{"id":31640,"date":"2018-07-06T15:20:57","date_gmt":"2018-07-06T20:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/?p=31640"},"modified":"2019-10-16T08:53:34","modified_gmt":"2019-10-16T13:53:34","slug":"tech-tip-an-error-occurred-while-preparing-the-installation-fix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eshop.macsales.com\/blog\/31640-tech-tip-an-error-occurred-while-preparing-the-installation-fix\/","title":{"rendered":"Tech Tip: \u2018An Error Occurred While Preparing the Installation\u2019 Fix"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having worked in Technical Support here at OWC<\/a> for some time now, I have helped customers handle many different types of errors and problems that they have come across. Some such as, \u201cThe disk you inserted is not readable by this computer,\u201d might have simple solutions like formatting the disk, and some are more difficult such as \u201cMy Mac<\/a> keeps freezing. Help!\u201d<\/p>\n

Related:<\/strong> My Upgrades tool helps you get the most from your Mac<\/a><\/p>\n

One error that customers often come across while upgrading their machines occurs during the re-installation of macOS or OS X, and it has a relatively simple fix.<\/p>\n

Once booted into the recovery partition and after selecting \u201cReinstall OS X\u201d, the \u201cEligibility Verification\u201d window shows up. The error occurs as soon as you click \u201ccontinue\u201d. An unspecified error shows up which states “An Error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running this application again.” Upon doing so, the same exact error pops up. Nothing has been done to have this occur, so what exactly is going on?<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

While this can be frustrating, something quite simple is going on in the background that needs to be addressed. One of the checks that occur during \u201cEligibility Verification\u201d is to see what time the machine thinks it is. If the computer is reporting the wrong time, an error will occur.<\/p>\n

While there is a simple fix, it does require using the Terminal to accomplish. Many users might be wary of the Terminal, feeling like something could break and that it\u2019s something only hackers and System Administrators use. While this can be true, the Terminal can be your friend and help you to resolve quite a long list of issues that commonly occur. But with great power comes great responsibility. Terminal can be destructive if its abilities are improperly used. My recommendation for those that are wary of this wonderful tool is to copy\/paste commands or to type them very carefully and to double-check what was typed before execution.<\/p>\n

To fix the aforementioned \u201cunspecified error\u201d, follow the steps below:<\/p>\n