How can I launch a resumable download of the 12.6.3 full installer?

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Level 1

24 points

How can I launch a resumable download of the 12.6.3 full installer?

Hello all—

This is related to another issue I previously posted about here.

I need to download the 12.6.3 full installer in order to create a bootable USB with it, so that I can reinstall the OS with the version that is currently installed. (The full installer that I have is the original release and is considered a downgrade, so it won't work; I tried.)

I have tried getting it through the App Store > Software Update, through downloading the 12.6.3 Install Assistant pkg file, and through Terminal / command line. (All suggested from this page.)

The problem is that my connection keeps dropping. I've seen it get as far as 70% downloaded, but it ultimately fails, and when I start again, it starts from scratch. (This intermittent problem is also why reinstalling using Recovery Mode is failing... even though I am using an Ethernet connection!)

This is what I see using Terminal (I added some line breaks for readability):

% softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 12.6.3
Scanning for 12.6.3 installer
Install failed with error: Installation failed 
Error Domain=PKDownloadError Code=8 "(null)" 
  UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x600000a813e0 {Error Domain=PKDownloadError 
  Code=14 "(null)"}}

(...and I just tried Terminal again: "Install failed with error: Update not found" ???)

tl;dr: Is there a way to download the full installer so that it can resume the download if it fails? I'm going bonkers trying to get this file.

iMac 27″

Posted on Jan 30, 2023 11:37 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Altanmori Author

Level 1

24 points

Jan 31, 2023 7:47 PM in response to Altanmori

Well, I managed to get the full installer downloaded with Mist using my phone as a hotspot to download. There was still a bit of weirdness with the progress bar—at one point reporting that it had downloaded 405% of the file!—but it was able to finish and verify the InstallAssistant.pkg file and build the installer application.

Thanks to everyone who offered assistance. I need to have a word with my ISP because this should not have been this hard and I should not have had to rely on 5G from my phone!

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Answer 2

PRP_53

Level 10

91,807 points

Jan 30, 2023 1:59 PM in response to Altanmori

Run this command FIRST and report the output

softwareupdate --list-full-installers

Below is what I see >>

Title: macOS Ventura, Version: 13.2, Size: 12261428KiB, Build: 22D49, Deferred: NO

* Title: macOS Ventura, Version: 13.1, Size: 11931164KiB, Build: 22C65, Deferred: NO

* Title: macOS Ventura, Version: 13.0.1, Size: 11866460KiB, Build: 22A400, Deferred: NO

* Title: macOS Ventura, Version: 13.0, Size: 11866804KiB, Build: 22A380, Deferred: NO

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.6.3, Size: 12115350KiB, Build: 21G419, Deferred: NO

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.6.2, Size: 12104568KiB, Build: 21G320, Deferred: NO

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.6.1, Size: 12108491KiB, Build: 21G217, Deferred: NO

* Title:

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Answer 3

Altanmori Author

Level 1

24 points

Jan 30, 2023 2:30 PM in response to PRP_53

Here's what I see:

Finding available software

Software Update found the following full installers:

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.6.3, Size: 12115350KiB, Build: 21G419

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.6.2, Size: 12104568KiB, Build: 21G320

* Title: macOS Monterey, Version: 12.6.1, Size: 12108491KiB, Build: 21G217

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.7.3, Size: 12119247KiB, Build: 20G1116

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.7.2, Size: 12119307KiB, Build: 20G1020

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.7.1, Size: 12119247KiB, Build: 20G918

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.6, Size: 12121263KiB, Build: 20G624

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.5, Size: 12121404KiB, Build: 20G527

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.4, Size: 12147782KiB, Build: 20G417

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.3, Size: 12143674KiB, Build: 20G415

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.2, Size: 12141944KiB, Build: 20G314

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.6.1, Size: 12137180KiB, Build: 20G224

* Title: macOS Big Sur, Version: 11.5.2, Size: 12149332KiB, Build: 20G95

* Title: macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.7, Size: 8055650KiB, Build: 19H15

* Title: macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.7, Size: 8055522KiB, Build: 19H2

* Title: macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.6, Size: 8055450KiB, Build: 19G2021

* Title: macOS Mojave, Version: 10.14.6, Size: 5896894KiB, Build: 18G103

* Title: macOS High Sierra, Version: 10.13.6, Size: 5099306KiB, Build: 17G66

(I'm using something called mist to download the full installer with retry attempts allowed and a cache. Fingers crossed.)

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Answer 4

PRP_53

Level 10

91,807 points

Jan 31, 2023 1:29 AM in response to Altanmori

The best I can say is >>

I have used the Builtin Terminal command in Ventura 13.2

Have successfully downloaded the Full Versions of Ventura 13.2, Monterey 12.6.3 and Big Sur version 11.7.3

All this before answering your have reply

Go figure

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Answer 5

Altanmori Author

Level 1

24 points

Jan 30, 2023 6:42 PM in response to Altanmori

Well, I had high hopes for Mist, but something weird keeps happening...

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Answer 6

tbirdvet

Level 6

14,483 points

Jan 30, 2023 12:59 PM in response to Altanmori

Here are various ways to download:

https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-download-macos-catalina-mojave-or-high-sierra-full-installers/

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Answer 7

Altanmori Author

Level 1

24 points

Jan 30, 2023 2:26 PM in response to tbirdvet

Currently giving mist a try, which was referenced in the article that you linked. I enabled the cache and bumped up the retry timeout to 60 from the default of 10. Hoping this will do the trick!

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