Erased MacMini will not install macOS

[Squiggles13]

My MacMini restarted itself repeatedly yesterday so I decided it was time for a fresh install (I had to much on it anyways). I went in and erased the drive and restarted in safe mode to reinstall it with a bootable disk (high Sierra). Now it will not do anything.

When I just restart it normally, I get a flashing folder with a ? on it. The only way I can get to the disk utility or anything is restarting it in safe mode.

When restarting in safe mode and select Reinstall MacOS - It goes to the window that shows the time left.

then it restarts and shows the apple logo for about 10 minutes saying it is installing, but then shows the error

"macOS could not be installed on your computer
Storage system verify or repaired failed"

When I try to install or repair, I can getting the same error "storage system verify or repair failed" error. Even happens when I hold down the option key and select the external drive as the start up drive with the bootable install file.

I click on the details and it says: The volume CB363BD9-(a bunch of letters/numbers) was found corrupt and needs repair. Storage system verify and repair failed.

I am lost on what else I can do and I really don't want to take it into an apple store due to the fact it it almost 2hrs away.

 

[BLUEDOG314]

Ok, so I'm going to start by assuming the drive is not failing, as since you have already attempted to erase it, running a program to read smart data would be more work unless you had the right cables and another Mac.

First, since you see the whole CB363... jazz, you have a core storage volume on the drive that is lingering. Boot to the installer again, open the terminal app from utilities, and type 'diskutil unmountdisk disk0' and hit enter. Don't include the ' ' in the command. It should tell you it was successfully unmounted. Then type 'diskutil erasedisk jhfs+ "Macintosh HD" disk0' this time you need the "" around Macintosh HD. Hit enter. This will erase the drive proper, then quit terminal and try to do the install normally. If you get an error with the erase command, report back. That would mean we have to manually first get rid of the core storage volume group first which usually never happens.

 

[Fishrrman]

Why don't you tell us which Mac Mini you have?
What year was it made, etc.?

 

[Weaselboy]

Assuming you did not install something (hardware or software) that started this, and it just did it on its own, what you are describing sounds like a failed drive.

 

[Cordorb]

step one : should be boot the mac mini with a system on a external drive via the USB port be it USB2 or a USB 3
or thunderbolt or firewire.

The external disk can be normal disk or SSD

Will need another computer to make one.

then you have a possibility of saving your data or using some disk repair tools

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high Sierra can use APFS and a fusion drive so more info is needed

I would make a Sierra start boot external sytem as more recovery tools are available.
and a external boot disk will NOT get converted to APFS

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odds are you installed High Sierra on top iof a older OS ?