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Unable to reinstall OSX Big Sur on Macbook Pro A1502 using Internet Recovery

B

Braverutherford

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 22, 2015
17
1
I was wondering if anyone could help me considering how helpful this forum has been in the past. Just for some quick backstory, I had a Macbook Pro (A1502) that crashes at start-up and I've not used for 2-3 years due to this. I've recently been looking into repairing it or selling for parts but somebody on a previous forum mentioned "internet recovery".

I attempted an internet recovery only to be stopped halfway due to an error. This happened several times and I put it down to my poor internet speeds. I decided to test this theory by going to a friends house who I know has really good internet and this was proven to be true as the internet recovery managed to load the internet recovery menu where it gives me several options such as, install OSX Big Sur, Disc utility, opening safari etc.

I clicked the install OSX Big Sur option and it gave me a drive to install it to. After selecting the drive I was met with the error

"The file "index.sproduct" couldn't be saved in the folder "macOS Install Data"."

I decided to take a look at the Disk Utility section and I noticed that it has listed two internal drives, one is a "APFS System Volume" with 10.83gb used and the other is a "APFS Data Volume" with 148.26GB used. I don't know much but I feel as though something is wrong in this section that is preventing me from installing a new OSX on this Macbook? I was wondering if there was a way to reset this whole section and revert it to default so that I can install OSX if this is the problem?. I understand that the problem may lay elsewhere so if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

I understand there is 148gb or data somewhere but I believe all of this was backed up and I have since moved all of that data across to my new iMac so I'm not that bothered about the data that is still apparently present on this Macbook I just want it so that I can try reinstalling OSX to see if I can get this Macbook up and running again to see if I can get it going again without crashes and either keep as a side Macbook or sell on.

I have provided some screenshots for reference (name removed for privacy), if anyone could take a quick look and let me know what I need to do in order to get rid of the error preventing me from installing OSX. Many thanks for all your help and advice. Many thanks - J
 

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In your Disk Utility window - choose the "View" menu, and select Show All Devices.
Then you will see the drive listed (showing the manufacturer's info).
Select THAT line, then erase. That will erase the drive, removing all partitions.
 
DeltaMac said:
In your Disk Utility window - choose the "View" menu, and select Show All Devices.
Then you will see the drive listed (showing the manufacturer's info).
Select THAT line, then erase. That will erase the drive, removing all partitions.
Click to expand...

So the one that's titled "APPLE SSD SM9512G Media" I should attempt to erase that one?. I just attempted to erase the others listed but it automatically came up with an error on each saying that i was unable to erase
 
DeltaMac said:
If you erase "APPLE SSD SM9512G Media", that erase will remove all the other partitions in one step.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, it came up with an error when attempting to erase. This is the same error message that comes up when attempting to erase the other two partitions individually (SEE IMAGE)

4D3023A2-2907-4083-8BEF-EDD08AF8C31F.jpeg
 
Do you have a High Sierra USB installer?

I found that I could not erase a drive using the disk utility included with Catalina and Big Sure but the DU from HS always worked for me.
 
Audit13 said:
Do you have a High Sierra USB installer?

I found that I could not erase a drive using the disk utility included with Catalina and Big Sure but the DU from HS always worked for me.
Click to expand...

I do not but I assume you can get hold of one from the likes of eBay etc?. What would be the plan then to install High Sierra and then use Sierra's disk utility to then attempt to delete the portions that I cannot then delete here?
 
Braverutherford said:
I do not but I assume you can get hold of one from the likes of eBay etc?. What would be the plan then to install High Sierra and then use Sierra's disk utility to then attempt to delete the portions that I cannot then delete here?
Click to expand...
If you have another Mac, you could download the HS dmg file to create the installer.

I booted with the HS installer, opened DU, erased the drive twice with GUID and journaled. I then booted to Internet Recovery and re-installed Catalina or Mojave, depending on the last OS on the MacBook.
 
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Audit13 said:
If you have another Mac, you could download the HS dmg file to create the installer.

I booted with the HS installer, opened DU, erased the drive twice with GUID and journaled. I then booted to Internet Recovery and re-installed Catalina or Mojave, depending on the last OS on the MacBook.
Click to expand...

I'll have a look into it, thanks
 
OP:

I haven't read all the replies.

You might have missed A VERY IMPORTANT STEP when using disk utility to erase the drive.

You need to erase THE ENTIRE PHYSICAL DRIVE.
To do this, proceed as thus:
1. Boot to internet recovery
2. When you get to the internet utilities, open Disk Utilty
3. Now, go to the "view" menu and choose "Show ALL devices"
4. Now, look on the left. The "topmost" line should represent the PHYSICAL DRIVE inside the Macbook.
5. THIS is what you need to click on, then click the "erase" button.
6. Now the entire drive is erased, and will be re-partitioned during the software install.

Try this if you haven't tried it yet.
It may "make the difference"...
 
Fishrrman said:
OP:

I haven't read all the replies.

You might have missed A VERY IMPORTANT STEP when using disk utility to erase the drive.

You need to erase THE ENTIRE PHYSICAL DRIVE.
To do this, proceed as thus:
1. Boot to internet recovery
2. When you get to the internet utilities, open Disk Utilty
3. Now, go to the "view" menu and choose "Show ALL devices"
4. Now, look on the left. The "topmost" line should represent the PHYSICAL DRIVE inside the Macbook.
5. THIS is what you need to click on, then click the "erase" button.
6. Now the entire drive is erased, and will be re-partitioned during the software install.

Try this if you haven't tried it yet.
It may "make the difference"...
Click to expand...

Thank you, yes somebody already suggested this method but I get given the same error message when attempting to erase the entire physical drive device as I do with the other two listed "devices" so I may try booting an OSX from a USB and then using that disk utility to attempt to delete the main physical drive again
 
Audit13 said:
If you have another Mac, you could download the HS dmg file to create the installer.

I booted with the HS installer, opened DU, erased the drive twice with GUID and journaled. I then booted to Internet Recovery and re-installed Catalina or Mojave, depending on the last OS on the MacBook.
Click to expand...

I managed to actually boot from a USB installer with HS and then successfully deleted the main drive using the preferenced that you specified. I am now attempting to just install HS from the USB as I thought at least I can just get it up and running and then decide what I want to do from there but right now it keeps attempting to install HS, gets so far and crashes/restarts again so I'm stuck. Do you think booting into internet recovery and attempting to download an OS from there would be much different? or any other suggestions perhaps
 
Braverutherford said:
I managed to actually boot from a USB installer with HS and then successfully deleted the main drive using the preferenced that you specified. I am now attempting to just install HS from the USB as I thought at least I can just get it up and running and then decide what I want to do from there but right now it keeps attempting to install HS, gets so far and crashes/restarts again so I'm stuck. Do you think booting into internet recovery and attempting to download an OS from there would be much different? or any other suggestions perhaps
Click to expand...
Try Internet Recovery. If it still doesn't work, try installing the OS to an external drive and boot from the external drive.
 
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OP:

If you can
Boot into internet recovery
but
Cannot erase the internal drive
then
There could be something wrong with the internal drive
so
I would make an appt with the nearest brick n mortar Apple Store genius bar and let them have a look at it...
 
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Fishrrman said:
OP:

If you can
Boot into internet recovery
but
Cannot erase the internal drive
then
There could be something wrong with the internal drive
so
I would make an appt with the nearest brick n mortar Apple Store genius bar and let them have a look at it...
Click to expand...

I can actually erase the internal drive and manage to do it multiple times in disk utility this time using the HS startup menu where as before it crashed when I attempted to delete but now the problem is actually to download any OS onto it without it crashing but yeah I guess I can get a quote for repairs as long as I'm not forced into anything there and then, that is my only worry with that.
 
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