Issues installing macOS on 2017 iMac with new SSD Drive
I installed a new 1TB SSD drive in my 2017 Intel based 21.5" iMac to replace the 1 TB SATA drive - primarily to improve performance. I am having issues loading macOS on the new drive. The old drive has been repurposed to an external drive and currently still contains all of the operating system and my files. I also have an up-to-date Time Machine backup on an external WD Drive. I run Spectrum internet with a Google Wifi network and one of the mesh connection points on my network (not the one connected to my router) is next to my iMac so I can run a hardwired connection.
Here is the progress to date:
- I can plug the old SATA drive into a USB port and boot the iMac without issue
- I can go into disk utility and have erased and prepared the new drive - so the system can see the new drive
- I originally tried to boot in recovery mode to either reinstall macOS or update the new drive from my Time Machine backup.
- At first it would bypass the WiFi network selection as I have a hard wired ethernet cable into one of my Google Wifi connection points. I can get to the screen where I can choose - Time machine backup, reinstall macOS, Safari, Disk utillity, etc. however when I select an option nothing happens - so I assume I am not connected to the internet
- When I disconnected the ethernet cable it asked me to select my network and enter a password which I did. However, I had the same problem as above and the wifi icon seems to be seeking a connection and not finding it as it just is hung up cycling like it is trying to connect
- I tried creating a second "guest" network with the same results
- I booted using the external SATA drive and tried to navigate Migration Assistant and it was not clear if I was going to be able to transfer from the external drive to the internal drive or use time machine to load the internal drive. I am concerned it will try to restore my SATA drive and not the internal drive
- I researched using a bootable USB but it requires an internet connection to use which puts me back to the problem above (5 and 6) so I have not pursued that option
- I used Carbon Copy Clone to duplicate the SATA drive contents to the SSD drive with no luck after waiting close to 10 hours for the data to transfer. It would not boot at all.
Given I can see the SSD on Disk Utility when I boot using the old SATA drive I believe the new drive to be OK. When I boo on the SATA drive, the internet works fine on both WiFi and ethernet. So, all my hardware works....
I must be missing something on using internet recovery in terms of the internet connection as I feel like restoring my Time Machine backup is still the most viable option at this point.
Hoping someone can help out as I walked away from it late yesterday after spending the day frustrated.....
Thx!
