2012 MacBook Air stuck in a loop updating OS

[megenzo]

My dad's MacBook Air (2012) vintage needed a software update, it was stuck in a loop when downloading the software/OS and I had to do a couple of hard restarts (it was a couple of days into it) and now it is trying to install the OS but again, is stuck in a loop/frozen.

Anyone any ideas? He has never backed up as he only browses so cant use time machine to go back.

[mmm-five]

Might be lack of space, or just a failing HDD.

You could try downloading the installer to a USB stick and installing it from that instead...but I'd seriously recommend getting what you can copied off somewhere safe in case you need to go nuclear on it!

[MYOB]

Do the OS updates support MacBooks from 2012? I didn’t think they did and this may be the problem.

[mmm-five]

MYOB said:

Do the OS updates support MacBooks from 2012? I didn’t think they did and this may be the problem.

Latest officially-supported OS for this would be 10.15.x Catalina.

However, the built-in software update (via a working system, or internet recovery) should only allow it to reinstall the latest it is able to run.

If the OP can get to internet recovery mode, then I believe there are 2 options...but it's been a while since I needed to do so:

1. Reinstall original OS that this model came with, or the closest available [shift + cmd + option + R]
2. Install latest OS that's available for this model [cmd + option + R]

The OP may also want to check the HDD/SDD out before doing anything else, and this can be done from the recovery mode [cmd + R], where you can run Disk Utility to check for errors.

[sutoka]

I had this issue about a decade ago with a Unibody MacBook Pro the HDD had failed. Thankfully I'd backed everything up think a new one was £180

[megenzo]

All sorted thanks folks, schoolbook error. I'd tried all sorts of online remedies and only realised a few hours into today's kerfuffles that the wifi connection on the Mac had dropped spout and wouldn't reconnect. My dad had unplugged it from the power a few times while it was installing and something must've got upset.

Ive reinstalled Mojave and will put Catalina on when I have the energy.