Hardware: 27" 2017 iMac
Connection: Wired
Storage: 1TB SSD
Hi all. I installed Linux Mint on my Mac on an external drive, which was all good fun. But when I went back to boot into MacOS, I got the 🚫 symbol. Booting into recovery mode and running first aid revealed that the disk was corrupted. The only advice it gave was to run first aid in recovery mode, which I was already doing.
Whatever, no big deal, everything important was backed up. So I went ahead and erased the disk using Extended Journaled (I guess APFS is unavailable for Sierra, which is what recovery mode wants to install). I made an installer disk with a later OS but I just received 🚫 again upon selection. Ran first aid again and it passed. Backed out of disk manager and selected install MacOS. Then after about 3 mins. received the error “an error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again”. Tried several more times, receiving the same error every time.
The log reveals even more errors including:
- “Could not find package ref in any source for:” 15 times for different packages such as “base system resources”, “essentials”, “OSInstall” etc.
- No native mechanism to verify InstallESD.dmg
- Couldn’t mount base system dmg! (error code 110)
- IATOOL: Failed the mount outer dmg
I have installed MacOS several times before, including on the same device.
It’s hilarious that Apple is distributing a corrupted version of their own OS.
I actually have quite a bit of experience installing MacOS at this point (on Macs) and it’s just a total nightmare every time. Meanwhile Linux and Windows are fairly straightforward.
You were probably better off keeping it on Mint at this point. My M2 Air is the only one of my Macs that’s still running macOS, and that’s purely because I need it to have dual monitor support, which Asahi still hasn’t cracked.
Eh, I was just prepping it for sale.
Ah, that’s fair enough.