Trouble installing Big Sur

6x6 wrote:

Hello nebb1,

I just struck me that there is another option we haven't tried. Shut down your Mac and start it by pressing the key combination option + command + R. In this mode, Recovery might offer the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. In your case, it might be macOS Big Sur.

You may want to try it before creating a bootable key. It might be a little less intimidating.

So many people have issues with Internet Recovery Mode for one reason or another, I think it is always worthwhile to have a bootable macOS USB installer handy just to be safe in case something does go wrong. Especially since another compatible Mac is needed...very few people seem to have access to a second compatible Mac. Of course if the OP has access to another Mac that is compatible with Catalina or Big Sur, then they can wait & only make the USB installer if needed.

Try to install macOS Catalina first: App Store - macOS Catalina.

You indicate using macOS Mojave. Please know that macOS Catalina and later versions (including macOS Big Sur) are no longer compatible with 32-bit applications.

What is the partition type of your internal SSD? It should be GUID, if it is instead MBR (aka Master Boot Record), then APFS options will not be available. I haven't seen GUID listed in any of the pictures. You may need to click on the physical drive in order to see the partition type. Or you can launch the Terminal app and issue the following command:

diskutil  list  internal

FYI, you need to rotate your pictures on your iPhone/iPad. Unfortunately Apple's devices love to twist the pictures around no matter how carefully you try to hold the device in a neutral angle....very frustrating. Here is an Apple article with instructions for rotating pictures on your iPhone/iPad, I'm sure Android devices have a similar ability:

Crop, rotate, flip, or straighten photos and videos on iPhone - Apple Support

If you don't notice the photo is incorrectly oriented until you attach the picture, then just delete the picture from the forum editing window, edit the photon on the phone/tablet, and reattach.

Hello nebb1,

In Disk Utility, click the View icon to show all the devices:

You should then see elements (called volumes or containers) under the name of your internal drive. I believe this is those elements that can be converted. I write “I believe” because I don’t have any Mac on which I can actually test an APFS conversion.

I’m going to ask Mac experts to join this thread and provide guidance.

Hello nebb1,

The thread order is a bit funky. If you are not logged on, the order is set by default to "Rank", I believe. You can change that at the beginning of the thread:

If you are logged on, the sort order is defined in your Preferences. Click your icon (top right), choose Preferences, set a preferred value and click the Submit button at the end of the page:

Personally, I sort by "Oldest" which feels more natural.

In that last picture you are booting into an older version of macOS which doesn't support the APFS file system. You need to be booted into macOS 10.13+ in order to convert it to APFS. When you boot into Recovery Mode, pay attention to the version of macOS it would install. Unfortunately some Macs may only boot into the online installer for the older OS which shipped from the factory.

If you can boot this Mac to the internal drive, then create a bootable macOS Big Sur USB installer using the instructions in this Apple article (assuming your Mac is compatible with Bug Sur as the thread title implies):

Create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Booting into a macOS USB installer will be more reliable than Recovery Mode/Internet Recovery Mode.

Hello nebb1,

I just struck me that there is another option we haven't tried. Shut down your Mac and start it by pressing the key combination option + command + R. In this mode, Recovery might offer the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. In your case, it might be macOS Big Sur.

You may want to try it before creating a bootable key. It might be a little less intimidating.

Hello nebb1,

1. In Finder, go to the Applications folder, delete the file “Install macOS Big Sur” and empty the Trash to recover storage space.
2. This article will show you how to find the 32-bit applications on your Mac. For each of them, go to the developer website to see if they offer a 64-bit version. Often they won’t state the 64-bit compatibility but will mention the compatibility with macOS Catalina or later, which is really what you need. Once macOS Catalina is installed, go to the developer website to download the 64-bit version of their app. Then delete the 32-bit version.

Hello nebb1,

Great! Now:

1. Start the Mac in recovery mode first: shut off the Mac, start the Mac pressing the command + R keys, keep pressing the keys until you see the recovery screen.
2. Open the Disk Utility.
3. Select "MHD" (just like in your screenshot.) If you don't see "MHD", click View > Show All Devices in the menu bar.
4. Right-click "MHD" and choose "Convert to APFS".

I recently faced a similar challenge to update two 15" Late-2015-class MBPs running El Capitan to something that would allow the use of newer browsers. If it may be of use, can do a writeup of the steps taken, end result was success on both.

Hello nebb1,

@HWTech is correct: there is a discrepancy between the Mac version when you boot normally (macOS Mojave 10.14.6) and when you boot in recovery mode (OS X Mavericks.)

@HWTech proposes a better solution: creating a bootable installer. This method is not destructive (as is the one I proposed.) You should be able to do this when booting your Mac in normal mode.

Please follow the instructions in the link @HWTech provided. Do not hesitate to ask questions if you are unsure or hit a snag.

Hello nebb1,

Please see the reply from @leroydouglas in this discussion: This volume is not formatted as APFS - Apple Community. It offers 2 ways to get around the issue.

nebb1 wrote:

Yes did that, see image, all I got from the right click was "unmount MHD". What should I do now please?

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/b39fbc4a-24e7-4fdd-8aa7-bd2c63ee2290

Hello nebb1,

I may have misled you. I thought it would be prudent to start the Mac in recovery mode to convert the disk but this functionality might not be available in recovery mode.

Restart your Mac in normal mode and try to convert the disk. “Convert APFS” should also be available in the Edit menu (in the menu bar.)

nebb1 wrote:

Hello 6 X 6

Yir tis. I rotated it beforehand like @HWTech advised but still sideways. Anyway it's readable.

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/4575fb38-a5ff-4c58-be9d-4d158c4be36d

Hello nebb1,

Don’t worry about the rotation. I believe this website is actually doing it in the background based on the width and height on the screenshot you post. If the height of the screenshot is greater that its width, the website might rotate it.

Your screenshot shows the right partition table : GUID Partition Map. So there is nothing wrong there. In the same screenshot, could you click on the Edit menu to see what the menu offers? I’m curious to see if the “Convert to APFS…” choice would show and whether it’d be grayed out.

Hello nebb1,

Thanks for trying. I went back to the answer from @leroydouglas and looked at the links, especially the questions.answers in this article.

Try doing it this way:

1. Start the Mac in recovery mode first: shut off the Mac, start the Mac pressing the command + R keys, keep pressing the keys until you see the recovery screen.
2. Open the Disk Utility.
3. Select "MHD" (just like in your screenshot.) If you don't see "MHD", click View > Show All Devices in the menu bar.
4. Right-click "MHD" and choose "Unmount MHD" (just like you saw in a previous screenshot).
5. In the menu bar, click Edit and you should see “Convert to APFS” not grayed out.