Installation of OS (12 and 13) stops in the middle and never gets completed

ChangeAgent

ChangeAgent

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I am wanting to instal OS 13 on a USB SSD, and it stops in the middle and after a while the Mac reboots on to the internal SSD.

I can see there are usual folders/files installed on the USB SSD but if I select it for a reboot, I get a message with - The operation couldn’t be completed. (SDErrorDomain error 108.). Searching the error on the internet did not help me either. But I do suspect that it has to do with the installation not being completed properly.

Now I tested and installed OS 14 on the disk. No problem whatsoever it just does it. I can boot the Mac from the USB SSD and use it as expected. I did this to make sure ports, cables, formatting of the USB SSD and the USB SSD itself are in order. They must be is my conclusion.

Next, I tested installing OS 12 on the USB SSD, and this too fails in the same way as the OS 13 install.

I also made a copy of the instal files on an external USB SSD in order to use that and boot into them from recovery mode to install the OS. Same results.

FYI.

All the instal-applications (12-13-14) are fresh downloads from the Apple site. And my Mac can run all 3 of them.
I have a M1 MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) presently running OS12.7.

I can find nothing on the internet that describes this kind of a problem. Any tips?

Thanks
 
Is there a reason that you do not upgrade using the Software Update available in System Settings through the internet?
 
The main question is how did you format the USB SSD? If OS 14 works but not 13 or 12, then it could very well be how you formatted the drive.
 
Cheryl said:
The main question is how did you format the USB SSD? If OS 14 works but not 13 or 12, then it could very well be how you formatted the drive.
Click to expand...
Thanks. So what is in your humble opinion the format the drive should have for it to work as should be? And are you saying for different OS it needs a different format?
 
Drive formats:
  • Apple File System (APFS): The file system used by macOS 10.13 or later.
  • Mac OS Extended: The file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier.
 
Cheryl said:
Drive formats:
  • Apple File System (APFS): The file system used by macOS 10.13 or later.
  • Mac OS Extended: The file system used by macOS 10.12 or earlier.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I am still on OS 12.7 and see that it is a APFS drive format. How can that be? See pic. Or do I understand you incorrectly?
 

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Also, FYI the plot thickens.

I just tested installing OS12 on the same USB SSD from an Intel MBP and it works in one go.
 
ChangeAgent said:
no reason, but I am not upgrading but installing new. or is that not what you mean?
Click to expand...
Are you saying you want to erase/wipe, re-format, and install? Or you wishing to upgrade/update your OS 12.7 to OS 13 or 14?

The latter can easily be accomplished through Software update without the added step of using a thumb drive; much faster also.

FWIW, this Mac that I am using & typing on is also a 16" MBP. I use Software Update and am on OS 14.0 Sonoma & doing great!
 
SGilbert said:
Are you saying you want to erase/wipe, re-format, and install? Or you wishing to upgrade/update your OS 12.7 to OS 13 or 14?

The latter can easily be accomplished through Software update without the added step of using a thumb drive; much faster also.

FWIW, this Mac that I am using & typing on is also a 16" MBP. I use Software Update and am on OS 14.0 Sonoma & doing great!
Click to expand...
Thanks.
Indeed erase/wipe, re-format, and install is what I want to do and it fails again and again as described above.
 
ChangeAgent said:
Thanks.
Indeed erase/wipe, re-format, and install is what I want to do and it fails again and again as described above.
Click to expand...
Dare I ask why? Unless you save important files to an external, you'll loose everything you now have.
You can still do what you want directly with System Preferences.
This from Apple support site:
Screenshot 4.jpg
 
Don't get your macOS versions confused....
The version 10.12, known as Sierra, from about 2016-2017 era--is the last version before the APFS drive format.
Then, 10.13 (known as High Sierra) was the beginning of that change to APFS.
Then 10.14 Mojave, 10.15 Catalina, which was the last macOS version using the "10".
Followed by 11 (Big Sur), then to your current 12 (Monterey), going on to 13 (Ventura), and the current 14 Sonoma.

Sorry for the basic info listing, but it does help to also use the system name. The version number and system name are forever linked, I think.
 
ChangeAgent said:
I am doing this as i want to test the new OS before I install it. I erase etc. to make sure the disk is clean.
Click to expand...
Test for what???
Apple and thousands of beta testers have already done that! Now, after full release, millions have 'tested' it.
You are needlessly creating a monumental headache for yourself.
 
SGilbert said:
Test for what???
Apple and thousands of beta testers have already done that! Now, after full release, millions have 'tested' it.
You are needlessly creating a monumental headache for yourself.
Click to expand...
mm, interesting thought and...

I used to be the manager of an organisation with the largest Apple network in the UK including direct links to other outlaying buildings via Telecom to other locations. (I admit it was slow!) This is in the days of AppleTalk and OS 5, 6, 7 etc. Apple told us it cannot be done and came to see for themselves. They agreed it worked. Point is Apple said it cannot be done and it could, and I have seen case where they said it could and it could not. All this in decades of using Mac computers.
Onwards to today. It might have been tested by folk I am sure it has. But all of us have unique settings and applications. And believe me I have seen many times, in my testing, that things do not work. For example, right now I cannot get MacFuse (and the applications that use it) to work on OS 13 and OS14. Thankfully I am in a testing situation.
So, I think I have a nice belt and braces approach to make sure I can keep using the computers and be productive by switching once I know the basics work.
 
OK folks I got it to work.

What I did is the following. I erased and formatted the disk on an Intel Mac. Installed OS 12 on the disk from the Intel Mac.

Next connected it to a M1 Mac and upgraded the OS to OS 13. Worked. After that I could install fresh OS 12, 13, 14 on the disk.

Ask me not why it worked I have no idea, but it did.
 
OK folks I solved it. Due to the limitations Apple puts on KEXT files and the aim to do away with them all together in the future one cannot use KEXT files on a external SSD.
 
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