MacBook Air 2013 with circle slash while trying to install Mojave
I've always been a Linux and Windows user, but I bought this used MacBook Air to mess with. I figured a fresh install was best for it so I erased the primary drive in disk utility and got a known-working Mojave installer from work to reinstall Mojave. However, I get about 2/3rds of the way to the loading screen before it goes to circle-slash. I reset SMC, PRAM 3-4 times, and also reformatted the SSD to no avail; always hangs on the same step. Anyone know what might be the issue?
Solution 1:
Updater didn't find a previous OS X install.
Technical requirements:
- OS X 10.8 or later
- 2 GB of memory
- 15 GB of available storage to perform upgrade
- Some features require an Apple ID
- Some features require internet access
Mac Hardware requirements:
- MacBook: Early-2015 or newer
- MacBook Pro: Mid-2012 or newer
- MacBook Air: Mid-2012 or newer
- Mac Mini: Late-2012 or newer
- iMac: Late-2012 or newer
- iMac Pro: Late-2017 or newer
- Mac Pro: Late-2013 or newer, mid-2010 and mid-2012 models with recommended Metal-capable GPU
What caught my attention was the requirement for OS X 10.8 or later. Which (to me) indicates that a previous Mac OS X version needs to already be installed. So if I were you, I'd probably get my hands on a copy of Mountain Lion, and install that first. Then attempt to install Mojave from there.
While you indicate yours is 2013, if it does turn out to be matter of your hardware being too old. Do note, that the OS Installer has a white, or blacklist that it consults to determine whether the hardware is an actual candidate for install/upgrade. I used to know where this file (.kext) was
located. But have since forgotten. A search on the internet should quickly reveal the location of the .kext file. Good sources for this information are in Hackintosh venues. :)
In case you didn't already know, and are interested. You can easily make a (USB stick) installer in the following fashion:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume
where /Volumes/MyVolume should point to your USB stick (formatted with a GUID Partition Map and Mac OS Extended (Journaled) )
Good luck!