Update macOS Catalina Security Update 2002-002 10.15.7 install hangs

I use Carbon Copy Cloner to take a backup of my boot drive onto an external USB hard drive.

Like you, installing macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-002 10.15.7 resulted in a forever hang at the 1 minute to completion point.

I then discovered that my Late 2012 Mac Mini (4GB RAM 1TB Samsung SSD with heaps of freespace) would not boot from the USB hard drive. (my normal fallback method)

Eventually, I did a reinstall of macOS Catalina. My settings and installed software appear to be fine.

So I am back at the point where macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-002 10.15.7 is not yet installed.

As an aside, I tried booting from USB using the same hard drive in a different make/model of USB caddy and a completely different hard drive in two different caddies. No joy. Google finds me a reference to a T2 chip setting. The T2 chip arrived on 2018 Mac Minis, so not applicable to my device.

My recommendation is to fall back by reinstalling macOS Catalina. Then wait for Apple to fix the security update.

Of course, my advice is worth what you paid for it.

I had the same issue on iMac (late 2013) = tried the install, hangs at the last point and stays that way even after 12/15hrs (waited just in case). I couldn't reboot normally (install looked like it started again with the same result) or in safe mode (restart loop while holding the shift key). Eventually had to go to recovery mode and reinstall Catalina. Tried the update again with the same result and fix. Won't try again until the update is fixed.

Call a bug a bug

The progress message from the update process is plain wrong.

The lack of information about a possible problem is plain wrong..

Making a user wait indefinitely is called a bug, naming it something else is called a lie.

You should report your righteous bug description to Apple, not here ( which is a user social network ).

Progress despite a blunder

Now, to help you and many colleagues to progress toward an acceptable workaround,

how is your Mac mini connected to your network?

Wi-Fi only, Ethernet only, Thunderbolt only?

Or several of them together?

Your method is an excellent one to avoid damage caused by updates or upgrades.

Next, from a professionnal stand point ( a few thousands computers in a risk exposed company for 40 years ),

Carbon Copy Cloner is a software of real professionnal quality.

The real world is not one where software editors produce 0 fault programs, updates or upgrades.

The good software editors are the one who tell the truth about this reality of risk.

An update or an upgrade is always a risk for an individual, for a family network, for a company network.

Here stands the truth.

I have a pair of Late 2012 Mac Minis. Both are i5. One has 4GB RAM, the other 16GB.

Both have wired ethernet and WiFi connections to the same switch/access point.

The Security Update went on just fine on the 16GB unit.

Failed on the 4GB unit.

I don't -think- the RAM makes any difference, but I could try swapping in the larger RAM to the failing unit.

@IMS_Guy,

your information might be very useful for R&D Apple team.

If you made a bug report, add this key information.

But don't risk damaging your memory chips or your Mac Mini for them.

I am not sure they would even thank you.

My hypothesis is that a memory FS might be used during the update shell script and could need more room than 4 GB.

On a correct update shell script, the availability of all the required ressources should be done before touching anything,

even before making a backup ( because it would eat memory and disk space too ).

Safe Boot may work hopefully