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Failed to update macOS Big Sur from 11.5.2 to 11.6

I got my MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports) running 11.5.2 and tried to update to the latest version 11.6 and it failed. The GUI didn't give much information, so I tried to do it from the command line and got the following error message:


softwareupdate -i -a

Software Update Tool


Finding available software

Downloading macOS Big Sur 11.6

Downloading: 100.00%

Failed to download & prepare update: Error Domain=SUMacControllerError Code=7740 "[SUMacControllerErrorPrepareFailed=7740] Failed to perform Prepare operation: [MobileSoftwareUpdateErrorDomain(MSU):MSU_ERR_BRIDGEOS_PERSONALIZATION_FAILURE(44)_1_OSPErrorDomain:201_2_AuthInstallErrorDomain:14]" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x7f9b73b0c9c0 {Error Domain=MobileSoftwareUpdateErrorDomain Code=44 "bridgeOS personalization failed" UserInfo={target_update=20G165, NSLocalizedDescription=bridgeOS personalization failed, NSUnderlyingError=0x7f9b73b0bb90 {Error Domain=OSPErrorDomain Code=201 "An error occurred during personalization." UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=An error occurred during personalization., NSUnderlyingError=0x7f9b73b0bf90 {Error Domain=AuthInstallErrorDomain Code=14 "(null)"}}}}}, SUMacControllerErrorIndicationsMask=0, NSDebugDescription=[SUMacControllerErrorPrepareFailed=7740] Failed to perform Prepare operation: [MobileSoftwareUpdateErrorDomain(MSU):MSU_ERR_BRIDGEOS_PERSONALIZATION_FAILURE(44)_1_OSPErrorDomain:201_2_AuthInstallErrorDomain:14], NSLocalizedDescription=Failed to prepare the software update. Please try again.}


This is not my first time that I got an issue to update macOS Big Sur.


Actually I did upgrade macOS from 11.3.1 to 11.5.2 last week and I faced a similar issue with following an error message:

softwareupdate -i -a

Software Update Tool


Finding available software

Downloading macOS Big Sur 11.5.2

Downloading: 100.00%

Failed to download & prepare update: Error Domain=SUMacControllerError Code=7740 "[SUMacControllerErrorPrepareFailed=7740] Failed to perform Prepare operation: [MobileSoftwareUpdateErrorDomain(MSU):MSU_ERR_BRIDGEOS_PERSONALIZATION_FAILURE(44)_1_OSPErrorDomain:201_2_AuthInstallErrorDomain:14]" UserInfo={NSUnderlyingError=0x7faf1860e7d0 {Error Domain=MobileSoftwareUpdateErrorDomain Code=44 "bridgeOS personalization failed" UserInfo={target_update=20G95, NSLocalizedDescription=bridgeOS personalization failed, NSUnderlyingError=0x7faf1860ad20 {Error Domain=OSPErrorDomain Code=201 "An error occurred during personalization." UserInfo={NSLocalizedDescription=An error occurred during personalization., NSUnderlyingError=0x7faf18610b00 {Error Domain=AuthInstallErrorDomain Code=14 "(null)"}}}}}, SUMacControllerErrorIndicationsMask=0, NSDebugDescription=[SUMacControllerErrorPrepareFailed=7740] Failed to perform Prepare operation: [MobileSoftwareUpdateErrorDomain(MSU):MSU_ERR_BRIDGEOS_PERSONALIZATION_FAILURE(44)_1_OSPErrorDomain:201_2_AuthInstallErrorDomain:14], NSLocalizedDescription=Failed to prepare the software update. Please try again.}.


I cannot not do anything else but backing up data, wiping out my hard drive and did the fresh full installation of macOS 11.5.2 by rebooting and press "Command (⌘)-R" to re-install Macbook from the Internet then I could get v11.5.2 installed and then restored my data from the backup and re-installed the rest of apps which is obviously far from practical solutions to do it every single update like this....


If I understood correctly, the macOS 11.6 won't provide a full installation yet as of now. At least, I found macOS Big Sur from the Mac App Store is still 11.5.2; finding out from the Internet and it has been discussed that only delta update of 11.6 is available because it's intended to be security update...


1) Anyone has got any similar issue as me?

2) If so, did you find any way how to fix this issue ?


Regards,

Sunsern


MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Sep 16, 2021 10:35 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Sep 16, 2021 10:56 PM

Same issue, only way to solve it was; boot to the Command + r keys partition, initialize the SSD, then install 11.5.2, do a minimum setup, country etc., DO NOT transfer data or apps, immediately run the software update preference pane, which should get the 11.6 update, then after that finishes, use Migraton Assistant to import your data etc.

Takes hours, but it works.

Similar questions

8 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Sep 16, 2021 10:56 PM in response to sunsernk

Same issue, only way to solve it was; boot to the Command + r keys partition, initialize the SSD, then install 11.5.2, do a minimum setup, country etc., DO NOT transfer data or apps, immediately run the software update preference pane, which should get the 11.6 update, then after that finishes, use Migraton Assistant to import your data etc.

Takes hours, but it works.

Sep 16, 2021 11:15 PM in response to DavidIAm

Hi DavidlAm,


Thank you very much for giving information above.

Yeah,...seems to be an option to do it.... I'll consider this option....

I could try it but it's just really time-consuming, not really "it just works..."


I'm curious to see that anyone else in the community here could know any other resolution to avoid re-installation of everything all over again. This Macbook is quite new, so I doubt that it could be hardware-related either.


Thank you again for sharing your experience on a similar issue.



Regards,

Sunsern


Oct 7, 2021 9:49 PM in response to amawalker8

The issue - not being able to update to Big Sur 11.6 - may be the same but the reasons vary. In your case, that older MBP doesn't have the video hardware required for Big Sur. I have a late 2011 15" MBP that is stuck on High Sierra, and that is fine.

Have you tried to install Mojave (backup first of course)? Check at https://forums.macrumors.com/ for solutions, there are too many ways to try to list them here. In conclusion, we are all faced with a decision eventually, buy new hardware or run an old "unsupported" OS, which cannot get security updates. That in turn requires extra care on the net, and using a completely updated browser is a must. Good luck.

Failed to update macOS Big Sur from 11.5.2 to 11.6

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