OS X Installer Keeps Freezing While Installing

[infotrader]

Hi Everyone!

My Macbook (the 2016 retina model) has been running really slowly, so I wanted to reset it back to factory settings. I don't have any important files on this computer, which I figured would make the process simpler.

Note that, after I erased my current hard drive using the Disk Utility app, I haven't been able to boot my computer up (to a login screen or equivalent start up screen) because it doesn't have an operating system loaded. After creating a new, fresh partition on my hard drive (also using the Disk Utility app), I have tried to reinstall OS X a variety of ways:

• Directly using the "Install OS X" option within OS X utilities in Recovery mode (by holding cmd+r when booting my computer up)
• Using Internet Recovery
• Making a bootable El Capitan USB Install Drive using the Disk Creator app on my other Macbook Pro and using that USB to try to install OS X

One interesting thing I noticed is that the installation times could sometimes range wildly from as short as 10 minutes to over 10 hours.

However, every time I try to install OS X, my Macbook keeps freezing during installation. Usually, the progress bar only makes it 10-20% of the way there and stops. I wonder if it means that it stops on the same step each time. I can confirm that it's freezing because 1) my cursor stops moving and 2) I let it run overnight and, when I checked it this morning, it didn't make any progress and stayed frozen.

I'm not sure what to do at this point, especially because every tutorial video I watch online (that teaches you have to reset your computer) shows you how to get to the installation step and assumes that the installation will be successful.

Here are some other notes:

• I ran a diagnostic test (by holding d when booting my computer up), and the diagnostic test identified no issues. Hopefully, this means that there aren't any hardware issues with my computer.
• I have tried a few other random steps I've read online, such as resetting my NVRAM and whatnot, hoping that it would help, but generally to no avail. Whenever I've taken these random steps, it's unclear whether I'm accomplishing anything.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[MacInWin]

I can confirm that it's freezing because 1) my cursor stops moving and 2) I let it run overnight and, when I checked it this morning, it didn't make any progress and stayed frozen.

Which method was that one? The installation does seem to get stuck but overnight is not right.

What happens when you do the Internet Recovery? Do you get to the utility screen where you can choose to use Disk Utility to format the drive? Have you tried that, if it's available to you? Did you format the drive from the bootable installer? (You should have at option to run Disk Utility after the installer boots.)

What version of the OS are you attempting to install? You mentioned El Cap, but the late-2016 model came with Sierra, which means that El Cap won't run, your options are Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave or Catalina. Could that be the issue?

 

[infotrader]

I did Internet Recovery overnight, and that was the one that got stuck overnight. (Although, based on what I'm seeing when my Macbook freezes, it doesn't matter how long it you wait. I'm pretty sure it would stay frozen forever unless I turned the computer off.)

For each option, I arrived at the utility screen and tried various options including formatting my disk using Disk Utility. Put another way, I erased my current hard drive and started with a fresh partition with both Internet Discovery and with the bootable installer.

I don't recall what OS the computer came with (the computer is actually not mine). However, Internet Discovery automatically tried to install El Capitan (and there was no other option for me to select), so I just assumed that was the best one to go with. Is this a bad assumption, and should I try Sierra instead?

 

[infotrader]

I can confirm that my Macbook is this model. MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications

This link says that the OS is macOS Sierra, so maybe this is why I'm having issues. I'll try to make a bootable installer with Sierra instead of El Capitan. I'm just confused why Internet Discovery kept trying to install El Capitan instead.

 

[MacInWin]

If it originally had Sierra on it, you cannot go backwards from there. That could very well be the problem. I don't know why Internet Recovery tried El Cap, but you should build a Sierra installer (or more recent) and give that a try.

 

[ferrarr]

The next time you try Internet Recovery, use Disk Utility to completely erase the drive, and make sure you use the "View" menu, and select "View All Devices" or something to that affect. Then choose the top most drive name and not a partition.

Here are other keyboard combos to try, How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - Apple Support.

 

[chscag]

I can confirm that my Macbook is this model. MacBook (Retina, 12-inch, Early 2016) - Technical Specifications

Are you sure about that? I've never known Internet Recovery to be mistaken about what original version of macOS was installed. The Retina MacBook Early 2015 until 2016 came preinstalled with El Capitan.

How about giving us the serial number of the MacBook so that it can be checked against Apple's data base. Internet Recovery looks at the firmware which includes the SN of the machine and then knows which version of macOS was originally installed.

However, it shouldn't be a problem installing Sierra if you can get hold of an installer.

 

[infotrader]

When I input the serial number, it tells me that the model is the one I linked above. What I'm confused about is that Wikipedia tells me that Sierra was first released in Sept. 2016. In that case, maybe Internet Recovery is correct and this Macbook originally had El Capitan installed on it. My friend says he got it in summer 2016, so I wonder if the timing is such that it had Sierra originally installed on it but for some reason Internet Recovery says El Capitan or something.

The annoying thing is that I'm having trouble making a bootable installer with Sierra. I'm using the same USB drive that I made a bootable installer with El Capitan earlier, but I get lots of issues that say things like the device cannot be unmounted and stuff, so I'm trying to figure that out.

All three of the methods I described in my original post tried to install El Capitan, so I'm hopeful that installing Sierra instead will help the issue.

 

[ferrarr]

If Sierra came out after your MacBook was designed, then it will support El Capitan, and may have had it installed to begin with. I know my Late 2014 Mac Mini will support Yosemite, even though it had El Capitan when I got it in December of 2016. I have not tried to boot into Internet Recovery though.

In the link I posted in post #6 above, Internet Recovery is accessible using this keyboard combo;

[h=4]Shift-Option-⌘-R[/h][FONT=&quot]Reinstall the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
[/FONT]
Are you sure you are erasing the drive properly? When using Disk Utility, select the "View" menu and make sure "Show All Devices" (or something similar) is selected.

 

[infotrader]

I have tried that key combination before. When I do, it automatically tries to install El Capitan.

I don't actually see a "View" menu in Disk Utility, even if I check every possible option (both in the window instead and also in the navigation bar at the top of my screen).

 

[MacInWin]

It's up near the red, yellow, green buttons.

 

[ferrarr]

It's up near the red, yellow, green buttons.

View attachment 30746

No, they are doing it through Internet Recovery and for El Capitan. Not the newer OS versions.

 

[MacInWin]

When did it change? I looked at an old iMac I have with El Cap and the "View" is not there, but it is in Catalina. So when did it appear? Mojave?

In any case, the OP should be trying to install Sierra, not El Cap. Everything I can find online says that machine shipped with Sierra. If that is the case, El Cap will never install.

 

[infotrader]

Hi Friends,

Just wanted to say thanks for everyone's help. I was able to resolve the issue.

For whatever reason, I was unable to create a bootable installer with Sierra (using Disk Creator and Terminal both threw errors related to my USB not being able to be unmounted), so I just made a bootable installer with Mojave instead. This installer, unlike the El Capitan installer I used, did not cause my computer to freeze, and successfully installed macOS after about 20 minutes or so.

Based on this information, it's possible that my problem was trying to install El Capitan on my computer.

Much thanks to everyone, happy holidays to everyone and figurative drinks on me!

 

[ferrarr]

The Early 2016 MacBook shipped with OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), according to EveryMac.com.

MacBook "Core m5" 1.2 12" (Early 2016) Specs (Early 2016, MLHC2LL/A*, MacBook9,1, A1534, 2991): EveryMac.com

 

[MacInWin]

Bob, read post #4. His link says it shipped with Sierra, not El Cap. I think EveryMac has this one wrong. The fact that El Cap would not install, but Mojave did supports Apple's website data that it shipped with Sierra.

 

[ferrarr]

Bob, read post #4. His link says it shipped with Sierra, not El Cap. I think EveryMac has this one wrong. The fact that El Cap would not install, but Mojave did supports Apple's website data that it shipped with Sierra.

I believe EveryMac. The Early 2016 were pre-installed with El Capitan. They may have been upgraded after Sierra was released, and they were still being assembled.

One thing, I don't think were mentioned, would be to do the resets, NVRAM & SMC, and see if they sorted it out?

 

[MacInWin]

Post #1 said:

I have tried a few other random steps I've read online, such as resetting my NVRAM and whatnot, hoping that it would help, but generally to no avail.

But he's past the issue, now having installed Mojave successfully.

 

[infotrader]

What ferrarr says is very possible. To rephrase what I said in Post #8, my friend confirms that he purchased the computer before Sept. 2016. However, Wikipedia says that Sierra was released in Sept. 2016. If this is the case (and assuming that this computer didn't have software that hadn't been released preinstalled), then the computer may have come with El Capitan. This would be consistent with Internet Recovery insisting on installing El Capitan.

 

[MacInWin]

So we have two inconsistent consistencies. One is that Internet Recovery wanted El Cap. The other is that El Cap would not install, but more modern versions did, which seems to indicate that El Cap was too old.

I suspect that unless your friend has his purchase receipt to guarantee the purchase date, we'll never actually know.