Mac mini M2 Ventura OS reinstallation errors

Do you really need Ventura? Any reason you do not want Sequoia? If you restart in recovery, erase and reinstall the OS it will want to install Sequoia and should do this easily. If you really need Ventura you would need to make a USB install drive with Ventura but that is much more complicated to do.

I guess I was mistaken. If your Mac originally had Ventura then from Recovery it will try to reinstall that version. That being said I'm not sure why you are getting those errors. Did you format the drive to APFS, GUID? Once Ventura is installed you could then update to Sequoia but since you cannot even get to Ventura this will be an issue. You can try using a USB installer but follow the instructions to the T or it will also fail.

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

It is not clear to me at what stage your Mac is in. If it is not in the normal running mode then you need to start up in recovery mode (holding down the power button for several seconds) you should be able to select options then in the disk utility erase the drive (top level) and then select to reinstall the OS which should come up as Sequoia. Apple selects the latest OS compatible with the Mac. You will need an internet connection for this to take place. I have done this several times and no issue starting from Recovery.

When you are in recovery you select that USB drive to install the OS from. This may help:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-MQ61plH3w&t=79s

Please note that if you did not make the USB installer correctly it will not show up in Recovery mode.

GrimAbbott wrote:

I have tried to create a bootable USB but the Terminal command (sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sequoia.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume).

Seems like an incomplete thought here with the "but". Did that command complete successfully or did it have an error? And what error?

I created an Applications folder and put the "Install macOS Sequoia" into it.

There is no need to create an Applications folder. How did you acquire this installer?

@tbirdvet provided a link to an Apple article with the instructions for creating a bootable macOS USB installer. That is the correct way to make bootable macOS USB installer. Anything else is most likely to fail. That article also has instructions for booting to that USB installer.

Still need help determining how to reinstall the macOS through the recovery mode.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

Creating a Bootable Installer of Sequoia will Only Work if the " Install macOS Sequoia", - 15.71GB is located in the Applications Folder of this computer

That is, without being placed in some folder

OP original stated " followed instructions to factory reset "

What instructions ?

There are instructions for INTEL computers and then their are Apple SILICON Instructions

The two processes are distinctly very different

OP wrote " I am out of my depth...followed instructions to factory reset, "

Predicated on " Mac mini M2 Ventura OS reinstallation errors "

This is an Apple Silicon Computer

The easiest what to do a Factory Reset is as per below

Use Erase All Content and Settings

In effect, the Operating System itself remain intact and untouched ( macOS 13 Ventura >

This process is akin to doing the same thing on an iDevice

The version of iOS stays put.

It is only all the Other Applications, Setting, Personal Data that gets removed

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