Firmware error with High Sierra?!

[Marilynmac]

I got that for the GM candidate. The problem turned out to be a corrupted EFI partition. It's an MS-DOS formatted little slice that's needed when updating the computer firmware. If the update fails, the installer won't proceed.

I booted inoto rescue mode, checked the partitions with "diskutil list" and "verifydisk" (terminal), and fixed the EFI partition. "diskutil repairdisk <your EFI disk/partition>".

You can find more details of the error in the ia.log file, in the installation directory. Look for lines related to firmware, it might refer to inability to mount the MS-DOS EFI partition. That's what I had. But I don't have the logs anymore.

[doublepost=1509589822][/doublepost]can you explain this in layman's terms. I have no idea how to do what you're saying

 

[JitteryJimmy]

I have the exact same issue on my 2011 MBP. I had replaced my HDD years ago and I had cloned my original drive, someone suggested to me this may be the issue, does that sound likely?

I was trying to install High Sierra 10.13.0 on an externally-connected USB drive on my late 2009 MacBook.

It failed with the firmware update error, as reported here. I fully erased the drive and tried again, same error.

I then disconnected the USB-connected installation drive and moved itto the MacBook's, connecting it with the MacBook's SATA interface. From there, the firmware update was successful.

Conclusion: at least on some models, when updating firmware, use an internal drive.

 

[lucallero]

I ran into the same issue last night on my genuine MacBook 12" 2016. There was a problem that might have triggered this error. My guess is I had a firmware password set and didn't disable it prior to installation, thus EFI update couldn't work. High Sierra performs an EFI update to enable APFS

I did a clean install anyway so I formatted my SSD to HFS+ journaled. Then ran High Sierra installer from USB-drive. The first attempt failed and produced the same error the OP had above.

This was my approach.

1. Make sure you have firmware password disabled.
2. Use MacOS Sierra 10.12.x (or earlier?) recovery/install USB-drive.
3. Boot from Sierra Recovery (hold Option-Key after reboot)
4. Open Disk Utility, format entire SSD to HFS journaled, run first aid. Shutdown Mac.
5. Reset NVRAM and SMC
6. Install High Sierra from USB-drive again. If you get the error again (I did), abort and shutdown.
7. Boot from Recovery on your SSD. High Sierra should have installed it. (Hold Command-R after reboot)
8. Open Disk Utility and format entire SSD again to HFS+ journaled.
9. Reboot. Your Mac is bricked now.
10. Boot from Sierra 10.12.x Recovery USB drive
11. Open Disk Utility and NOW you should see an EFI partition which is unmounted (was in my case).
12. Mount the EFI partition. The EFI partition will disappear. Format SSD again to HFS journaled
13. Install High Sierra from USB-drive. This time it should work.

What a hilarious nightmare... Thanks Apple!

I wonder how you found out. Worked for me. Thanks.

 

[Ayuheart]

This solution worked for my early 2015 macbook! I followed the same process just to be sure as well. Lol. Thanks!

Solved
Had the same issue. Tried many times. I do have the latest firmware so I don't know why it would do that.

I fixed it by throwing away the High Sierra installer in the applications folder. I then reinstalled Sierra using a USB thumbdrive installer.
Then after it started up I opened the app store to update to the latest version of Sierra. Then I downloaded High Sierra from the app store. When it came up I quit the installer and then shut down the mac. Then restart the mac and immediately hold down the shift key to boot into safe boot keep holding down the shift key and let go when progress bar is near the end. After it restarts the computer will show safe boot on the screen somewhere. The screen may flicker a little when starting up. That's ok it's normal. Then go to the applications folder and find the high sierra installer and run it. It worked for me.

 

[Jimmyone]

Tried yesterday for another time all possible steps you posted here and still no progress. My stubborn iMac refuses to go to high sierra.

 

[johiko]

i ve had the same problem, macbook 2011 early, i ve tried those steps without having success, then i tried to remove my usb drive after the first process of the installation, when the installation went to install the hs osx, i ve removed the usb drive an it works.

 

[Sam Bauer]

Folks, you can try this even without rescue mode in terminal: "diskutil verifydisk disk0". Should work with those Macs with just one SSD inside. If you've got a more complex machine, check the location of the EFI partition with "diskutil list" first. Could be disk1 as well.

It's going to check your disk, where the EFI partition lies. Takes a few seconds. Like noted, I had this issue, and it was a problem with that little partition that's needed for firmware update. Macbook 12" 2017.

If you get this, then the partition is OK:

user@mac : diskutil verifydisk disk0
Started partition map verification on disk0
Checking prerequisites
Checking the partition list
Checking the partition map size
Checking for an EFI system partition
Checking the EFI system partition's size
Checking the EFI system partition's file system
Checking the EFI system partition's folder content
Checking all HFS data partition loader spaces
Checking booter partitions
Checking Core Storage Physical Volume partitions
The partition map appears to be OK
Finished partition map verification on disk0

If yours is not OK "diskutil repairdisk disk0" in Rescue Mode terminal (boot with CMD-R) fixes it. This shouldn't be too dangerous of a fix, but of course do have a backup first.

Thanks, this fixed firmware error showing on my MacBook early 2015. Running Disk Utility verify showed repairs needed. First I backed up everything using SuperDuper. After booting with CMD-R Disk Utility repair did the job and the verify passed with no complaints. Finally of course High Sierra installed!

 

[JustnTheNick]

I was having the firmware not verified issue too on my Macbook Pro 2012. The HDD was replaced with an SSD. I FINALLY figured out a fix for my problem. I tried PRAM reset, reinstalling from FRESH. Ive tried putting the installer on a flash drive and installing, ive tried reinstalling from Sierra and upgrading. Nothing worked.

[THE FIX] - I pulled the model of my SSD from System information, under Storage - Device Name: MKNSSDCR240GB-7.
I then Googled "MKNSSDCR240GB-7 Firmware" and downloaded the firmware from the manufacturers site. The installer only worked on Windows or Linux, so i either had to plug my ssd into a windows computer via Sata cord, or load up linux on a cd. I actually found a bootable version of Windows 10 PE. Located on this site. You can then use the Windows 7 usb download tool by Microsoft located here to burn the ISO file to a flash drive 8GB or more. (Need windows to do this) You can also use a tool called Rufus. But i found it can sometimes let you down.

You then move your firmware files to a flash drive, turn off your mac, turn it back on while holding the "option" key. Boot to your newly made Windows 10 PE flash drive, then run the firmware upgrader exe file. Then reboot after the firmware is upgraded. Now upgrade to high sierra. Should work.

PS: If you only have MacOS, you can burn on ISO to a flash drive with this method. Be aware though, this method is powerful, and if you stupidly type the wrong disk, you could end up wiping your main drive.

 

[Coolwhisper]

I have the same problem and tried everything you guys recommended and still have nothing. I have a Mac Book Pro 9 from mid-2012, and an external 1TB WD Passport Hard Drive, and no original hard drive since it died a couple months ago. I tried fishing it out but the screws on the case were stripped to hell, hence the external hard drive. I'm running on Mountain Lion but before I got this external hard drive I was running Sierra via a thumbstick USB drive. That drive broke, after 2 weeks, since I got it from walmart.

Possibly related is I have two updates queued; one a security update to the EFI and another is Macbook Pro Firmware Update 2.9. Every time I install them and restart they show up in the app store as if I never even downloaded them. Anybody in a situation similar to mine find a solution?

[doublepost=1511763031][/doublepost]I also had the firmware error. I reinstalled the old drive, installed High Sierra on it, put the new drive in and reran the install. Worked like a charm.

 

[djlukass]

Same problem, I don't have Apple SSD so I'm gonna have to try ParanoidDroid method at some point.
I've tried repairing disk, formatting and usb installation. All failed due to installer unable to update the drive.
I'll maybe wait for the next High Sierra update, wasted so much time.

 

[jgama]

Folks, you can try this even without rescue mode in terminal: "diskutil verifydisk disk0". Should work with those Macs with just one SSD inside. If you've got a more complex machine, check the location of the EFI partition with "diskutil list" first. Could be disk1 as well.

It's going to check your disk, where the EFI partition lies. Takes a few seconds. Like noted, I had this issue, and it was a problem with that little partition that's needed for firmware update. Macbook 12" 2017.

If you get this, then the partition is OK:

user@mac : diskutil verifydisk disk0
Started partition map verification on disk0
Checking prerequisites
Checking the partition list
Checking the partition map size
Checking for an EFI system partition
Checking the EFI system partition's size
Checking the EFI system partition's file system
Checking the EFI system partition's folder content
Checking all HFS data partition loader spaces
Checking booter partitions
Checking Core Storage Physical Volume partitions
The partition map appears to be OK
Finished partition map verification on disk0

If yours is not OK "diskutil repairdisk disk0" in Rescue Mode terminal (boot with CMD-R) fixes it. This shouldn't be too dangerous of a fix, but of course do have a backup first.

It works for me. Thank you so much.

 

[Gregsmy]

I’ve got an iMac10,1. I changed the HD for a Samsung SSD about 2 years ago.

High Sierra will not install. Firmware will not verify. I think I’ve tried every suggestion on this site!

I’ve reformatted the HD several times. I even dug out the original hard drive, put it back in the iMac, did a clean install of Yosemite, then tried to upgrade to High Sierra - did exactly the same, firmware will not verify.

I’m just going to put my SSD back in, go back to my time machine back up under Sierra and hope that a future OS (10.14?) will be more successful. Unless anyone has any other suggestions.

 

[Sam Bauer]

Hi Gregsmy, just wanted to make sure after formatting you tried to run a verify with Disk Utility to check if repairs are needed?

 

[Gregsmy]

Hi Gregsmy, just wanted to make sure after formatting you tried to run a verify with Disk Utility to check if repairs are needed?

I did run disk utility repair at various points. I probably ran it after reformatting, but I can’t say for sure. Do you think it makes a difference if you run repair specifically after reformatting? I reformatted both my SSD to install high sierra, and my original HD to install high sierra, and it still gave the firmware not verified error in both cases.

 

[Sam Bauer]

I did run disk utility repair at various points. I probably ran it after reformatting, but I can’t say for sure. Do you think it makes a difference if you run repair specifically after reformatting? I reformatted both my SSD to install high sierra, and my original HD to install high sierra, and it still gave the firmware not verified error in both cases.

This fixed firmware error showing on my MacBook early 2015 after I tried a lot of other hints. Without getting to technical... after reformatting and then VERIFYING with Disk Utility it showed repairs needed. After booting with CMD-R and running REPAIR in Disk Utility the verify passed with no complaints. Finally High Sierra installed!

 

[Gregsmy]

Thanks, I tried it one more time, but no difference. Every time I used disk utility, it didn’t highlight any errors.

I’m currently restoring from a full backup.

I have one more idea:
The first install says the firmware couldn’t be verified. You can then restart. It boots back to the high sierra installer, but gives a different error, not the firmware one: it says that “/System/Installation/Packages/OSInstall.mpkg appears to be missing or damaged”
I have previously looked, and that path doesn’t exist, so I wondered whether I could manually put OSInstall.mpkg there. But I couldn’t seem to create the folders required in /System/, even using sudo or su.

Anyone know whether this would fix it, and how you create the folders required?

 

[h9826790]

Thanks, I tried it one more time, but no difference. Every time I used disk utility, it didn’t highlight any errors.

I’m currently restoring from a full backup.

I have one more idea:
The first install says the firmware couldn’t be verified. You can then restart. It boots back to the high sierra installer, but gives a different error, not the firmware one: it says that “/System/Installation/Packages/OSInstall.mpkg appears to be missing or damaged”
I have previously looked, and that path doesn’t exist, so I wondered whether I could manually put OSInstall.mpkg there. But I couldn’t seem to create the folders required in /System/, even using sudo or su.

Anyone know whether this would fix it, and how you create the folders required?

May I know how you perform the upgrade?

Download the installer from Appstore and run it from the original internal HDD?

 

[macsforever]

I’ve got an iMac10,1. I changed the HD for a Samsung SSD about 2 years ago.

High Sierra will not install. Firmware will not verify. I think I’ve tried every suggestion on this site!

I’ve reformatted the HD several times. I even dug out the original hard drive, put it back in the iMac, did a clean install of Yosemite, then tried to upgrade to High Sierra - did exactly the same, firmware will not verify.

I’m just going to put my SSD back in, go back to my time machine back up under Sierra and hope that a future OS (10.14?) will be more successful. Unless anyone has any other suggestions.

https://media1.giphy.com/media/3o7TKvOww9QnFLtbpu/giphy.gif

 

[Gregsmy]

May I know how you perform the upgrade?

Download the installer from Appstore and run it from the original internal HDD?

When trying to install on my SSD, I installed from the SSD first. I then created an install disk on an external HD, wiped the SSD, and tried to install from the external HD.

After putting the original HD back in, I tried to install from that (it was loaded with Yosemite), then I wiped it and tried to install from the external HD again.

 

[DudeLA]

When trying to install on my SSD, I installed from the SSD first. I then created an install disk on an external HD, wiped the SSD, and tried to install from the external HD.

After putting the original HD back in, I tried to install from that (it was loaded with Yosemite), then I wiped it and tried to install from the external HD again.

Hello this works for me. Not sure if you saw my post.
Solved
Had the same issue. Tried many times. I do have the latest firmware so I don't know why it would do that.

I fixed it by throwing away the High Sierra installer in the applications folder. I then reinstalled Sierra using a USB thumbdrive installer.
Then after it started up I opened the app store to update to the latest version of Sierra. Then I downloaded High Sierra from the app store. When it came up I quit the installer and then shut down the mac. Then restart the mac and immediately hold down the shift key to boot into safe boot keep holding down the shift key and let go when progress bar is near the end. After it restarts the computer will show safe boot on the screen somewhere. The screen may flicker a little when starting up. That's ok it's normal. Then go to the applications folder and find the high sierra installer and run it. It worked for me.

 

[toru173]

Hi guys, I had a similar issue with a Macbook Air a while back. Two options:

- Apple has a utility to force a firmware update. You can make a Genius Bar appointment and tell them you're having trouble updating the firmware in the mac. If it's a firmware issue, their utility will update it. It may be unrelated to you actual firmware update process, as outlined previously
- You can force a firmware update. You can use the tools and information provided by Duo Labs (https://duo.com/assets/ebooks/Duo-Labs-The-Apple-of-Your-EFI.pdf, https://check.efigy.io) and the firmware binaries found in the High Sierra.app package. Don't do this unless you know how to unbrick a logic board with a failed firmware update.

 

[Schnegg]

This is a really weird problem I encountered when upgrading a 2012 MBP with an SSD. I started the installation, then heard the "firmware beep", then it rebooted and the error report came up.

My solution: I used a different Mac already on High Sierra to install the OS on the SSD, then implanted the finished thing in the affected MBP and booted flawlessly.

 

[NightLion]

Folks, you can try this even without rescue mode in terminal: "diskutil verifydisk disk0". Should work with those Macs with just one SSD inside. If you've got a more complex machine, check the location of the EFI partition with "diskutil list" first. Could be disk1 as well.

It's going to check your disk, where the EFI partition lies. Takes a few seconds. Like noted, I had this issue, and it was a problem with that little partition that's needed for firmware update. Macbook 12" 2017.

If you get this, then the partition is OK:

user@mac : diskutil verifydisk disk0
Started partition map verification on disk0
Checking prerequisites
Checking the partition list
Checking the partition map size
Checking for an EFI system partition
Checking the EFI system partition's size
Checking the EFI system partition's file system
Checking the EFI system partition's folder content
Checking all HFS data partition loader spaces
Checking booter partitions
Checking Core Storage Physical Volume partitions
The partition map appears to be OK
Finished partition map verification on disk0

If yours is not OK "diskutil repairdisk disk0" in Rescue Mode terminal (boot with CMD-R) fixes it. This shouldn't be too dangerous of a fix, but of course do have a backup first.

Bingo - this is correct. Problem with the efi partition. Another solution is to wipe the partition (not just the disk). I created a new partition with APFS instead.

 

[MirrorHead]

I have the same problem and tried everything you guys recommended and still have nothing. I have a Mac Book Pro 9 from mid-2012, and an external 1TB WD Passport Hard Drive, and no original hard drive since it died a couple months ago. I tried fishing it out but the screws on the case were stripped to hell, hence the external hard drive. I'm running on Mountain Lion but before I got this external hard drive I was running Sierra via a thumbstick USB drive. That drive broke, after 2 weeks, since I got it from walmart.

Possibly related is I have two updates queued; one a security update to the EFI and another is Macbook Pro Firmware Update 2.9. Every time I install them and restart they show up in the app store as if I never even downloaded them. Anybody in a situation similar to mine find a solution?

[doublepost=1519479866][/doublepost]I habe the EXACT same problem. I also am running Mountain Lion on an external hard drive due to the original breaking. Also updates won't update after restart. Did you find a solution?

 

[Gangsterblast5]

Play some PlayStation or video games.
[doublepost=1519690672][/doublepost]

I have the same problem and tried everything you guys recommended and still have nothing. I have a Mac Book Pro 9 from mid-2012, and an external 1TB WD Passport Hard Drive, and no original hard drive since it died a couple months ago. I tried fishing it out but the screws on the case were stripped to hell, hence the external hard drive. I'm running on Mountain Lion but before I got this external hard drive I was running Sierra via a thumbstick USB drive. That drive broke, after 2 weeks, since I got it from walmart.

Possibly related is I have two updates queued; one a security update to the EFI and another is Macbook Pro Firmware Update 2.9. Every time I install them and restart they show up in the app store as if I never even downloaded them. Anybody in a situation similar to mine find a solution?

Don’t upgrade the ssd firmware. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.