Macbook Pro Won't Finish High Sierra Download With Clean Install

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  1. I'm trying to update my Macbook Pro to the latest security update for High Sierra but the download doesn't seem to finish and is working in a really weird way. I tried to cancel the current update, and it does cancel, but when I try to start it again, it doesn't start from the very beginning and shows an entirely different progress than what it.
  2. MacBook Pro introduced in mid 2010 or later. MacOS High Sierra won't install on top of a later version of macOS, but you can erase your disk first or install on another disk. We are here to provide to clean and fast download for MacOS High Sierra 10.13 dmg. This link is resume able within 24 hours.

Normally when you install a new version of macOS, you just install it over the previous version. It’s quick, easy and means we can be back up and running in no time, with all your apps and data ready to use. Your data remains but your software and file junk remains as well.

El Capitan disk has an embbed security certificate that has expired in 2016. Just change your system date, let's say to, install El Capitan, then change the date back to today. MacBook Pro 15' Unibody Mid 2009.

That’s why, sometimes, it makes more sense to run a clean install. Whether it’s because your Mac has accumulated so many junk files that it’s performance is badly affected or because you’re passing your Mac onto someone else and want to make sure all your data is removed. Or maybe you just want that fresh out of the box Mac experience again. Whatever your reasons, here is how to clean install macOS High Sierra.

How to prepare your Mac for the clean install

Before you do anything, check that your Mac is able to run Apple's new operating system.

To complete the clean install procedure described below, you'll need:

  • macOS High Sierra Installer,available from the Mac App Store.
  • a 16GB or larger USB flash drive
    Notice: USB drive is needed for a clean install on your Mac’s startup drive. If you plan to clean install macOS on a non-startup drive, you don't need it.
  • go for a system cleanup and backup your data - this will allow you to easily return your Mac to the condition it was in before you installed macOS.
  • and an hour or two to spare.

Choose the right way to clean install macOS High Sierra

Before you proceed, you need to make a choice how to run a clean install. If you only have one drive and it’s not partitioned and this is where you have all your files and your OS, your choice is to clean install on the startup drive. This way entails one important fact: all your files and data will be deleted during the process.

If you have another drive or volume other than your startup drive, use the second way which is clean installing on a non-startup drive. It’s a more lenient and less intrusive way because your Mac doesn’t get wiped clean, only your system.

Finish

If you don’t know which one you have, go with the first option, startup drive.

How to clean install macOS on a startup drive

Once you have everything that's needed, let's begin. Don’t worry, this step-by-step guide will walk you through all you need to do.

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The process of performing a clean install involves wiping your Mac’s main drive clean so it’s essential that you back it up immediately before you start. You might not want to backup the files you don’t need and system junk, so make sure to clean that up beforehand. An easy way to go about this is to get a Mac cleaning app like CleanMyMac. It will save to hours of manual file cleanup and polish your system before the backup.

Start with a system cleanup

Delete everything you don't need - large and old files and archives, useless apps, cache data and other junk, duplicate files - all these files silently eat up the disk space, duplicate images are especially hard to find out.

You can always use CleanMyMac to cleanup macOS system junk, large and old files, and remove unwanted apps. You could do it manually, but CleanMyMac only all it takes is a few clicks.

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Then you can use Gemini to easily find duplicate files and folders on your hard drive, so you can delete them and save precious storage space.

Backup your data

Now, for the backup itself use Get Backup Pro. It’s more powerful than Apple’s own Time Machine. It’s also a good idea to create a bootable clone, so if anything goes wrong you can go back to where you started easily. Also, a cloned drive makes copying files back to your newly-updated system very easy. And move your images and documents into the cloud or to an external drive, just to be on the safe side.

As well as backing up your Mac, you should also take screenshots of settings in any apps you’ve customized so that you can set them up again quickly later. And make sure you have a record of license codes for apps and passwords for websites.

Clean install macOS, securely

Your Mac deserves a fresh start. Get the right tools for clean installing Apple's operating system.

Create a bootable macOS installer

  1. Download macOS High Sierra from the App Store. Here is a link to find it on apple.com.
  2. When it’s finished, the installer will launch. As soon as it does, select File and Quit (or keyboard shortcut Command-Q) so it doesn’t install. The installer will remain in your Applications folder.
  3. Plug in the USB stick and launch Disk Utilities.
    It’s a good idea to use a USB stick to put the bootable installer onto. It will need to be at least 8GB in size.
  4. Click the Erase tab and make sure Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is selected in the format tab.
  5. Give the USB stick a name, then click Erase.
  6. When it’s finished, click Done and close Disk Utility.
  7. Launch Terminal either by searching for it in Spotlight or navigating to the Utilities folder in Applications.
  8. Type, or paste, the following command into Terminal, where [YOUR DRIVE NAME] is the name you gave the installer drive when you formatted it:
    sudo /Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/[YOUR DRIVE NAME] --applicationpath /Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app
    Notice: Remember to replace [YOUR DRIVE NAME] with the name of your installer disk.
  9. Hit Return.
  10. Type in your admin password and wait.
  11. When the process is finished, the word Done will appear in the Terminal window.
  12. You can then quit Terminal
Macbook

Install macOS on your startup disk drive

Make sure you backup your Mac to keep your important files, before taking next step, that erase your Mac’s Startup drive.

To erase your Mac’s main drive:

  • Go to System Preferences
  • Сlick Startup disk and choose the installer you just created.
  • Restart your Mac and hold down Command-R to boot into recovery mode.
  • Take your bootable USB and connect it to your Mac.

When the macOS Utilities screen appears, follow these steps:

  • Select Reinstall a new copy of macOS.
  • Click Continue, then click Continue again when the next window appears.
  • Agree to the terms and conditions, then select your Mac’s internal drive.
  • Click Install.
  • Wait for macOS High Sierra to install and your Mac to restart.

When your Mac has restarted, you’ll need to follow the process of setting it up as if it was a brand new Mac. So, you’ll need to connect to your wifi router and type in the password. Then you’ll need to type in the details for your iCloud account. Then you’ll have to set up a new admin user account.

Once you’ve done that, you can start installing apps. In order to re-install Setapp apps, go to setapp.com to get Setapp installer or download Setapp here. You’ll need your username and password.

It’s a good idea to only download those apps you need to use straight away. Other apps can be downloaded as and when you need them. That way you avoid cluttering up your brand new macOS.

If you use a cloud service like Dropbox, now is the time to re-connect. And you can copy any documents, photos or other files you need from the backup you made at the start.

Find more information about Apple Mac update

Clean Install macOS High Sierra on a non-startup drive

You don’t need a backup for this option, it’s safer and faster than the previous way but only available to you if you have an extra drive or your drive is broken down into volumes.

Here’s how to instal your new macOS on the non-startup disk.

Step 1. Erase your non-startup drive

Before you install the new OS on it, you need to erase all data on the drive you’ve chosen for it. To do it, use Disk Utility. Choose the volume you’d like to clean up and click Erase.

If you still need some info from that drive, you can use an app like ChronoSync Express to sync it with another drive and keep the files.

Step 2. Download the macOS High Sierra Installer from the Mac App Store

To download it, open the Mac App Store and go to the Updates tab (Here is a link.) When your installer is downloaded it will launch automatically but you need to quit it.

Fortunately, for this option you don’t need to create a specific bootable drive and you can simply use the installer from your startup drive and install the macOS onto the other one.

Step 3. Install macOS High Sierra to your non-startup drive

Launch the Installer from the Applications folder and press Continue. Change the target drive for installation. macOS will offer you startup drive by default so you need to click Show All Disks button and choose your non-startup disk volume. From then on simply follow the installation guide and after that you’ll have to set up your Mac as a new one. That entails creating a new user account, setting up date and time zone etc.

Now that you have the latest macOS, you can enjoy its superior features and top performance. Clean install (when performed on a startup drive) does remove your apps so if you don’t feel like looking for every app and their licenses again, get Setapp. More than 100 apps in one suite available by subscription. Saves you time and money on looking for apps for your daily tasks.

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Macbook Pro Won't Finish High Sierra Download With Clean Install Windows 10

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Nov 13, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

Q: How can I install or upgrade to macOS Catalina?

'I have heard that Apple has released a brand new macOS version that is available for download. Can someone tell me how to install macOS Catalina 10.15 on my MacBook Pro?'

After the new release of macOS Catalina, this is something that a lot of people have asked us. Since Apple's new offering is pretty cutting-edge and comes with tons of new-age features, almost everyone wants to update their system to macOS Catalina. Though, you should be extremely careful while running the macOS Catalina installer. One wrong move and you might end up suffering from unwanted issues like the permanent loss of your data. Don't worry – I'm here to help you with this ultimate guide on how to update/install macOS Catalina that will answer every query of yours.

Part 1: Preparations for Installing macOS Catalina 10.15


Before you start the installation process, there are certain things that you need to take care of. For instance, you should check if your Mac is compatible with macOS Catalina or it has enough free space on it or not.

  1. Check that your Mac is compatible with macOS Catalina

First things first – make sure that your Mac would support the new OS or not. Ideally, if your system runs on macOS Mojave (except 2010-12 Mac Pros), then it would be compatible with macOS 10.15 too. Here are all the devices that would support the new macOS Catalina:

  • MacBook Air 2012 or newer models
  • MacBook Pro 2012 or newer models
  • MacBook 2015 or newer models
  • Mac Mini 2012 or newer models
  • Mac Pro 2013 or newer models
  • iMac 2012 or newer models
  • iMac Pro (all models)

Macbook Pro Won't Finish High Sierra Download With Clean Install Windows

  1. Clean up your computer

You mustn't have a lot of unwanted space on your Mac before upgrade to macOS Catalina. Simply follow these suggestions to clean up your system quickly:

  • Uninstall all the old apps that you no longer need
  • Get rid of any file that is not important
  • Empty Trash from your Mac
  • Delete Safari History or any other browser data
  • Sign-out or offload apps with too much data
  1. Create a backup

There are times when users end up losing their data while upgrading to a new operating system. If you don't want to encounter a similar situation, then consider taking a backup of your data beforehand. To do this, you can either manually move your files somewhere else or use Time Machine. Simply attach an external hard drive to your Mac and launch Time Machine on it. From here, you can take an extensive backup of your Mac to the attached media.

  1. Know your Apple ID

If you wish to do a macOS Catalina upgrade, then you might be asked your Apple ID for verification. Therefore, you should know your Apple ID and password in advance. You can go to the iCloud application on your Mac to check the same. Furthermore, you can visit the Account Details option from here to know more about the linked Apple account.

  1. Check the free storage on your Mac

To successfully install macOS Catalina, you need a 4 GB RAM on your system and at least 12.5 GB free space on the hard drive. Although, macOS Yosemite users would need at least 18.5 GB of free space instead. You can go to Finder > About This Mac > Storage section to see how much empty space is there on your Mac. If it is packed with too much data, then you can delete any unwanted content from its hard drive.

Part 2: How to Upgrade to macOS Catalina 10.15

If you are already using a stable version of macOS, then you can just upgrade to the latest macOS Catalina easily. To do this, you can go to the official website of Apple, visit the Mac's App Store, or go to its Software Update settings. Once you have taken care of all the above-mentioned prerequisites, simply follow these steps to learn how to update to macOS Catalina.

  1. If your system is running on macOS High Sierra, Sierra, or El Capitan, then you can just go to the App Store and look for Catalina. Read the features and just install macOS Catalina from here.
  2. Alternatively, you can also go to the official website of Apple and click on the 'Upgrade Now' button to start the process.

Macbook Pro Won't Finish High Sierra Download With Clean Install Mac

  1. Though, the most recommended solution to do macOS Catalina upgrade is by visiting its Software Update settings. From the Finder, go to the About This Mac feature.
  2. Under the Overview section, click on the 'Software Update' button. This will launch a dedicated section, listing the profile of the latest macOS version that is available.
  3. If the profile of macOS Catalina 10.15 is listed, then click on the 'Upgrade Now' button adjacent to it. This will download the macOS profile and will automatically restart your system afterward. You can follow the simple on-screen instructions afterward to complete the macOS Catalina installation.

Part 3: How to Clean Install macOS Catalina 10.15


Apart from just upgrading macOS on their system, some users choose to perform a clean install instead. The macOS Catalina upgrade would retain the user data, apps, third-party app data, and so on. If your Mac has inherited some problems, then an upgrade won't be able to fix it. In this case, you can perform a clean installation of macOS Catalina 10.15 from scratch.

Kindly note that a fresh installation of macOS would remove all the existing data, apps, or saved settings from your system. Therefore, you should know these things in advance:

  • The entire process would take at least 1-2 hours.
  • You should have a USB drive or an external hard disk with at least 16 GB of free storage.
  • If you don't want to lose your data, then take its extensive backup beforehand.

The process to clean install macOS Catalina can be divided into two parts – firstly we will create a bootable media for it and later would use the same to install macOS.

Step 1: Create a Bootable Installer with Terminal

Unlike a macOS Catalina upgrade, the clean install process would be a bit tedious. Once you have taken a backup of your data, follow these steps to download the macOS Catalina installer and create a bootable media.

  1. Go to the App Store on your Mac and look for Catalina or macOS 10.15 from here. Once the dedicated profile for macOS Catalina would be opened, click on the 'Get' button to save the macOS Catalina installer.
  1. When the installer is downloaded completely, quit the application from the menu bar or by pressing the Command + Q keys. This will prevent the autorun from the macOS Catalina installer.
  2. Now, go to Finder > Applications > Utilities and launch the Terminal application. Just enter the 'Sudo' command followed by a space to get things started. Also, make sure that the USB drive/hard disk is connected to your system.

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  1. Afterward, launch the Applications window from the Finder and go to its menu to view package contents. You can also browse to Applications > Utilities > Content > Resources.
  2. Here, you can view a 'createinstallmedia' file. Just drag this file and drop it on the Terminal instead.
  3. Great! Now, just go to the Terminal window and enter the command /Applications/Install macOS Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/XYZ. Here, XYZ would be replaced by the name of the bootable media (your pen drive).
  4. That's it! Now you need to press the Enter key and verify your Apple ID and password to make the attached USB drive a bootable media.

Step 2: Clean Install macOS Catalina 10.15

After when the bootable media is created, you can take its assistance to clean install macOS Catalina on your system. For this, you can just boot your Mac in the Recovery Mode and install the OS copy on it.

  1. Restart your Mac and while it boots, press and hold the Command + R keys at the same time. Keep holding them until your Mac boots in the recovery mode.
  1. Once Mac would boot in the Recovery Mode, it will display the available macOS Utilities. Just click on the Disk Utility option from here to launch the application.
  2. Now, select your Macintosh HD from the sidebar and click on the 'Erase' button on the right. Select the file system and partition scheme for the hard drive and click on the 'Erase' button again.
  1. Wait for a while as all the existing data on your Mac's hard disk would be erased. When the system would be restarted in the recovery mode afterward, you can choose to reinstall macOS.
  1. Hold the Option key just to be safe that you get the feature to select a source to install macOS on your system. Just select the attached bootable drive that you have just created from here and start the installation process.

Part 4: How to Recover Lost Data after Updating to macOS Catalina


By now, you would be able to install macOS Catalina on your system pretty easily. Though, there are times when users end up losing their data in the process. In this case, you can take the assistance of a data recovery tool to get back your lost content. Here are some of the possible reasons for losing your data in the process.

  • You could have accidentally deleted some of your important files.
  • There might be some issue with the Time Machine backup (or you could have forgotten to take its backup).
  • Your data can be overwritten by something else in the process.
  • If there is no adequate space on your system, then some of your files would have been lost in the process.
  • If the installation process has been halted in between or is unsuccessful, then it can cause permanent loss of your data.


It doesn't matter if your data has been lost due to a frozen Mac or corrupt installation, you can easily get it back with Recoverit Data Recovery. It is a professional data recovery tool that is known for its exceptional results. It supports the recovery of all kinds of files under every possible scenario. All you got to do is install the application and follow these steps to recover your data.

Step 1: Select a location to scan

Firstly, launch Recoverit Data Recovery for Mac and pick where you wish to look for any lost content. If you want, you can pick the entire Macintosh HD or any specific folder/partition as well.

Step 2: Scan for your lost data

As you would start the scan, Recoverit will take the needed measures to get your data back. Kindly be patient and wait for a few minutes for your data to be extracted completely.

Step 3: Restore your files

Macbook pro won

That's it! In the end, all the extracted content will be listed under different sections for you to preview. You can select the files you want to save here and click on the 'Recover' button.

There you go! After following this guide, you would be able to install macOS Catalina the way you like. As you can see, we have listed a stepwise solution to do macOS Catalina upgrade as well as do a clean install of macOS Catalina. Though, if you have lost your data during the process, then consider using Recoverit to get it back. It is a professional data recovery tool that is known for its exceptional results and a user-friendly interface. You can keep its free version handy and use it at the time of need to restore your data like a pro.

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