Sierra Clean-installation Failure [Solved]

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mikehalloran
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Re: Sierra Clean-installation Failure

Post by mikehalloran »

take it you mean the "Disk Creator" app.
No. I mean Terminal. I've never used an app to create Boot drives.

I have USB boot drives for Mavericks, El Cap and Sierra. I created another for Sierra the other day just to verify that Terminal works with the latest installer.
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monkey man
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Re: Sierra Clean-installation Failure

Post by monkey man »

mikehalloran wrote:
take it you mean the "Disk Creator" app.
No. I mean Terminal. I've never used an app to create Boot drives.
That cannot be what you meant, Mike. Here's the context in which you originally said it:
mikehalloran wrote:For the Terminal command interface to build a boot drive, Your USB stick needs to be named Untitled and the installer needs to be in the Applications folder. The Terminal command works when these are correct. It will take some time to build the bootable installer but it works for me 100% of the time.

When done, the USB drive will be renamed Install macOS Sierra and it will show up as a bootable drive in Option Boot.

I've never used the other methods.
... and here's the context in which I asked the question; it's 100% in keeping with the discussion about the Terminal method. There's been no deviation therefrom:
monkey man wrote:
mikehalloran wrote:For the Terminal command interface to build a boot drive, Your USB stick needs to be named Untitled and the installer needs to be in the Applications folder.
Done, and done... every time, except when I named the freshly-formatted disk "SierraBootInstall" when trying the commands quoted in the OP, which were the same as yours except for the title.
mikehalloran wrote:The Terminal command works when these are correct.
It didn't. Tried a dozen or so times now.
mikehalloran wrote:It will take some time to build the bootable installer but it works for me 100% of the time.
I imagine it would take some time, 'cause when I used "Disk Creator" it took quite a while, and I'm guessing the app uses the same Terminal command. I was able to monitor the "progress" thanks to an indicator light on the USB stick. All appears to have gone swimmingly except for the fact that I can't boot from the resulting disk.
mikehalloran wrote:When done, the USB drive will be renamed Install macOS Sierra and it will show up as a bootable drive in Option Boot.
As I described earlier, the resulting disk (USB stick) was named correctly (Install macOS Sierra), and contained only the "Install macOS Sierra.app", not counting any possible invisible files.

Still hoping for verification that the file size (of the installer app) is correct, Mike. Again, mine is 4,965,270,857 bytes.
mikehalloran wrote:I've never used the other methods.
I take it you mean the "Disk Creator" app. This app is the one recommended by sites that outline the Terminal approach, for those who're not-comfortable using Terminal. The outcome should be identical; the difference for me of course was that Terminal refused to carry out the commands whilst the app did.
Anyway, enough of this minutia; I am after all grateful for any assistance you care to offer me, Mike. AFAIC, you're my Mac Guru™ and have been for quite some time. :headbang:
mikehalloran wrote:I have USB boot drives for Mavericks, El Cap and Sierra. I created another for Sierra the other day just to verify that Terminal works with the latest installer.
Thank you so much for doing this, Mike. I appreciate that you went to some trouble, mate.

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Re: Sierra Clean-installation Failure

Post by monkey man »

OK, here’s my summary of this forgettable chapter in my exceedingly-mundane life:

The solution for El Capitan’s installer to run was to set the computer’s date to 1 day after the app-release date, so I tried 2015-12-12. The Sierra installer then ran, but froze with an empty progress bar and 7 minutes remaining on the clock.

Creating an install disk failed with Terminal, but worked using "Disk Creator", a free app. However, the resulting USB-stick installer failed to show up in Sys Prefs / Startup Disk and when booting holding down "Option".

The help I received here involved being instructed to do things I’d already done… repeatedly, unfortunately. Thankfully, I persisted:

So far all my efforts had been conducted from within multiple 10.12.6 partitions created from an image I made on 2017-08-13.


I tried installing an old image of 10.8.5 Mountain Lion, from which I was able to run the installer (yay!):

The 10.12.3 installer only worked from 10.8.5 on the EVO 840 & later, after I’d swapped the drives out, the EVO 850 partitions. Several graphic anomalies were present:

Random block-shading issues on the info bar.
No arrows for scrolling the destination-drive window (clicked where they should have been).
No time-remaining readout, but it still worked.


Now that I had working baseline installations of 10.12.3, I tackled the 10.12.6 combo-update challenge:

It wouldn't install from or on 10.12.3 fresh-spinner installations. It only worked:

From 10.12.6 partitions created via the 10.8.5 840 & 850 EVO SSD installs.
From 10.8.5 partitions.
On 10.12.3 installs created via the 10.8.5 840 & 850 EVO SSD installs, with the caveat below.

Disconnecting from the internet prevented a "couldn't complete - updates available" message from appearing, which previously resulted in failed updates from within 10.12.3 installs.

End of saga. Amen.

I was dealing with the biggest drama I’ve encountered with my fish tanks since 1987 throughout this, where I came close to losing all my long-finned While Cloud Mountain Minnows, a strain I’ve refined for 15 years now. Repeated dis and re-connection of my power filter canister (20+ times, and involving dis and re-assembly at the other end of the house), and the shenanigans involved in repairing the impeller, had me at wit’s end and physically-worn-out. Long, involved story, but I mention this only to provide a little context as to why my usually-pathetic sense of humour has been absent from this thread; I needed to sort this out, preferably before the fish died and my impending 50th (none of you is invited, ‘cause I’m not having a party and you live too far away!). I did arrange for my brother to come over last night for a week-early get-together with two of his friends, but alas, he failed to return my reminder calls all week (didn’t want to buy food for them in case he didn’t roll up as I don’t have a freezer), and didn’t show up or call last night. I might’ve had better luck inviting you, my US buddies, after all! :lol:

Anyway, thank you so much for trying to help, Mike and Sir Markus. I sincerely hope that anyone running into this thread finds my solutions useful. The extent of the problems I encountered with these installations wasn’t something I was able to find a match for on the GoogleNets.

Oh, and my brand-new WD Gold HD has behaved strangely (half a dozen bizarre symptoms) throughout this effort. The store insists I take a taxi to return it (no other way, apparently), after which the wholesaler will pick it up and “test” it. If, under its conditions, it deems the unit faulty, the warranty will be honoured. Lame, especially at the price of the Golds and considering the extended warranty, which I figured would involve a straight swap for a new one. Oh well, at least most of this saga is over! Phew…

Thank you again, peeps. Love you guys.

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HCMarkus
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Re: Sierra Clean-installation Failure

Post by HCMarkus »

Glad you got it sorted MM... sounds like you saved the minnows, too.

Happy Birthday mate! Just in case you're wondering, I can confirm the words of those who have spoken joyfully of life in their 50's. This decade has been a rewarding one for me, and I still have a ways to go before the 10s digit ticks up to a 6. Here's wishing you a fantastic year and beyond!
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mikehalloran
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Re: Sierra Clean-installation Failure

Post by mikehalloran »

HCMarkus wrote:Glad you got it sorted MM... sounds like you saved the minnows, too.

Happy Birthday mate! Just in case you're wondering, I can confirm the words of those who have spoken joyfully of life in their 50's. This decade has been a rewarding one for me, and I still have a ways to go before the 10s digit ticks up to a 6. Here's wishing you a fantastic year and beyond!
Amen! (He writes being on the other side of 60).
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Re: Sierra Clean-installation Failure

Post by monkey man »

... and you still seem to have your faculties about you, Mike! :lol:
Gives me hope, mate.

Sir Markus, thank you very much for the kind, reassuring words, mate. They'd better be true 'cause I'm counting on a long life out of necessity - I haven't even started my career-proper yet, let alone met a gal with whom to start that other all-important journey.

Thank you both, gents; I'm truly-honoured to know you guys!

EDIT:
I'll edit the thread's title to reflect the outcome.

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