Create a clean installation file of macOS 10.15 Catalina. If you have got this far and find your macOS Catalina still running slow, this might be the option for you. What this does essentially is wipes off all the data on your hard drive and installs the macOS from a USB Insaller. TeamViewer Host is used for 24/7 access to remote computers, which makes it an ideal solution for uses such as remote monitoring, server maintenance, or connecting to a PC or Mac in the office or at home. Install TeamViewer Host on an unlimited number of computers and devices. As a licensed user, you have access to them all! If your computer already has macOS installed, Hackintosh Catalina will just update macOS normally, without deleting any of your apps or files, but always a fresh installation is recommended. MacOS needs its own hard drive partition – a minimum of 15 GB of space is required, but at least 50 GB of space is recommended.

• Macos Catalina Installation
• How Long For Macos Catalina To Install
• Mac Os Catalina Install Stuck On Screen Time
• Macos Catalina Install Times

Installing a new macOS version should be fairly straightforward. Simply download the OS update, follow the on-screen prompts, and you should be all set. This trend has started since Cheetah and continues with Catalina.

Even with the easy OS installation process, it’s always a wise idea to know exactly how to do a clean install of macOS. This way, you can easily give your Mac a fresh start in the event that something comes up.

When doing a clean install, the first thing you should do is create a backup of your files. For this, you can use Time Machine or other similar alternatives. As soon as you have a backup, you should be all set to do a clean install of a new macOS version like Catalina.

But it is worth noting that even if you have removed possible backup problems out of your way, there are still installation errors you need to prepare for. Let’s know more about these problems in the succeeding sections.

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Common macOS Catalina Installation Problems

There are many problems you may come across while installing macOS Catalina. These include the following:

1. Compatibility Issues

Not all Macs support Catalina. Only Macs released in 2012 or later are compatible with macOS Catalina. Here is a complete list of Macs that support the latest macOS version:

• 12” MacBook (2015 or later)
• MacBook Air (2012 or later)
• MacBook Pro (2012 or later)
• Mac Mini (2012 or later)
• iMac (2012 or later)
• iMac Pro (2017)
• Mac Pro (2013 or later)

2. Disk Space Problems

To be able to download the macOS Catalina installer, you need to have 6.5 GB of free storage space. However, you have to be aware that the amount of disk space required may vary depending on the type of installation that you are doing: a clean install or an upgrade.

Generally, a macOS Catalina clean install requires 20 GB of storage space. Then again, you will need more to allocate space for other apps and future updates. An upgrade, on the other hand, requires 6.5 GB of free space plus a few more gigabytes for the files the installer will have to copy to the startup disk. For an upgrade, it’s hard to give a rough estimate about the total free space needed as many factors need to be taken into account. But to be safe, make sure you have at least 25 GB of free storage space available.

If you are tight on space and can’t proceed with the installation, you might need to install a reliable tool to get rid of unnecessary files on your Mac. One that we recommend is Outbyte macAries. In just a few clicks, this tool can identify any space hoggers on your system.

3. macOS Catalina Could Not Be Installed

Even on Macs that are fully compatible with Catalina, this problem may be triggered by the wrong Date & Time configuration. Be sure that you have set the correct date and time. Better yet, use the “Set date and time automatically” option.

4. Mac Is Frozen While Installing Catalina

If your Mac is stuck while installing Catalina, there could be many reasons behind it. While some are associated with the software, others are hardware-related. But regardless of what’s causing this problem, we can guarantee you that there is a fix. You’ll know more about it below.

What to Do When Catalina Installation Is Stuck?

Is your Mac stuck in the “Setting up Your Mac” part during Catalina installation? We suggest that you try the fixes below:

1. Restart Your Mac.

Oftentimes, your Mac gets stuck while installing Catalina because there are system processes that simply need to be restarted. All you need to do is simply restart your Mac.

You have three ways to restart your Mac. The first one requires you to press the Power button and select Restart from the list of options. The second one is about pressing the Apple key and hitting Restart. Lastly, to restart your Mac, you can press the CTRL + CMD + Eject combo.

2. Reset the NVRAM and SMC.

The NVRAM and SMC store information required when your Mac starts up. Once any of them becomes corrupted, it can cause your machine to freeze. Though resetting the NVRAM and SMC doesn’t always guarantee fixing the problem, it’s still worth trying as it has worked for some.

Here’s how to reset the NVRAM and SMC of a Mac:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Press and hold the Power button for at least 10 seconds.
3. Release it and wait for a few seconds more before restarting your computer.
4. If the issue persists, switch off your Mac again.
5. Remove the power cord.
6. Wait for 15 seconds before reconnecting the power cord.
7. Turn on your Mac.

3. Check the Log Screen.

When you’re stuck in the “Setting Up Your Mac” part of the Catalina installation, you might want to check the Log screen. There might be missing files that need to be installed. If it shows nothing is happening, then proceed to the next possible fix.

4. Install the Combo Update Instead.

If you are having problems with installing Catalina, you can visit Apple’s website and download the Combo update. This includes all the important files required to update to the latest macOS. Downloading and installing this Combo update will replace all outdated system files.

5. Seek Help from Experts.

When all else fails, your last resort is to seek help from the experts. Take your Mac to the nearest Apple Center and have it checked by an Apple Genius. If your Mac is still under warranty, then great because this service might not cost you a lot. Otherwise, prepare to spend a few hundred bucks.

If visiting an Apple Center is not a good idea in your case, then you can reach out to Apple’s online support team. Head over to their website, answer a few questions, and you might just be given a quick fix.

Conclusion

Catalina installation issues are inevitable, especially considering that the macOS version is new. Lots of features still need to be checked and improved, and errors may not have been seen by the QA teams. But even if installation issues are common, they should not stop you from trying the features that the new OS has to offer. After all, the developers of the OS are constantly working to improve Catalina and are regularly releasing patches with fixes to commonly reported bugs and errors. As long as you take note of the important details and try out different solutions being shared on forums and blogs, then you should be able to enjoy Catalina the way other Mac users do.

Did you have other issues while installing macOS Catalina? How did you fix them? Leave a comment below!

Apple’s latest macOS, Catalina, has just been released to the public last October 7, 2019 and you can now install it on your Mac, as long as your device meets the hardware requirements. First revealed during the WWDC 2019 conference in San Jose, California, macOS Catalina introduces some new exciting features and functionalities.

As we say goodbye to iTunes, macOS Catalina brings in new apps and features to the table, including Apple Music, Podcasts Books, and TV. Another major feature is Sidecar, which can turn your iPad into another display. For ordinary users, this means getting a secondary display for free. For developers, on the other hand, this secondary screen can be used as a drawing tablet using supported apps.

With the release of macOS Catalina 10.15, a lot of Mac users are enthusiastic to install the newest Mac operating system. Just like the previous versions of macOS, some were able to upgrade without a hitch, but several users encountered various issues during downloading and installation of the update.

Some users experienced slow downloading of the update, while others got error messages when installing Catalina, including:

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• Storage system verify or repair failed
• This copy of the Install application can’t be verified. It may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading.
• An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running again.
• Copy of install macOS application is damaged and can’t be used to install macOS.
• There is not enough free space on the selected volume.

This guide will give you a detailed rundown of the most common macOS Catalina installation and update errors encountered by Mac users when upgrading or installing macOS Catalina, along with the instructions on how to deal with these hiccups.

Why macOS Catalina Won’t Install

Various problems can occur during the installation of macOS Catalina. If the installation won’t start, seems to freeze midway , or never seems to complete, then it means that there must be something wrong somewhere.

The first main reason why users can’t install macOS Catalina is compatibility problem. If your Mac doesn’t support macOS Catalina, you won’t be able to proceed with the installation. You need a fairly recent Mac to be able to run macOS Catalina. Here are the Mac models that support the newest macOS:

• MacBook (2015) and later
• MacBook Air (2012) and later
• MacBook Pro (2012) and later
• Mac Mini (2012) and later
• iMac (2012) and later
• iMac Pro (2017) and later
• Mac Pro (2013) and later

If your device is not on this list, then you’re sure to run into problems when installing Catalina.

Another thing you need to check before installation is your available storage space. You will need around 6.5 GB just to download the installer. Once you’ve downloaded it, the amount of space you will need during the installation depends on whether you’re doing a clean install or an upgrade.

A clean install will eat up around 20 GB of storage. On top of that, you have to make room for apps, user data, and user updates. An upgrade install, on the other hand, will only take up 6.5 GB of space for the installer, plus some installation files that the installer will copy to your startup drive.

If you’re tight on storage space, you should consider removing unneeded apps and files on your Mac. You can uninstall the apps one by one, and delete cache files and data using Mac repair app. Make sure you have at least 25 GB of free space to be able to install macOS Catalina successfully.

Aside from compatibility issues and insufficient storage, poor internet connection, incomplete or corrupted installation files, hard disk problems, and faulty software can also cause issues during the installation of macOS Catalina.

Installation Checklist for macOS Catalina

Before proceeding with the installation, it is necessary to spend some time ticking off the checklist below. These steps will not only prevent errors from happening, but also ensure that your data remains safe in case something goes wrong.

• Back up your Mac, especially your iTunes media library since Catalina will no longer have iTunes.
• Take note of the 32-bit apps on your Mac . You will need to update them to the 64-bit version after upgrading, or find an alternative for them.
• Delete old Install macOS files from your Applications folder. These old macOS installation files may cause error during the upgrade.
• Remove all external drives and accessories.
• Plug in your Mac’s power adapter.
• Connect to a stable Wi-Fi network.

Once you’ve completed these steps, you can now proceed with the upgrade.

How to Upgrade to macOS Catalina

The easiest way to download and install macOS Catalina is through the App Store on your Mac. Just open the App Store and search for macOS Catalina. Click the install button to start downloading, then click Continue.

You can also visit the macOS Catalina website and download the installer from there. The installer will be downloaded to the Applications folder on your Mac. Once downloaded, the installer will open by itself. Just follow the onscreen instructions to proceed with the installation. You might be asked to log in using your admin username and password during the process.

As long as your device is compatible with Catalina and you’ve followed the instructions, you’ll be able to successfully install the new macOS on your Mac. But if you encounter any error during the download or installation, refer to our guide below to sort out the issue.

How to Fix Common Download Errors for macOS Catalina

Downloading the installer is the first step of the installation process. The installer takes up 6.5GB of storage, but you will need more space to be able to run the new macOS smoothly. If you have Automatic Updates enabled, the installer might already be downloaded on your device.

If the installer has not yet been downloaded, go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Software Update to download Catalina.

If the downloading process gets stuck or is taking a long time to complete, here’s what you can do:

1. Go to the Apple Server status website and check if the macOS Software Update‘s button is green. If not, then there’s probably some issues with the website, so you might need to try upgrading some other time.
2. If the macOS Software Update is green, but you’re still having download problems, check your internet connection. Consider switching to a wired internet connection if possible.
3. If the download is stuck for a long time, cancel it by clicking the X button.
4. Switch to a different DNS server and retry the download again.

It might take a few attempts for the downloading to be successful, especially in the early days of the release of the update.

How to Fix Errors When Preparing for the Installation of macOS Catalina

Once you have successfully downloaded the installer to your device, the system then prepares your Mac for the installation process. There are users who encountered errors during this stage and came across the Error occurred preparing the installation. Try running the applicationagain message.

The first thing you need to do when you encounter this error is to reboot your Mac. You might need to restart your system a couple of times to deal with this problem. If the error doesn’t go away after rebooting, here are some steps you can try:

Check Your Mac’s System Date and Time.

An incorrect system time usually gets in the way of a lot of system processes, including updates. To make sure your Mac’s date and time are correct, follow the instructions below:

Macos Catalina Installation

1. Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Date & Time.
2. Tick off Set Date and Time Automatically.
3. If the option is already checked, uncheck it then reboot your Mac.
4. Go back to the Date and Time panel and check the option again.
5. Next, try re-installing macOS Catalina.

Re-Download the Installer.

If the step above did not work, you might have to delete the macOS Catalina installer on your Applications folder. Find the Install macOS file in the Applications folder and move it to the Trash. Empty the Trash and reboot. Once your Mac restarts, try downloading the installer and then run the install process again.

Delete the Installinfo.plist File.

If you encounter the Copy of install macOS application is damaged and cant be used to install macOS error during the preparation of the installation, the best workaround is to delete the installinfo.plist from the installer package, then try re-installing.

To delete the installinfo.plist file, check out the steps below:

1. Go to the Applications folder and look for the installer package for macOS Catalina. It is usually named Install macOS.
2. Right-click on the file and select Show Package Contents.
3. Click on Contents > SharedSupport.
4. Delete the Installlnfo.plist inside the folder.
5. Type in your admin password to confirm the action.
6. Click on the installer to run it again.

How to Fix Catalina Installation Errors on Mac

After preparing your Mac, the system then proceeds to the installation process. There are different errors you might encounter at this stage, so you need to take note of the error message and at which stage it happened.

Here are some of the errors you may encounter during the installation process.

Stuck at Setting Up Screen

When you’ve been stuck with the Setting up your Mac message for several hours or you encounter the dreaded spinning wheel, the best way to deal with this is to restart your device. Press the power button to shut down your Mac, then press it again to reboot.

Storage Space Problems

If you failed to optimize your storage space before the installation, you might come across errors related to insufficient storage space. You might see the macOS Could not be installed, the target disk is too small message or the There is not enough free space on the selected volume error.

This happens because you do not have enough space on your Mac. Free up some storage first before proceeding with the installation. You might need around 20GB to 25GB of space for macOS Catalina to run efficiently on your Mac.

Network Access Error

If you see a Code=551 error anytime during the installation process, you need to check your network settings. This error happens to devices with overactive firewall or those installed with third-party security software, such as VPN and antivirus. If this happens, disable this software first before trying to reinstall macOS Catalina.

Installation Doesn’t Complete

Sometimes, your Mac gets stuck with the x minutes remaining screen during the installation. When you encounter this problem, click the X button to exit the installation process and check your console logs. It is possible that your user account is corrupted, preventing your system from completing the installation process.

The only way to deal with this is to create another admin user account and install macOS Catalina using that account.

Mac Fails to Start After Update

You might think that everything is over once you finish the installation process and your Mac restarts. But sometimes, errors can still happen even after the installation has been completed. Some users reported getting stuck with a black screen, while others encounter the spinning wheel during the restart following the update.

How Long For Macos Catalina To Install

This error is usually caused by incompatible or corrupted kext files. Kext or Kernel Extension files are the drivers for macOS. To check whether kext files are causing the error, move all of them out of your Extensions folder before rebooting your Mac.

To move your kext files, follow the steps below:

1. Boot your Mac into Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key until you see the Apple logo.
2. Open Terminal under the Utilities folder, then copy-paste the following command:

mkdir ~/Extensions-Backup && sudo mv /Library/Extensions/* ~/Extensions-Backup/

Once done, restart your Mac in normal mode and see if it goes through.

If All Else Fails, Do a Fresh Install.

If you’re still having issues despite following the guide above, you may need to do a fresh install of macOS Catalina. To do this:

Mac Os Catalina Install Stuck On Screen Time

1. Shut down your Mac.
2. Press Power + Command + R keys to bring up the macOS Utilities screen .
3. Click Reinstall macOS.
4. Select Disk Utility > Erase HDD.
5. Install the macOS Catalina from here.

Macos Catalina Install Times

Remember that erasing your HDD will delete all of your files and settings, so make sure you have a backup before doing a fresh install. This should hopefully take care of common macOS Catalina installation problems.