Mac Mini 2012 Quad Core Ventura!

[ExclusiveMac]

I'm trying to install Ventura on a Mac mini 2012 Quad Core CPU with Open Core Legacy, I followed step by step from here:

, but it doesn't install, basically after the first boot it tells me: An error occurred preparing the software update.

I tried by a clean install and also as an upgrade from Catalina, same error.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

 

[carylee2002]

When I purchased my 2018 mini it came with Ventura. But it needed to do a update that was over 4gb. To me that was for all the fluff that Apple tries to add. I didn't do it for on purpose since I was going to bootcamp it into a windows 10 machine. The OS really didn't do much in the performance as compared to my mojave OS except for how it looked.

 

[ExclusiveMac]

Yeah, it doesn't do much, but the security updates are important.

 

[MBAir2010]

I have performed this on my MacMini 2012, I7 16 GB_RAM several times
with some reboots and head scratching,
but alway succeeded somehow.

make sure your firmware is up to date.
The process is not cut and dry, if you miss on step, this wont work.
There are great Youtube videos like MrMacintosh's that explain the process thoroughly.
like then you just posted....DUH, we dont read too much anymore!

hope this helped!

 

[August West]

Security updates are the only reason I'm updating from my 2012 mini. It still works great, is good enough for my needs and Catalina fine but it quit getting updates last fall and I don't feel comfortable running a machine that will never get updated again.

 

[MBAir2010]

Security updates are the only reason I'm updating from my 2012 mini. It still works great, is good enough for my needs and Catalina fine but it quit getting updates last fall and I don't feel comfortable running a machine that will never get updated again.

I went back to Catalina on my Mini and that worked for a week, then bricked Saturday.
but everything is popping off the logic boards and the time is perfect to scrap this great computer.
that mini pumped out some great movies and traveled many states!

 

[Jhonjhon236]

Had the same issue. What I did was spoof the smbios to a suported model (I chose MacPro7,1 but it shouldn’t matter as it is suported) and it installed fine. Then installing Opencore to the disk with the default settings.

 

[ExclusiveMac]

I tried to install Big Sur and Monterey, and both of them were installed without issues, only Ventura is the problem.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I'm trying to install Ventura on a Mac mini 2012 Quad Core CPU with Open Core Legacy, I followed step by step from here:

, but it doesn't install, basically after the first boot it tells me: An error occurred preparing the software update.

I tried by a clean install and also as an upgrade from Catalina, same error.

Does anyone know how to fix this?

Yup same error message on my 2012 Mini. I must have built OCLP at least 20 times. Same result until recently it installed. Try installing the EFI bootloader to the internal drive instead of the flash drive. That worked for me but i've got to say, Ventura ran on my 2012 i5 Mini like I was slogging thru mud. I went back to Monterey and HUGE difference in responsiveness. Perhaps your quad core will fair much better than my i5 C2D.

 

[ExclusiveMac]

How exactly i have to install EFI bootloader? Could you please guide me? What i have to do, step by step?

 

[Heat_Fan89]

How exactly i have to install EFI bootloader? Could you please guide me? What i have to do, step by step?

Use this guide as this person explains it better. Go thru this entire video and start all over.

 

[ExclusiveMac]

Is not about the steps, the steps are okay also on the first post video, what I noticed is that at the beginning when starts to install, before the first boot, at 13 minutes it restarts, then after the restart and around 5 min appear the error.

So, I things it misses some stuff when it restarts at the 13 minutes left, but I don't understand what and why.

 

[zapmymac]

Try a new thumb drive


the steps are mostly accurate, but have a couple missing steps / not accurate steps when I did it.

my 2013 MacBook Pro failed 3x, then it finally stuck, and came out okay.

are you hooked up to Ethernet?

I formatted/wiped Catalina first as well.

I haven’t read through the steps lately, but good luck and it will be worth it

 

[ExclusiveMac]

Already tried a new thumb drive, and changed the port, the thumb drive is a quality one, 3.2. What is strange, is that Big Sur and Monterey install without any issues.

Yeah, I tried also to be connected to the wifi with the internet active.

I followed the steps, one by one, with no mistakes.

 

[MBAir2010]

How exactly i have to install EFI bootloader? Could you please guide me? What i have to do, step by step?

I think

1. restart
2. press option
3. select EFI it's blue, rather than the OS? Drive
4. cross fingers

 

[MBAir2010]

Already tried a new thumb drive, and changed the port, the thumb drive is a quality one, 3.2. What is strange, is that Big Sur and Monterey install without any issues.

Yeah, I tried also to be connected to the wifi with the internet active.

I followed the steps, one by one, with no mistakes.

Could be Ventura, Apple knows about OCLP and probably installed a command to prevent this install.
who really knows?
besides Mr_Dortania?

personally this is a great way to keep our MacBook Pro 2012 up to date
but for what troubles?
I went back to Catalina this past Saturday.which now runs better than Monterey OCLP 6.1 or2
Now Catalina plays well with my tv3 and JBL BT speaker and has good speedy internets!

(luckily my MBA Ventura does my internet shopping and security things so im not at risk $wise.)

I guess try try again, but keep your sanity, I lost men several times these past years of this.

hope this helped.....

 

[ExclusiveMac]

I have already 4 days installing and reinstalling it, and every time I am on the same error, maybe you were right that can be a Ventura issue, maybe I try another previous Ventura version.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I think

1. restart
2. press option
3. select EFI it's blue, rather than the OS? Drive
4. cross fingers

When it worked for me I selected the EFI drive where I was installing Ventura. OP, try installing the EFI bootloader to the target drive.

 

[ExclusiveMac]

I solved the issue in a very strange way, by installing a clean Monterey via USB with Open Core Legacy, then just upgrading directly from Monterey, no USB, to Ventura, via Software Update, and is working, very strange.

 

[zapmymac]

Could be Ventura, Apple knows about OCLP and probably installed a command to prevent this install.
who really knows?
besides Mr_Dortania?

personally this is a great way to keep our MacBook Pro 2012 up to date
but for what troubles?
I went back to Catalina this past Saturday.which now runs better than Monterey OCLP 6.1 or2
Now Catalina plays well with my tv3 and JBL BT speaker and has good speedy internets!

(luckily my MBA Ventura does my internet shopping and security things so im not at risk $wise.)

I guess try try again, but keep your sanity, I lost men several times these past years of this.

hope this helped.....

Plays well with my 2013 as well. Honestly, it’s an awesome. I feel for the guy 😕

 

[zapmymac]

I solved the issue in a very strange way, by installing a clean Monterey via USB with Open Core Legacy, then just upgrading directly from Monterey, no USB, to Ventura, via Software Update, and is working, very strange.

Congrats 🥳🤩 and good job grinding through it. It’s worth it as I said earlier.

 

[MBAir2010]

I solved the issue in a very strange way, by installing a clean Monterey via USB with Open Core Legacy, then just upgrading directly from Monterey, no USB, to Ventura, via Software Update, and is working, very strange.

That should work, theoretically- because the MacBook is already "open"
You might need to reinstall new patches for BT and airplay etc.
or maybe not?

 

[Infinitatus]

I also have mac mini 2012 with Ventura. I use it as a plex media server, since I went for a M1 mini as main mac.
However, I already used open core legacy with Monterey. So I already upgraded to Ventura with opencore installed. Maybe that was the trick.
Nevertheless, It is a very slow process (a couple of hours the first time, if i remember well)., you have to follow the guide very closely and there are several reboots. Sometimes it even appears as nothing is happening.

 

[Heat_Fan89]

I solved the issue in a very strange way, by installing a clean Monterey via USB with Open Core Legacy, then just upgrading directly from Monterey, no USB, to Ventura, via Software Update, and is working, very strange.

Awesome news and congratulations. I did not make the connection until you mentioned it. I also had the same problem installing Ventura using OCLP from Catalina. I had never used an unsupported OS on my 2012 Mini. So I got tired of the problems instilling Ventura and went to Monterey and that worked. I then tried installing Ventura and that installed.

So perhaps, Ventura is looking for a specific version of EFI FW to update. Going from Catalina straight to Ventura might flag an update issue because it's not at a level that it needs to update. Installing Monterey from Catalina is several versions of macOS and surely it would have probably updated the EFI FW prior to that.

That's just an educated guess as to why the Update error shows up and goes away if you install Monterey prior to Ventura. 🤓

 

[zapmymac]

Awesome news and congratulations. I did not make the connection until you mentioned it. I also had the same problem installing Ventura using OCLP from Catalina. I had never used an unsupported OS on my 2012 Mini. So I got tired of the problems instilling Ventura and went to Monterey and that worked. I then tried installing Ventura and that installed.

So perhaps, Ventura is looking for a specific version of EFI FW to update. Going from Catalina straight to Ventura might flag an update issue because it's not at a level that it needs to update. Installing Monterey from Catalina is several versions of macOS and surely it would have probably updated the EFI FW prior to that.

That's just an educated guess as to why the Update error shows up and goes away if you install Monterey prior to Ventura. 🤓

I went from a wiped/formatted SSD (Catalina), maybe mine went “ok” since it didn’t read any Catalina crud? Who know though 😂.