ca

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