I am in the middle of trying to give this Intel M3 macbook a new install of macOS. The only issue is that no matter what I try to do, I cannot reinstall it from the internet due to some unknown error, and when I try to load a bootable USB, the thing basically doesn’t even see it. I’ve tried multiple different USB C dongles, and none of them work unless I’m in Utilities… So, when I hold option on startup, it doesn’t show the drive as available whatsoever. When trying it using the online Utilities, it just says to try the install another time… Perpetually. I have tired resetting the PRAM multiple times, loading different installers onto the USB, and even trying to run it of a microsd card to no avail. I have wiped the drive time and time again, as well as run first aid on it multiple times. The only thing that I have deduced from all this is that the OSInstall.mpkg is missing, which I am assuming to be a crucial component to the install. Don’t know how to load disk images onto the mac and use a different one, or replace the wonky one. The only thing that I haven’t done is try to use Terminal to get something going just because I don’t know the OS well enough to really try that without any second opinions or useful wisdom. I would really like to get this thing running to avoid paying someone money I don’t have to get it fixed. If anyone has any idea what to do, PLEASE let me know.
Try setting the date back to 2020 and run a USB installer while boot connected to the internet.
Could be an expired certificate in the installer that’s compatible with that hardware (or the version you’re trying to install).
Setting the clock back in recovery mode may get around that.
Also. Look up the magic key press to get into Apple Hardware Test. You should be able to hold some keys at the boot logo and maybe run some diagnostics. It could have dead hardware.
You may also be able to boot a Mac variant of Linux to get further info.
I hate to ask something like this, but how does one run a usb installer through the online version of macOS Utilities? I was looking into trying through the terminal, but all I found online was how to load a bootable usb using the terminal. I know the commands are based in unix for the most part, so should I just look up a way to do it on linux, and use that?
I really don’t mean to pry too much, I just don’t know that much about mac to begin with.
I’m not sure how well this will work under linux but if you can get hold of a macOS installer from the App Store, you’ll need to open the package (it’s just a directory with .app file extension) and find the install image and dd it to a usb stick or maybe run the create install media script. not sure how well that will run on linux.
ideally if you can get help from someone with a working Mac, they can likely create it a lot more easily for you.
Yes, I try to use the online recovery tool, or MacOSUtilities, as stated in the OP. I cannot use the recovery tool. The os image itself is messed up, I’m pretty sure. I spent a week trying to get mos installed with error after error, and it’s just not worth it. The only installer that actually worked was a Linux distro (which is running, so it’s not faulty hardware), so it’s not my adapters or USB stick, it just refuses to install MOS.
The thing is that I made an install USB, and it just won’t install MacOS. It literally freezes black, tells me that installOS.mpkg is missing, or it wont recognize the installer at all. I was able to use a bootable USB to put linux on, so it’s legit just not wanting to install MacOS.