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Bianca205x Author

Level 1

4 points

Please help! Big sur update?

I decided to update my 2013 mac book air as I needed to download an app which was not supported on mojave.

I deleted some files to make room for the update & finally had enough storage to download it. However, It’s been on the apple logo ALL night, swapping between 40% and 5-15%? Changes every time i restart it.

the only way I can get off the apple logo is if I open in safe mode. I tried that and it created a brand new user on what looks like the big sur software. But can’t use time machine to back up as it wont accept my old admin password which I know is 100% correct. Users page shows no admin?

Tried recovery mode.

disk utility first aid - no issues.

time machine - shows my mackintosh disk, asked for admin password, entered correctly but nothing happens? Tried going back and re attempt it but now mackintosh disk does not show. Did this a few times and no luck!

Last option is to download new copy of big sur but I’m unable to do so as not enough data? :S

I’ve checked my data on safe mode, i have absolutely no files what so ever on there, but for some reason I have 80gb in the “other” folder? I can’t work out what this is as there are no files in the finder app & only basic apple apps.

please how do I fix this? I have an 2 extremely important meetings next week over Microsoft teams and I’m due to fly out to Brussels sunday morning!!!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.5

Posted on Sep 17, 2021 6:50 PM

Top-ranking reply

PRP_53

Level 10

90,979 points

Posted on Sep 18, 2021 1:56 AM

From the description provided and actions taken thus far - it looks like the Internal Drive might have been the tiny 128 GB SSD.

Also as mentioned in description " Other " is occupying 80 GB of space via booting into Safe Mode.

The issue as presented if the OS does not have enough Empty Space to load in Normal Mode.

Possible solution is Transfer files between two Mac computers using target disk mode and this may or may not allow moving enough Personal File Off the problematic computer.

This may or may not allow the computer to boot in Normal Mode.

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Please help! Big sur update?

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