Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

SSD not supported to install Monterey. How can I update firmware??

B

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,462
447
Canada
So I finally want to jump on the Monterey bandwagon. I'm on a 2015 15" MBP with a 1TB SSD. This is the SSD I am using. https://www.amazon.ca/Sabrent-Rocke...+macbook+pro+2015+sabrent,aps,104&sr=8-5&th=1

When trying to install I got a message saying "A required firmware update could not be installed. Compatible internal storage is required in order to update." Is there a way to simply update the firmware or would I need to buy a new compatible SSD. If so which would you recommend? I have already backed up everything to an external hard drive.

Also a question about AdGuard in Safari browser. Right now I'm still on Mojave but obviously I would want to use AdGuard in Monterey. Does anyone here use AdGuard and what settings would I need to have enabled to block ALL ads?
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
  • Like
Reactions: RUGERMAN
Other references to that message (e.g. this one) suggest reinstalling the original Apple SSD, doing the firmware upgrade, then swapping back to the third-party one. Do you still have the Apple one?
 
  • Like
Reactions: appltech
Nermal said:
Other references to that message suggest reinstalling the original Apple SSD, doing the firmware upgrade, then swapping back to the third-party one. Do you still have the Apple one?
Click to expand...

Yes I believe I do. It's been at least a couple years since I used it so the contents are not up to date. Does that matter?
 
I believe that with SOME 3rd-party blade SSDs (being used as replacement drives in Mac laptops), the firmware upgrade cannot be installed.

This is due to incompatibilities with either the nvme SSD itself, or with the adapter being used, or perhaps a combination of factors.

The solution (and you're not going to like it) is to put THE ORIGINAL APPLE SSD back in, update the software (this allows the firmware upgrade to go forward), then put the 3rd party SSD back in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: appltech
Fishrrman said:
I believe that with SOME 3rd-party blade SSDs (being used as replacement drives in Mac laptops), the firmware upgrade cannot be installed.

This is due to incompatibilities with either the nvme SSD itself, or with the adapter being used, or perhaps a combination of factors.

The solution (and you're not going to like it) is to put THE ORIGINAL APPLE SSD back in, update the software (this allows the firmware upgrade to go forward), then put the 3rd party SSD back in.
Click to expand...

Can I put the original SSD in an external enclosure and start up from that do to the update? Can it be used as simply a drive to do MacOS upgrades? That way I don't have to swap the drive internally.
 
"Can I put the original SSD in an external enclosure and start up from that do to the update? Can it be used as simply a drive to do MacOS upgrades? That way I don't have to swap the drive internally."

My guess is NO, this won't work.

And it's going to be difficult and expensive to find an external enclosure that will accept the Apple OEM blade drive. I think Other World Computing sells one.

Again, it's almost certainly not going to work for the purpose you want.

If you want to upgrade the software, you're going to have to put the OEM drive back into the MacBook.

Possible alternative:
ANOTHER 3rd-party blade drive and/or ANOTHER adapter MIGHT work. No guarantees.
Seems to me there is a LONG thread about this in the MacBook Pro forum here at macrumors...
 
Okay so I did the swap and was able to update to Monterey. Will I still be able to backup to my external HDD or would I need to get a new SSD external drive?

Also Monterey is very "bright" in its colour palette. Seems there is no way to change that except for dark mode. But I don't want an all black screen.
 
Now that you're updated, backups should go on as usual.

But you'd better keep that OEM blade SSD around.
Next time you want to update, you may have to do this all over again.
 
Still no way to install this 7 months later. "Use your original SSD" isn't much help when the entire reason you aren't using the original is because it *broke*
 
  • Like
Reactions: meaning-matters
WestonHarvey1 said:
Still no way to install this 7 months later. "Use your original SSD" isn't much help when the entire reason you aren't using the original is because it *broke*
Click to expand...
You should be able to find a used, functional one on eBay or similar. You only need a 128GB disk so it shouldn’t cost much.
 
Same problem here: MacBook Pro early 2015. The original SSD became faulty and was replaced with an OWC SSD. This has worked fine for many years. Now the Monterey update gets stuck with the infamous "A required firmware update could not be installed. Compatible internal storage is required in order to update."

However, the installer gives me two options: restart my Mac, or go into Target mode. I am not sure why it offers Target mode, hence question: if I enter Target mode, using another Macbook as 'master', would I then be able to update the firmware on the 'slave'? If so, I suppose that afterwards I'd be able to install Monterey. Any experience or knowledge on this? Thank you.
 
I know this is an old post but I am not able to update the firmware on my MBP Early 2015 13"
Even with the Original Apple dri e that came with it.
If anyone experienced this issue, I will appreciate if you share a solution with me. Thank you
 
There is something I don't get, I thought the firmware gets updated automatically (according to the internet) when doing OS updates.

Are you guys not updating to the latest version of MacOS via software update in the upper left corner, before trying to install Monterey on your new SSD?
 
lkar said:
There is something I don't get, I thought the firmware gets updated automatically (according to the internet) when doing OS updates.

Are you guys not updating to the latest version of MacOS via software update in the upper left corner, before trying to install Monterey on your new SSD?
Click to expand...
Certain versions of OS upgrades won't update some Mac firmware if a 3rd party disk is installed.
 
I eventually just gave up on this. The 2013 Mac Pro can't be upgraded to the latest macOS anymore anyway.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back