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Incomplete system

After a call with apple support I'm trying to re install my OS software, but Ik'm getting the message


" the target volume is part of incomplete system and can not be installed to"


What do I do now? I've already wiped the disk and am trying to restore from a time machine


Thanks in advance


Posted on Nov 19, 2019 10:58 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 19, 2019 11:35 AM

Verify you have reformatted the parent drive and not a volume.


From Internet Recovery (option command R) >Disk Utility>View>Show All Devices


reformat the parent drive as GUID/apfs



Recovery: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

6 replies

Dec 31, 2019 10:46 AM in response to Buismac

Hi


in recovery mode you should have erased the volumes, not the system 2GB partition. the ones at the top.

It may not have erased correctly so the volume exists and you cant re install on it.



I have just sorted mine. I have the system partition (the bottom one of the choices) and had 2 choices at the top (volumes)

you need to go into the one at the top and choose 'erase' again until it says its completed successfully. you may have to do this with internet recovery mode.

Dec 24, 2019 4:05 PM in response to leroydouglas

the parent drive cant be reformatted because it holds the recovery disk image that were starting up from...


Mac HD cant be erased because it has a process that is in use; a kext of some description

computer wont restart anymore either, luckily this one still has a plug that can be pulled.

After that it wont startup unless cmd-r is held. Then the reinstall can begin



happy christmas Tim


Dec 31, 2019 1:51 PM in response to Tommym67

It turns out Internet recovery mode is the critical bit.

Otherwise volumes/disks may not be erased properly.


as long as there is still a recovery boot volume command-r will start that one in stead of internet recovery. And you can’t erase the volume you started from.


so it may take some persistence deleting and restarting.


Incomplete system

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