Macos Software Update Separated Again in Mojave

The macOS Big Sur upgrade is non checking to make sure plenty complimentary HD space is bachelor. The upgrade will start, then run out of infinite and fail. If FV2 encryption is enabled, you will exist locked out of your data!

UPDATED 10/07/21 – Latest Updates!!! – For the latest information be certain to bank check the UPDATES section beneath.

Quick Summary – When you start the macOS Big Sur upgrade, the installer should first check to make certain your Mac has enough free infinite available. If the installer finds that you do not have enough gratuitous infinite for the upgrade, it volition stop and not let you lot keep. You should encounter a pop up message showing you how much infinite is needed before you can effort the upgrade again. This free space cheque is NOT working. The upgrade volition start even if you only have 1% of costless space left and will fail. Your hard drive is now 100% total and the installer is now stuck in a kick loop attempting to finish the install. This leaves yous unable access your data! I will go over all the details below and show you a prepare at the end.

I've been trying to get a handle on this consequence for over a month now. The first signs that this is becoming a larger event came after the macOS Big Sur 11.2 update was made available. Reports started to roll in maxim that the Big Sur Upgrade failed and the only mode to fix it was to erase and reinstall macOS. I noticed an increment in traffic to this article. >

https://mrmacintosh.com/reinstalling-big-sur-on-apple-silicon-macs-with-11-0-20a2411-error/

The reason behind the traffic increment was because the M1 personalization error message was very close to the new error.

Large Sur Upgrade out of space error = An error occurred preparing the software update.

Big Sur Upgrade out of infinite error = An error occurred applying the software update.

Apple Silicon M1 personalization error = An mistake occurred preparing the update.

This led me to investigate this issue further.

Mr. Macintosh Full written report and Deep Dive into the issue + Multiple fixes and workarounds to save your data and permit the Big Sur Update finish!

By macOS update problems like this one

This isn't the first time I've reported on update issues that could cause data loss. The 2019-001 Security update issue was shut to this one. If y'all installed the 2019-001 Security Update and the Mac was encrypted, the user could exist locked out.

Security Update 2019-001 update causing data loss on some T2 Mac computers mrmacintosh.com/mojave-2019-001-security-update-causing-information-loss-if-interrupted/

1. Big Sur 11.2 Upgrade not enough free space problem.
2. Affected Big Sur full installers
three. Are the Big Sur Updaters also affected? (example 11.1 > 11.2 delta update)
4. Afflicted Mac Hardware
5. How tin I tell if my Mac is afflicted past this issue?
6. How tin can I foreclose this from happening to me?
vii. User Reports
8. Reproducing the issue
9. What happens when the upgrade installer runs out of infinite?
x. FileVault = Data locked out ?
11. Tin I get my Mac out of this install loop?
12. You accept 2 dissimilar options for fixing this issue.
xiii How to fix this upshot + retain your data!
143. How to set up this consequence – Erase & Reinstall macOS
fifteen. This is a serious trouble.
16. If y'all are seeing this issue, please contact Apple.
17. Credits

UPDATES!

UPDATE – 10/07/21 – If y'all are finding this article, it is most likely considering you have Upgraded from macOS Mojave to Big Sur or installed the latest Big Sur 11.half-dozen update. Your Mac no longer boots, it gets stuck at the progress bar. This is a brand NEW issue that is happening. DO NOT ERASE YOUR DATA, information technology is all still there if you don't take a backup. I am working on an article at present to bear witness you how to recover your data earlier you lot reinstall macOS.

UPDATE – 05/02/21 – The Large Sur Upgrade out of infinite issue should exist gone past now. This issue was fixed in the 11.3 installer.

UPDATE – 03/17/21 – Users are still having this result, I've updated the fault message section to add –

UPDATE – 02/19/21 – I've heard from you! I just finished an update video that goes over how to connect your Large Sur problem Mac to a Catalina & Big Sur Host Mac via Target Disk Mode! You no longer need a Loftier Sierra or Mojave Mac. I likewise go over how to boot to an external USB drive that has macOS on it to ready the consequence. Finally I walk yous through a new style to fix your Mac if you practice NOT have a 2nd Mac using Net Recovery!

UPDATE – 02/15/21 – Apple has just released a new build of macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 (20D75). I've confirmed that the new installer has fixed the not enough space check!!!

Apple just released macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 (20D75) that fixes the out of infinite error.

2/14/21

UPDATE #3 – 02/xiv/21 – In some tests and including the sit-in in my video, I was able to get Macintosh HD to mount (in Big Sur) on the desktop after inbound in the password for TDM. (I can't remember if this was my T2 Unencrypted exam or non). If you run into "Macintosh Hd" Mounted on your desktop, you tin exercise the following. Open disk utility and right click on "Macintosh HD – Data" and click "Prove In Finder". Your Data volume should mount!

UPDATE #2 – 02/14/21 – A new manner to mount an Encrypted Mac to a Big Sur or Catalina Device. (Previously this would only work on a Mojave or Loftier Sierra Mac). You can apply Disk Utility on Big Sur to erase "Macintosh Hard disk drive" System Volume Just. Doing this volition then allow you lot to mount "Macintosh HD – Data" and your password volition now piece of work! Y'all can either fill-in your data, or articulate some space. The upgrade is still staged and tin cease if you don't desire to practice a full erase. I go over this process at the very end of the video. The article instructions will be updated shortly.

UPDATE #1 – 02/fourteen/21 – Just finished my video on this issue, information technology ended up being over i hr long. The video is 1 of the most detailed videos that I've ever produced. I went over the entire outcome, plus went over how to ready the issue in a pace-by-pace set of instructions. I had to become over multiple situations that a user might be in. This is a very complicated event and I did my all-time to endeavour and explain it. I hope you detect it helpful.

PREVIOUS UPDATES

UPDATE 02/thirteen/21 – I now have a new way to rescue your Mac if it'southward encrypted so you do not demand a Mohave or Loftier Sierra Mac. I am putting together that information now. You will be able to apply a catalina or Big Sur Mac. I as well only finished filming my deep dive video on this issue. I'll will walk y'all through how to ready this consequence footstep-by-footstep. I'thousand editing information technology now, stand by.

UPDATE 02/12/21 – I've added a new section below on how to rescue your information when your Mac is FileVault encrypted. This new way will work if yous do not take a 2nd Mac for Target Disk way, or if your Mac is newer and y'all can't install Mojave on it. The new way involves installing macOS Mojave from recovery on an external USB drive. Once installed you can boot to that external drive and remove plenty files from "Macintosh Hard disk drive – Data" for the Big Sur Upgrade to finish.

UPDATE 02/11/21 – I've updated the Affected Big Sur Installers section.

1. Big Sur 11.2 Upgrade non enough complimentary space trouble.

What are the reported problems with this update?

1. Large Sur Upgrade stuck in an install loop
2. Stuck in recovery Boot Recovery Assistant. Pop upwardly mistake – An error occurred preparing the software update – An error occurred applying the software update
iii. Big Sur Recovery startup disk screen that shows blank = no startup disk available.

2. Affected Big Sur full installers

This issue affects the post-obit macOS Big Sur Installers. I'chiliad checking with the downloadable Large Sur full installer application.

1. Big Sur 11.3 Beta – Confirmed
2. Big Sur eleven.two – Confirmed
iii. Big Sur eleven.1 – Not affected
4. Large Sur 11.0.i – Non affected

3. Are the Big Sur Updaters also affected? (example xi.one > eleven.two delta update)

I wanted to make sure the consequence was only happening with the Large Sur Upgrade and not the point release updates. Offset I ran a few tests on an 11.1 system. Then I downloaded the 11.ii delta update so filled the difficult drive with a big dmg file. Next, I attempted to kick off the update and luckily software update stopped me. I cleared up ane.5GB and the updater let me install the update but did Non terminate. Instead of getting stuck in an update loop the Mac but booted dorsum into OS. I increased the gratis space to two.5GB and the update finished properly.

Attempting to update from Large Sur xi.i to eleven.ii with but 500MB free space.

4. Affected Mac Hardware

In the past, macOS update problems could only happen on specific hardware. Not this fourth dimension effectually. If you installed the macOS Big Sur Upgrade on a compatible Mac and did not have enough gratuitous space, you will have bug.

2018-2020 Mac devices with a T2 security chip brand things even more hard if y'all enabled Filevault two encryption.

The differences are between 2018+ T2 Macs and FileVault encryption. If you have a T2 Mac, you volition not be able to get into macOS recovery because your password will not piece of work. This problem further complicates recovery efforts.

Fifty-fifty more than frustrating, unless you disabled external kick security you volition not exist able to boot to a USB Large Sur installer or external hard drive.

NOTE: Apple tree Silicon Macs are immune to this issue because the minimum Os M1 Macs tin can run is macOS Big Sur. I gauge it could be possible, if you attempted to run the full installer over the acme of your current install.

v. How can I tell if my Mac is affected by this consequence?

If yous installed the macOS Big Sur Upgrade and yous are at present stuck in boot loop ending with the error – An error occurred preparing the software update – you are affected by this issue. The other error that yous might go is "An error occurred applying the software update."

This is the error you will encounter after trying to upgrade to macos Big Sur. An fault occurred preparing the software update.

6. How can I prevent this from happening to me?

Apple tree states that y'all need the following amount of free space available for a Big Sur upgrade.

If upgrading from macOS Sierra or later, macOS Big Sur requires 35.5GB of available storage to upgrade. If upgrading from an earlier release, macOS Big Sur requires up to 44.5GB of available storage.
https://support.apple.com/kb/sp833

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp833

And so y'all need at least a minimum of 35.five GB for the Big Sur Upgrade.

Information technology'southward unknown if the size calculation includes the 13GB full installer or not.

EDIT: Steve said that the 35GB number does Not include the 13GB Big Sur Installer.

If you are on macOS Sierra or later and have 35.5GB costless space, the Big Sur upgrade will complete successfully.

vii. User Reports.

Some of the very get-go reports of this consequence started to roll in Nov of concluding yr!

This issue is Non new and sadly users have been dealing with this for months. Some take lost all data due to this problem. At the fourth dimension the only mode to fix this was a full erase and reinstall of macOS.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252038616?answerId=253922337022

I tried to practise the Big Sur update and most the end of the installation i become the bulletin. And then i'm asked to select a startup disk. I've tried rebooted a few times and it always happens. I assume i'll need to exercise a recovery of some sort.
Apple Discussions Forum user

https://www.reddit.com/r/applehelp/comments/k9q0a8/big_sur_update_not_working/

Tried updating to Big Sur on my Macbook Air. Information technology has given me the error when information technology comes close to finishing maxim "an error occurred preparing the software update" it then gives me two windows i saying choose startup disk and a macos update assistant that both never load. I take tried to set up this just no fix has worked for me notwithstanding, including holding down options and opening a disk boot screen and choosing the macintosh hd disk, which even so didn't end up working for me
Reddit User

8. Reproducing the issue

When trying to figure out an issue similar this, reproducing the outcome is critical. If you lot can figure out the exact steps needed to trigger the issue, sometimes a workaround can exist plant. Most of the fourth dimension, reproducing an issue like this is easier said than washed.

This time effectually, I was able to reproduce the consequence. The first fourth dimension I saw a screenshot of the fault, it looked similar a failed install. In this state of affairs, the issue could be anything!

When the Big Sur 11.2 update was made available, reports started to increase. I started to look further into this issue and found out that many users are experiencing this problem.

Hard drive gratuitous space available!

MacAdmin stevemaser mentioned he was seeing some weirdness when he was testing Big Sur upgrades. He noticed inconsistencies from the installer from when he needed to showtime the upgrade.

Could non having enough complimentary HD space be the cause of the "An error occurred preparing the software update" error?

It'due south fourth dimension to observe out.

I ran some tests on the upgrade process using the macOS Big Sur eleven.two installer.

Scenario #1 Free infinite = less than 13GB
1. Installer volition error out (before starting the upgrade) because it doesn't have enough free space to transfer the upgrade files to a temporary location.

Scenario #ii Costless space = less than 15GB
i. Installer now has enough space to transfer the needed files to a temporary location. The upgrade will first (when it should requite an error) and reboot to the installer and fail. Your Mac is now stuck in an install loop.

BINGO we are now able to reproduce the effect! Side by side, let'south try to effigy out what is happening during the upgrade process.

9. What happens when the upgrade installer runs out of space?

After the the installer restarts your Mac, it nevertheless needs complimentary space for the upgrade. Depending on how full your hard drive is, the install could crash out apace or much after in the install.

macOS Big Sur Upgrade attempting to terminate.

The installer will upgrade files on your hard bulldoze until it reaches 100% chapters attempting to finish the upgrade. When that happens, the installer volition silently fault out and restart. Your Mac will at present kicking to a recovery type environment called "Boot Recovery Banana"

This is the Boot Recovery Assistant environment and the error that you lot will meet. An error occurred preparing the software update.

Boot Recovery Assistant is not a total macOS recovery environment. You can only click ok on the error. Later clicking OK you will be shown a progress bar that says macOS Update Assistant and the select a startup disk carte du jour.

Yous can and so attempt to close the progress bar window or click the choose startup disk menu.

Cull Startup Disk menu – Macintosh Hd is missing!

The trouble is, startup disk does not show your hard drive. All y'all can do at this point is shut downwards or restart from the Apple Carte du jour. When you restart the entire process volition first again in a never catastrophe loop.

10. FileVault = Data locked out ?

Why is the upgrade issue and then serious when FileVault encryption is enabled?

Your account password is not accepted in any of the normal recovery prompts.

Recovery
Target Disk Mode (Catalina & Large Sur)

If FileVault is enabled on macOS Catalina and Big Sur, yous volition be prompted to enter in your admin password before getting into recovery.

Your password is Non accepted for recovery.

When y'all enter in your countersign hither it volition not work even though the password is correct.

If yous try to reset your password with a Personal Recovery Key or AppleID, the password reset the process will neglect.

Attempting to reset your password will fail, your only option is to restart. This will start the upgrade loop once more.

If you can't get into recovery, yous can't troubleshoot or access your files.

Target Disk Mode will non piece of work on Catalina and Large Sur. The password is not accepted even though information technology works to unlock your mac to offset the upgrade.

The password IS accustomed in TDM in macOS Mojave and High Sierra. Why will it only work in 10.xiv and 10.13? I'chiliad not totally sure. It might be due to the changes in APFS or the dual drive layout.

Investigation

I attempted everything I could call up of to free up space, figuring if I could maybe I could unlock the disk in TDM. This is what I could run across over TDM.

The encrypted drive was 100% total and could non be unlocked.

The partition view of the encrypted full bulldoze.

My showtime attempt was to power down during the upgrade procedure. This worked in freeing up some space (12GB to exist exact).

Chapters In Utilise By Volumes: 466936836096 B (466.nine GB) (93.iv% used)

Sadly, this did not work and I could nonetheless not unlock the drive.

I moved to attempting unlock the drive in last.

diskutil apfs unlockVolume /dev/disk3s5 -user test Passphrase: Unlocking the specific cryptographic user test on APFS Volume disk3s5

Error unlocking APFS Volume: Malformed UUID (-69578)

Yikes

Could I erase the Macintosh HD segmentation, or any other partition that was not Macintosh Hard disk – Information?

diskutil eraseVolume APFS Bulldoze /dev/disk3s5 Started erase Preparing to erase APFS Book content Checking mount state Erasing APFS Volume disk3s5 past deleting and re-adding Deleting APFS Volume from its APFS Container Unmounting disk3s5 Erasing whatever xART session referenced by 128F46B9-D251-4CD1-8036-146EC457EA4E Deleting Book

Mistake: -69623: Unable to delete the given APFS Volume and remove it from its APFS Container

Nope. I figured information technology would not be possible to remove a book from an encrypted container, only nosotros are in desperate times I had to attempt!

Maybe I could remove the temporary update book?

sudo diskutil apfs deleteVolume /dev/disk3s5 Started APFS performance Deleting APFS Book from its APFS Container Unmounting disk3s5 Erasing any xART session referenced by 128F46B9-D251-4CD1-8036-146EC457EA4E Deleting Volume

Error: -69623: Unable to delete the given APFS Volume and remove it from its APFS Container

eleven. Can I get my Mac out of this install loop?

The answer is YES! but the explanation is a little complicated.

You are almost likely in one of the following scenarios.

2013-2017 Mac – FileVault 2 Encryption Not Enabled
2013-2017 Mac – FileVault 2 Encryption Enabled
2018-2020 Mac – FileVault 2 Encryption Non Enabled
2018-2020 Mac – FileVault two Encryption Enabled

Why 4 different situations? It comes downward to the built in protection of macOS recovery when your Mac has FileVault ii Encryption enabled. The other problem is the congenital in boot security of T2 Mac computers. T2 Mac systems are shipped with external kicking disabled. This means you lot volition not be able to utilize a USB installer or external hard drive to help rescue the Mac. Let's go over how to fix this effect.

12. Yous have two different options for fixing this result.

Now that we know the unlike situations, let's get over how to prepare the result.

Do y'all need to salve or retain your data?

If the answer is Yeah > 12. How to fix this outcome and retain my data.

If the answer is NO > 13. How to set up this upshot – Erase and Reinstall.

13. How to set up this upshot + retain your data!

This section is divided into 2 parts. Part one is for if your Mac is encrypted with FileVault two. The 2d section is for if your Mac is not encrypted.

FileVault ii Enabled

When FileVault is enabled on macOS Catalina or Large Sur, you are required to enter your account password before entering macOS recovery. This is critical because the only fashion to recover (retain user data) a FileVault enabled Mac will exist with the help of a 2d Mac.

If your Mac is encrypted and you lot need to recover your information, you have two options. 1 with just your mac and a USB Bulldoze and the other with a 2nd Mac and a Thunderbolt or USB Cable using Target Deejay Mode.

Option #1 – Install macOS Mojave on a external USB, SD Card or Difficult drive.

Y'all can boot from this external version of macOS. This will allow y'all to clear enough space from "Macintosh Hard disk – Data"
Utilize an external USB flash bulldoze or external hard drive. You install macOS on an external USB, SDCard or hard bulldoze. Once Mojave is installed from recovery to the external drive boot to information technology by holding down Option afterward reboot. Once booted to mojave, y'all will see your drives on the desktop. Y'all can and so mountain "Macintosh HD – Data" from Disk Utility. Now y'all tin can delete files from the "Macintosh HD – Information" then reboot. The Large Sur upgrade will terminate.

Option #ii – 2nd Mac Required – Target Disk Mode

Y'all need a 2nd Mac running macOS High Sierra or Mojave. (Large Sur & Catalina Mac ready instructions coming soon)
One of the following cables are required. USB-C to USB-C 3.0 Cablevision, or a ThunderBolt iii Cable.
Once you have the target Mac in Target Disk Style, you tin can use the host mac running 10.14 or 10.13 to mount the disk after entering your encryption password. > https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-aid/transfer-files-mac-computers-target-disk-mode-mchlp1443/mac
Equally soon every bit you plug in your cable from the target mac to the host mac, you will become a pop-up window asking you lot to enter the password for your problem Mac.

You volition see this popup once connected to Target Disk Style on the host Mac.

v. After inbound your password, iii volumes should mountain on your desktop.

The volume that holds your data is Macintosh Hard disk drive – Data. Open this volume and and then navigate to your home folder.

Your abode binder mounted via target deejay manner.

You tin can now remove any actress files so you can get under the 20-30GB needed to finish.

click on Macintosh Hard disk – Information – and then press control I you lot tin can now see how much gratis space is left on the bulldoze.

DON'T FORGET TO EMPTY THE TRASH BEFORE REBOOTING.

Once you have deleted enough files, yous can shut down and unplug the target mac from your host Mac. Power information technology back on and it should now end the Large Sur Upgrade!

FileVault 2 Non Enabled

If you did not enable FileVault encryption, recovery is a fiddling easier. We can help the macOS Large Sur Installer terminate by immigration up some free space! Since we are not prompted for a password to enter macOS recovery, we can delete files in the following ways.

If you only take your Mac

Remove files via terminal.app in macOS recovery.
2013-2017 Macs (or 2018-2020 if y'all enabled External boot in the recovery security settings) – Use an external USB flash drive or external hard drive. You install macOS on an external usb, SDCard or hard drive. One time installed boot to that external drive. You lot will run into your drives on the desktop, you can so mount "Macintosh Hard disk – Data" from Disk Utility. You tin and then delete files from the "Macintosh HD – Data" then reboot. The Big Sur upgrade will finish.

If you have a 2nd Mac

Kicking Mac to Target Deejay Mode. You can apply a 2nd mac to mount your troublesome Mac Hard disk on the desktop. You can now remove files. Follow the detailed instructions in #12 above.

14. How to set this outcome – Erase and Reinstall.

If yous accept a confirmed fill-in or just do not need any data on your Mac, you can erase and reinstall macOS.

This is pretty straight forward. If you take a 2013-2017 Mac, yous tin just kicking to recovery, erase the drive and reinstall macOS

If you take a 2018-2020 T2 Mac with FileVault two enabled, you will need to perform a "Erase Mac".

The "Erase Mac" option when you tin can't get into recovery.

You tin can follow the instructions here > https://support.apple tree.com/en-united states of america/HT211983

15. This is a serious problem.

The fact that this trouble is still in macOS Large Sur 11.three Beta means the upshot has been occurring unchecked for months.

Losing data is the absolute worst possible computer problem that a user can have.

I feel for anyone who had this issue over the by 3 months. Almost every single state of affairs concluded up with an erase and reinstall losing all data. Y'all can talk all day about how users need to backup files. We all know that in a real earth situations this is not e'er washed.

The good news is that we have at present a solution to prepare this consequence for anyone who is currently having this issue or will in the future until Apple fixes this problem.

I volition update every bit presently equally I take more than information.

16. If y'all are seeing this issue, please let Apple tree know.

I've filed an Apple Enterprise Support ticket on this issue.

Please file a FeedBack Study, call AppleCare or file an Apple Enterprise Support Ticket.

This will help Apple Prioritize the issue and get the event resolved ASAP!

17. Credits.

Hat Tip goes to @stevemaser for pointing out the space issues with the big sur upgrader and @crsleeth for getting me to look deeper into this issue.

weisgerberworters.blogspot.com

Source: https://mrmacintosh.com/big-sur-upgrade-not-enough-hd-space-serious-issue-possible-data-loss/