Newly split Imac 2013 with fusion drive can't install Mojave

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Newly split Imac 2013 with fusion drive can't install Mojave

I managed to create a new fusion drive on my IMAC 2013 with fusion drive (120GB) and regular drive (3TB ). Using verious terminal commands.

Finally I reinstall the system, but although the machine had Mojave as system, using the CMD R installed Mountain Lion instead.

I am unable to use my Apple ID and password as the computer rejects them, I am however able to use them just fine in Icloud.com. Other problems happen but as this is a major problem I didn't install anything else, especially because Moun tain Lion is too old to accept most of the software I use.

This is what I see from the Terminal

I was unable to download the Mojave Installer from the Apple site because of the ID and Pass problem s, I downloaded it in another machine with Mojave, copying it into the Apps in MntL I got the error telling me the app was damaged and not usable.

I now created an USB bootable pen with the installer using successfully the following Terminal commands

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/UNTITLED --nointeraction && say Mojave Drive Created

The pen seems fine but I cannot see a "fusion" in MntLion anywhere ---- I'm stuck

Could anybody please help?

I've been dealing with this problem for 48 hours non stop and I run out of ideas and google suggestions.

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Jul 28, 2021 8:10 AM

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Answer 1

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etnad Author

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Jul 28, 2021 9:34 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

The result on MntL from terminal are as follows

+-- Logical Volume Group 46DF7F29-F776-4B92-8E45-A66B13821C78

=========================================================

Name: MacintoshHD

Status: Online

Size: 3120722075648 B (3.1 TB)

Free Space: 0 B (0 B)

|

+-< Physical Volume FDFB345F-7D99-447D-ADC1-B3B7E27FA368

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 0

| Disk: disk0s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 120988852224 B (121.0 GB)

|

+-< Physical Volume 28AFCD07-AE6B-4ED7-A4C4-E2DBFE597D44

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 1

| Disk: disk1s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 2999733223424 B (3.0 TB)

|

+-> Logical Volume Family D8AE85CF-D4B1-47B8-9698-E02E3EBCCCC1

----------------------------------------------------------

Encryption Status: Unlocked

Encryption Type: None

Conversion Status: NoConversion

Conversion Direction: -none-

Has Encrypted Extents: No

Fully Secure: No

Passphrase Required: No

|

+-> Logical Volume 81CF95FA-B199-426E-A0E0-008BEA248764

---------------------------------------------------

Disk: disk2

Status: Online

Size (Total): 3106189590528 B (3.1 TB)

Size (Converted): -none-

Revertible: No

LV Name: Macintosh HD

Volume Name: Macintosh HD

Content Hint: Apple_HFS

The 3TB drive should be the standard Apple regulr drive while the 120 GB appears as the Appe SSD drive

If I lunch the pendrive I made all I need to do is only to install and the pendrive will automatically do the job properly?

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Answer 2

etnad Author

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Jul 28, 2021 8:16 AM in response to etnad

The Imac was running on MOjave but had some internet problems wich didn't happen creating a temporary user, therefore I thought it was a software problem

However mistakenly I erased the fusion connection which I recreated using the https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT207584 suggestion.

The resilt is visible in the screenshot above.

The SSD part of the fusion disk is the original APPLE ssd as everything else in the machine

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Answer 3

Jul 28, 2021 8:23 AM in response to etnad

Mtn Lion is old enough that the Terminal app doesn't display the drives the same way it does in Mojave. It does not display "fusion". I believe if you look at your drives in Disk Utility you might see Fusion drive and then Macintosh HD indented below

From your pic I see that you do appear to have an active fusion drive -Macintosh HD- of size 3.1TB.

You can try this Terminal command to get another look at your drives:

diskutil cs list

Using your bootable Mojave installer you should be able to directly install the OS onto Macintosh HD.

Mojave can directly upgrade Mountain Lion.

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Answer 4

Jul 28, 2021 10:30 AM in response to etnad

All looks to be good.

I see you have two physical drives; 120G ssd and 3T hdd.

These have been "fused" into a logical volume family (group) that the computer sees and then presents the logical volume "Macintosh HD" through the GUI.

And now when you launch the installer it will install the OS on the (logical) volume Macintosh HD. The installer will ask you to select a drive to instal to and all you do is select "Macintosh HD". The computer takes care of everything behind the scenes.

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Answer 5

etnad Author

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5 points

Jul 28, 2021 10:36 AM in response to D.I. Johnson

Thank you so totally much for two days of help.

Finally the machine works just fine with Mojave installed.

Without your kind help and the time you spent to help us we will be still in the deeping sand.

Also it was so complex to work, as I am in Italia, and my daughter is in Ireland (where they are incompetent and unhelpful really).

I don't know exactly how to properly thank you ... and while I have more than 30 Macs since the very first one, with all the changes APPLE seems to enjoy, leaving behind the ones which from day one started to make Apple what it is I no longer feel as competent as I used to. I'm old maybe (78) and Italian so both my age and my language play against me.

For this I really thanks you sincerelly

Dr. Dante Majorana

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Answer 6

Jul 28, 2021 12:15 PM in response to etnad

You are very welcome, Dr. Majorana.

I am happy to help.

Don't undervalue your own hard work on this. You did very well to research and reconstruct the fusion drive, get the bootable OS created and finally get Mojave installed.

Nice work. Bravo to you, my friend! 👏🏽

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Newly split Imac 2013 with fusion drive can't install Mojave

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