Apple Offers Instructions on What to Do if macOS Big Sur Causes Installation Errors on 2013 and 2014 MacBook Pro

[PrayForDeath]

Apple should just rename Big Sur to Big Sour Apple OS. Pro tip: Years ago my tech friend (he's VERY tech savvy) told me to ALWAYS stay at least 3 (or at the very least 2) major software versions behind, regardless if it's operating systems, or simpler applications like Adobe Photoshop. And after 3 years, if the software is still not fixed, wait for the next major version. Still running macOS High Sierra 10.13 on my 2014 MacBook Pro. It's running fast and flawless, thanks to my tech friend's pro advice, which I will always keep following. This has in many ways saved me so much money and time.

So I assume you just upgraded to iOS 11 then. How are you finding it so far? Aww you’re disappointed with its performance? That sucks man... don’t worry, next year‘s iOS 12 will improve performance drastically. Too bad you can’t upgrade now because you’re following your VERY tech savvy friend’s advice.

Wait till you hear about iOS 14, it lets you add widgets to your home screen ?

 

[Malus120]

You realise that 95% of users have no idea about SMC reset, NVRAM and PRAM?

It's basic advise because it needs to be!

I do understand why its basic, solid advice for fixing some of the more common issues Macs experience. The problem is that this is clearly not an issue that warrants a boilerplate "reset your SMC/NVRAM/PRAM & format your drive," when people's computers are bricked in such a way that they can't be restored without visiting an Apple Store.

Also... I avoided this in the original post because its hyper relevant but... the troubleshooting side of Apple's phone based customer service for the Mac has declined markedly in the past decade. These days when I, or anyone I know calls technical support, often with a detailed log of what's going wrong and what usually precedes it, along with a detailed list of things we've already tried... the response is... "have you tried resetting your SMC/NVRAM/PRAM? And format your drive and reinstall each piece of software one by one" To which I usually want to respond "Yes, I've ****ing reset my SMC, etc, and no, I don't have time to spend a week reinstalling and then retesting each individual piece of software for what appears to be a hardware problem. I've got real work to do, and that's what I PAID for AppleCare for."

Anyway. Apple needs to get on this (the issue at hand) ASAP.

 

[Breahn]

So I assume you just upgraded to iOS 11 then. How are you finding it so far? Aww you’re disappointed with its performance? That sucks man... don’t worry, next year‘s iOS 12 will improve performance drastically. Too bad you can’t upgrade now because you’re following your VERY tech savvy friend’s advice.

Wait till you hear about iOS 14, it lets you add widgets to your home screen ?

Nope I actually stay 3 versions behind. And reading unbiased reviews about the new versions. No exceptions. Latest and greatest often means many problems. Who cares about any of that, if the computer is totally bricked?

 

[macintoshmac]

Apple should just rename Big Sur to Big Sour Apple OS. Pro tip: Years ago my tech friend (he's VERY tech savvy) told me to ALWAYS stay at least 3 (or at the very least 2) major software versions behind, regardless if it's operating systems, or simpler applications like Adobe Photoshop. And after 3 years, if the software is still not fixed, wait for the next major version. Still running macOS High Sierra 10.13 on my 2014 MacBook Pro. It's running fast and flawless, thanks to my tech friend's pro advice, which I will always keep following. This has in many ways saved me so much money and time.

It also depends on one’s own skill level and expertise and comfort with technology and troubleshooting along with the software one uses.

 

[Breahn]

It also depends on one’s own skill level and expertise and comfort with technology and troubleshooting along with the software one uses.

Yes, indeed. Personally, when it comes to any software, I have saved so much money and time by never using the newest stuff. By not installing before years after release, and reading about other people's (actual users) experiences BEFORE installing, has saved me from much trouble. I hope my 2014 MacBook Pro will last for many years, hopefully beyond 2024. I don't care if my stuff isn't the latest and greatest. I simply want my stuff to work in my daily life. I have read about the M1 MacBooks, I might buy one of them in the future. But not as long as my current MacBook Pro works.

 

[cmaier]

These are the same instructions they give no matter what the symptoms are.

 

[yurc]

Apple should just rename Big Sur to Big Sour Apple OS. Pro tip: Years ago my tech friend (he's VERY tech savvy) told me to ALWAYS stay at least 3 (or at the very least 2) major software versions behind, regardless if it's operating systems, or simpler applications like Adobe Photoshop. And after 3 years, if the software is still not fixed, wait for the next major version. Still running macOS High Sierra 10.13 on my 2014 MacBook Pro. It's running fast and flawless, thanks to my tech friend's pro advice, which I will always keep following. This has in many ways saved me so much money and time.

I am must be your friend, since my 2012 mac Pro and 2018 MBP are still in Mojave

I am lazy to install latest OS each year because it would break my workflow and usually I am need re-setup my working environment from scratch, which is wasting time

 

[steve62388]

I do understand why its basic, solid advice for fixing some of the more common issues Macs experience. The problem is that this is clearly not an issue that warrants a boilerplate "reset your SMC/NVRAM/PRAM & format your drive," when people's computers are bricked in such a way that they can't be restored without visiting an Apple Store.

Also... I avoided this in the original post because its hyper relevant but... the troubleshooting side of Apple's phone based customer service for the Mac has declined markedly in the past decade. These days when I, or anyone I know calls technical support, often with a detailed log of what's going wrong and what usually precedes it, along with a detailed list of things we've already tried... the response is... "have you tried resetting your SMC/NVRAM/PRAM? And format your drive and reinstall each piece of software one by one" To which I usually want to respond "Yes, I've ****ing reset my SMC, etc, and no, I don't have time to spend a week reinstalling and then retesting each individual piece of software for what appears to be a hardware problem. I've got real work to do, and that's what I PAID for AppleCare for."

Anyway. Apple needs to get on this (the issue at hand) ASAP.

I think it probably depends who you get on the other end of the phone.

I always research and try to fix problems myself first. But I’ve had to call Apple a few times over the years. They start with the usual ‘switch it off and on’ response, but when they pick up that I know my way around a bit they don’t patronise me and normally skip all the obvious stuff. And if need be pass me through to second line.

 

[tymeframe]

My install was issue free on my mid 2014 MBP.

 

[tonyr6]

I hate boilerplate answers like like. Coming from Windows boilerplate answer run dism and sfc. Android boilerplate answer wipe the partition cache. These fixes are a waste of time.

 

[cjgonzales1900]

As a developer its hard enough supporting phones which are more than 3 years old (especially on the Android side of things). Those 2013 and 2014 macs are 6 years old. The fact that they can even run Big Sur is good enough since it is a MAJOR OS update.

Windows 7 wouldn't run properly on XP devices either when that change came around, its just old hardware imo

Yea but if you’re going to official support these older machines then it shouldn’t have a bug this big in the release. They need to pull that is update for those machines and not let anyone that has those machines install it tell it’s fixed. But this is apple so they won’t do that.

 

[alexhardaker]

Does anyone else remember when Apple products just worked? Their software quality has been declining ever since Scott Forstall left.

 

[sw1tcher]

Apple has now addressed this issue in a new support document that provides instructions on what to do if macOS Big Sur can't be installed on a 2013 or 2014 MacBook Pro machine. Apple suggests Mac owners experiencing these issues unplug external devices, attempt restarting, reset the SMC, and reset NVRAM or PRAM buy a new Mac with M1 chip

Fixed.

 

[swingerofbirch]

Louis Rossman says this happened with Catalina as well and had to do with it changing something in the EFI and says that may be causing the issue this time as well:

 

[alexsowa1]

All the engineers are using the latest MacBook Pros and M1 machines. No one is using 2003 MacBooks.

I worked with an Apple engineer on a project back in 2018 and he had a non Retina display MacBook Pro with the optical drive. He said he had no plans to swap it out. He loved the ability to upgrade the RAM and SSD.

 

[MowgliWolf]

Nice. After several days Apple addressed the issue by... pointing users towards the boilerplate advice you get any time you call Apple for support. Because surely nobody thought to try THAT before ?

This. It’s funny how many times I have to preface any talk with Apple support with my own boilerplate spiel of “here’s what what I’ve tried so far...” to get sent to their tech line.
It’s a shame really, they can surely do better than that

 

[tommiy]

Apple has had a year to fix because of Catalina issues bricking MACs. It was not done before building Big Sur on top of it and surpise it still exists.

 

[jrhop]

Cool story, bro.

Fine on my 2014 MBA...

 

[ikir]

Apple should just rename Big Sur to Big Sour Apple OS. Pro tip: Years ago my tech friend (he's VERY tech savvy) told me to ALWAYS stay at least 3 (or at the very least 2) major software versions behind, regardless if it's operating systems, or simpler applications like Adobe Photoshop. And after 3 years, if the software is still not fixed, wait for the next major version. Still running macOS High Sierra 10.13 on my 2014 MacBook Pro. It's running fast and flawless, thanks to my tech friend's pro advice, which I will always keep following. This has in many ways saved me so much money and time.

3 major release. He is dumb sorry. If you work with your machine it is better to install .1 or .3 point release. The rest is ignoring all the new features, optimization, drivers, advantages of having a newer OS.

 

[coredev]

I suppose, but it's just all around not great software design when Big Sur had been announced all the way back in June and was available to developers then, which meant it must have been available internally for quite some time before that. It's not as if Apple wouldn't have old machines to test on themselves, as well.

They most likely did test on the old machines. And it worked for them. For some users out there it doesn't.
Even with Apple's pretty much closed system there are still millions of possible combinations how a system could be set up. Installed software, kernel level drivers, on those old machines even after market SSD upgrades, etc.
So no, they could not have tested all of this themselves.

 

[SandsyUK]

I must be one of the lucky ones. Late 2013 MBP. No issues installing and it works great

 

[Gnomeo86]

I'm so glad my late-2013 MacBook Pro didn't have any issues installing Big Sur ?It is a bit slower at times now than it used to be, though.

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

As a developer its hard enough supporting phones which are more than 3 years old (especially on the Android side of things). Those 2013 and 2014 macs are 6 years old. The fact that they can even run Big Sur is good enough since it is a MAJOR OS update.

Windows 7 wouldn't run properly on XP devices either when that change came around, its just old hardware imo

you have just proven your lack of Knowledge. Thanks for that!

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

My install was issue free on my mid 2014 MBP.

not really an important information for the infected

 

[hailey bee]

"Unexpected SD Card Reader found during update. Could not proceed."