OS Catalina Recovery mode: “Downloading installer information to the target volume failed”

[petruza]

Specs: Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch Core i7 2.6 2019 - MVVL2LL/A* - MacBookPro16,1 - A2141 - 3347 - SSD Drive
I just got my MBP from service, it just had a software problem preventing it from powering up, they just did a SMC reset.
As the computer was locked with the apple id, they sent it to me to unlock it and finish reinstalling OS Catalina.
I'm not upgrading, the computer came with OS Catalina.
I have to boot in recovery mode, asks for the Wi-fi password, connects, spends several minutes with the revolving globe, which I guess that is downloading the OS installer.
After starting the OS install, I get the message Downloading installer information to the target volume failed.
Can't get past that.



Only once I formatted the drive to HFS+ instead of APFS and didn't get that error message, but instead got a message about not being able to install the OS with that format. (I guess SSD only works with APFS?)
Anyway, I tried to create an installation USB stick, but this Mac won't allow external drive boot without admin privilege, and guess what, there is no admin user at all!


It doesn't have a firmware password.
It doesn't have iCloud lock.
Things I tried and didn't work:

• all types of recovery mode boot: ⌘-R, opt-⌘-R, shift-opt-⌘-R
• Reset NVRAM
• SMC reset
• Erase the disk
• iCloud erase (find my mac didn't even detect the mac online, even when it does connect to the internet)
• Checked the date & time where correct
• Tried to set the DNSs to the google ones
• Tried two different connections. (All the other devices using those connections have no problems)

Any ideas on what else can I try?

 

[brianmowrey]

Recovery mode has trouble setting boot to the installer volume, instead just select the volume by holding Alt at startup.

 

[Uham]

Werr you able to resolve this issue?

 

[paideia59]

Hi! I have the same problem, the same messages, etc. As soon as a folder with a question mark appeared, I started from the recovery partition, erased the disk, wanted to install from scratch and ... well, the same thing happened to petruza ... any ideas? Thanks in advance!

 

[brianmowrey]

I started from the recovery partition, erased the disk

Were you also in Catalina to begin with? In that case it would be helpful to hear more about your steps (making sure to show all devices in Disk Utility so you're not leaving any volumes? making sure to run First Aid on all nested levels of drive?)

Did your Mac also come with Catalina? If earlier, you can try using Shift-Option-⌘-R to test installing the original OS version

Do you also have a usb installer to try and you can't set it as the target drive? In that case, try holding Alt at startup like my other comment.

This is all just the obvious stuff you may have already done

 

[mohsinulhaq]

I have the exact same issue, I have completely wiped my SSD on my MBP Pro 2018 15''.
And now I can't install via the internet installer, nor from an external drive since there is no admin user!
Please do update us when you fix this issue.