[SOLVED] New 1TB install issues with blank ssd

[ell]

Hey all, I've run into this issue before installing a third party brand ssd in a mac, they usually require High sierra or better to be recognized by the firmware, so in this case the drive came without sierra on it preloaded. I figure I could just slap a clone of my other high sierra mac and load it on the new ssd and then upgrade it.
well this one I can't even get High sierra installed on it. Its a 2015 Macbook pro retina A1502 emc 2835,
with mojave, the ssd is a upgrade to 1tb SDD purchased
1. ? folder on boot to the restored high sierra clone (i did have a error creating the clone (
APFS inverter failed to invert the volume - invalid argument The operation couldn't be completed. OSStatus error 22. however when I restored it to the new ssd no errors, I'm in the process of creating another clone with techtools now
2. went into recovery and tried reinstall sierra from online, it does not see the ssd
3. tried boot from usb h. sierra, it sees the ssd fine, with the clone recovered to it but info says its not bootable (also ran repair on it, checked off totally fine)
4. tried to reinstall sierra from usb, doesn't see the ssd

help

 

[Sky-Knight]

How new is it?

The current generation Macs do not have NVMEs in them, they have flash storage on a card that looks like NVME with the controller baked into the CPU.

You cannot use 3rd party products in them at all!

 

[ell]

How new is it?

The current generation Macs do not have NVMEs in them, they have flash storage on a card that looks like NVME with the controller baked into the CPU.

You cannot use 3rd party products in them at all!

It's a 2015 it is detected and can be formatted, it's after that I have issues

 

[Markverhyden]

What did the machine have on it before? If they never got past 10.10.2, what it probably shipped with, they're missing firmware updates. When you booted from a HS USB stick was that a live filesystem? While booted too that did you manually check for updates, including firmware updates on Apple and apply those?

 

[ell]

What did the machine have on it before? If they never got past 10.10.2, what it probably shipped with, they're missing firmware updates. When you booted from a HS USB stick was that a live filesystem? While booted too that did you manually check for updates, including firmware updates on Apple and apply those?

Hi Mark this thing had Mojave on it APFS I just another h. Sierra clone from ccc, boots from the image on USB but not when it's cloned back to the new SSD so your saying while booted from the usb clone I can just update it from that os?

 

[Markverhyden]

so your saying while booted from the usb clone I can just update it from that os?

Yes. Been sometime but I seem to remember doing that in the past. But don't be surprised if there's problems. Wouldn't be the first time an OEM decided to make life difficult. I'd start with just regular updates via the app store. Once that's been covered browse through the standalone updates. I'd ignore anything that only mentions security. Oh and almost forgot. Is the HS installer you're using a recent download?

 

[ell]

Yes. Been sometime but I seem to remember doing that in the past. But don't be surprised if there's problems. Wouldn't be the first time an OEM decided to make life difficult. I'd start with just regular updates via the app store. Once that's been covered browse through the standalone updates. I'd ignore anything that only mentions security. Oh and almost forgot. Is the HS installer you're using a recent download?

I did just do the apple store updates and there was nothing new. I formatted the ssd back to OS Extended (Journaled) now from apfs to match the clone I have and ccc cloning to the SSD, I'll see how that goes, this is crazy never had this much trouble before.

 

[Markverhyden]

I did just do the apple store updates and there was nothing new. I formatted the ssd back to OS Extended (Journaled) now from apfs to match the clone I have and ccc cloning to the SSD, I'll see how that goes, this is crazy never had this much trouble before.

So you're at 10.13.6? I think that's the last one. Just realized that if it had Mojave it should have had all the firmware updates.

From your link to the drive

IMPORTANT NOTE: macOS 10.13 High Sierra or later macOS MUST be installed on the host computer before installing this Timetec MAC SSD.

I'd contact the vendor if it was properly running 10.14

 

[ell]

Yes. Been sometime but I seem to remember doing that in the past. But don't be surprised if there's problems. Wouldn't be the first time an OEM decided to make life difficult. I'd start with just regular updates via the app store. Once that's been covered browse through the standalone updates. I'd ignore anything that only mentions security. Oh and almost forgot. Is the HS installer you're using a recent download?

The SSD requires that H Sierra or better must have been on the machine or the new ssd won't be compatible, I'm thinking thats my issue, I can't get H.Sierra on it though, turned the date back to 2017 and tried both from online recovery and my usb installer, I can prep and format the drive from disk utility then start the install, but on reboot it asks where to install to, but the drive is nonexistent then

 

[ell]

So you're at 10.13.6? I think that's the last one. Just realized that if it had Mojave it should have had all the firmware updates.

yup it had mojave

 

[ell]

So you're at 10.13.6? I think that's the last one. Just realized that if it had Mojave it should have had all the firmware updates.

From your link to the drive


I'd contact the vendor if it was properly running 10.14

So my clone is from a model A1534 EMC 3099, and my destination macbook is A1502 emc 2835, does that matter???

 

[ell]

So you're at 10.13.6? I think that's the last one. Just realized that if it had Mojave it should have had all the firmware updates.

From your link to the drive


I'd contact the vendor if it was properly running 10.14

I might have a clue now, I gave up on installing h. sierra and tried mojave on apfs, I got an error saying the firmware needed an update to install it and to apfs and to instead partition OS Extended (Journaled), which I'm guessing either the ssd or the osx doesn't like that. Do you think its possible to update the mac firmware booting off the working clone on the usb?

 

[ell]

So you're at 10.13.6? I think that's the last one. Just realized that if it had Mojave it should have had all the firmware updates.

From your link to the drive


I'd contact the vendor if it was properly running 10.14

Yes i saw that, I've installed this type of ssd before, but it came with h. Sierra already loaded, it was easy. I sent the vendor a message for help, of course my customer isn't going to be happy having, to wait, dang I wish I could figure this out.

 

[Markverhyden]

So my clone is from a model A1534 EMC 3099, and my destination macbook is A1502 emc 2835, does that matter???

I never clone unless absolutely necessary. Prefer a clean install from a recently downloaded install image.

 

[ell]

I never clone unless absolutely necessary. Prefer a clean install from a recently downloaded install image.

Neither do I, in fact I have never done it, but I'm grasping at straws here now. I've tried clean installs from two usb h. sierra and one mojave, Installs fine, partitions, then on final reboot the X$%# drive dissappears. Internet recoveries won't work either because they are El Capitain, which is too old for it. Thanks for letting me vent to you.

 

[Markverhyden]

Neither do I, in fact I have never done it, but I'm grasping at straws here now. I've tried clean installs from two usb h. sierra and one mojave,Instslls fine, partitions, then on final reboot the X$%# drive dissappears. Internet recoveries won't work either because they are El Capitain, which is too old for it. Thanks for letting me vent to you.

Sorry can't help but laugh a little. Drives me nuts too when things just refuse to go the way they are supposed to.

 

[ell]

Sorry can't help but laugh a little. Drives me nuts too when things just refuse to go the way they are supposed to.

 

[ell]

Well I tried to restore a time machine from my other Mac to it and got an error message that the firmware did not support APFS booting, is that the SSD firmware or the Mac itself you think?

 

[Markverhyden]

Well I tried to restore a time machine from my other Mac to it and got an error message that the firmware did not support APFS booting, is that the SSD firmware or the Mac itself you think?

Supposedly, and I think this is pretty accurate, when a machine is upgraded or clean installed 10.13 it's using APFS. There's no way to get around it. Do you still have the old drive? Bootable? I'd check. If this is the case then I'd think it's still an issue of getting the correct firmware update on or the possibility that the new drive has gone wonky.

 

[ell]

Supposedly, and I think this is pretty accurate, when a machine is upgraded or clean installed 10.13 it's using APFS. There's no way to get around it. Do you still have the old drive? Bootable? I'd check. If this is the case then I'd think it's still an issue of getting the correct firmware update on or the possibility that the new drive has gone wonk