How to fix macOS High Sierra Errors

How does macOS High Sierra work for you? For some users the system works fine, but there are also those who have various problems with this version. This happens with significant updates for a variety of reasons. In this article, we have collected the most common macOS High Sierra problems and suggested possible solutions.

Users who have upgraded to macOS High Sierra receive a large number of error messages, ranging from problems installing the update itself to fast battery drain, program bugs, strange behavior, media reading, network, graphics / display issues, and overall poor performance . Perhaps you will find a solution to your problem below.

MacOS High Sierra download errors

Some users cannot even download macOS High Sierra via Mac App Store. If you are having this problem, first check that your Mac is connected to the Internet at a good speed.

Often the problem can be solved by closing App Store and reopening it.

1. Close Mac App Store.
2. Open your Mac App Store and try to download macOS High Sierra again.

It might be worth rebooting the Mac itself, but this is necessary in very rare cases.

MacOS High Sierra Installer Issues

Some people write that they cannot download the full macOS High Sierra installer and instead download the 20MB version, which in turn downloads the full one during installation. Thus, there is no need to create a USB installation disk for macOS High Sierra.

To fix this problem, try installing macOS High Sierra using a third-party program.

MacOS High Sierra installation errors

When errors occur with the installation, an error message appears, and the solution most often is to download the installer again and try to start the installation again.

Various errors may pop up. For example, 'The /System/Installation/Packages/OSInstall.mpkg path appears to be missing or damaged. Complete the installer to restart your computer and repeat the operation 'etc.

If you get these errors, delete the 'Install macOS High Sierra.app' file from the / Applications / folder and re-download the installer from your Mac App Store.

Reboot your Mac and try installing Mac OS High Sierra again via the installer file. In most cases, this helps.

MacOS High Sierra is not installed

When macOS High Sierra installation does not start, the message 'macOS High Sierra cannot be installed' appears. Most likely, your Mac simply does not support this version of the system.

You can find out if your Mac is compatible with macOS High Sierra.

MacOS installation won't complete

Sometimes during installation, an error pops up notifying that at the moment it is impossible to download important installation components, with a proposal to try to install the update again later.

The fix for this problem is easy: follow the advice and try to install the update later.

Sometimes a reboot can help.

MacOS High Sierra Installer hangs on black or white screen

It is very rare that macOS High Sierra installer hangs on a completely black or white screen.

In this case, you first need to wait, and the error may disappear on its own, even if it takes several hours.

If the screen is completely black, make sure your Mac has brightness turned on. Sometimes the installer dims the screen for some reason, and you just need to add brightness.

If the installer finally hangs, you will need to try to reinstall macOS High Sierra. Reboot your Mac and start the installation again, but a little later. If you have an installation USB drive, start the installation from it.

If the entire laptop freezes, you need to enter recovery mode by restarting your Mac and holding Command + R. Then try to install the update again.

High Sierra is not installed, the system does not boot at all

This happens on rare occasions. When the update fails to install and the system fails to boot, a gray screen appears. In this case, you need to reinstall the system software, but first you need to reset NVRAM / PRAM.

1. Turn off your Mac, turn it back on, and immediately simultaneously hold down the OPTION, COMMAND, P, R keys.
2. Continue holding the COMMAND, OPTION, P, R keys until you hear the power-on sound. This usually happens after 15 seconds.

If your Mac won't boot even after resetting NVRAM, you'll have to reinstall the system. This can be done using the installation disc or recovery mode.

You can also restart your Mac by holding down Command + Shift + Option + R and reinstalling macOS over the Internet.

APFS does not work with Fusion Drive or regular drives

The APFS file system is not yet supported on Fusion or regular drives, but support will come with some kind of system update in the future.

If you have macOS High Sierra installed and use Fusion or regular HDDs, be sure to install an update in the future when a new version of the system is released.

MacOS High Sierra freezes

There are many reports of laptops with macOS High Sierra freezing and not responding to anything.

For some, the cursor or keyboard does not work, but music or sounds continue to play. Most often this happens after the launch of a video on YouTube, Facebook, etc. In this case, the laptop needs to be restarted. To avoid this problem in the future, try installing a different browser. It could be Safari, Safari Tech Preview, Chrome, Firefox, or Opera.

Sometimes this error occurs due to incompatibility of programs or third-party services. You need to update all programs to the latest version.

If that doesn't work, you can rollback from macOS High Sierra using Time Machine.

External monitors don't work with macOS High Sierra

Sometimes after installing macOS High Sierra, external monitors stop working. For some, the screen flashes in different colors.

If you encounter this problem, try resetting the SMC.

WindowServer uses a lot of RAM

This problem can be solved by turning off the transparency effect Mac OS.

Install any available updates for macOS High Sierra and other graphics-related drivers.

Display distortion

For some users, various distortions appear on the screens. This could be due to the new macOS High Sierra graphics engine and other system elements, or to drivers installed on the Mac. The graphics issues are likely to be fixed in future updates.

Mac won't wake up from sleep

If this problem occurs, you need to reset the SMC or VRAM. Support Apple advises users to simply reinstall macOS via recovery mode.

Another way is to reboot or shutdown and restart your Mac every time it doesn't wake up, but that's too inconvenient.

Problems with Wi-Fi in macOS High Sierra 10.13

Some users have trouble connecting to wi-fi networks. Sometimes it helps to just turn the function off and on.

1. Turn off Wi-Fi in the macOS menu.
2. Reboot your Mac.
3. Turn on Wi-Fi in the macOS menu.

There are also reports of inability to connect to networks with a hidden SSID. In this case, you need to open the SSID (name of the router) in the settings of the router.

Some programs do not work

Most applications that worked with Sierra should work with High Sierra, but some still have problems. There have been bug reports in Final Cut Pro, Motion, Indesign, Logic, Compressor, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, etc. In almost every case, installing the latest software and system will fix the problem.

Your best bet is to update programs on Mac App Store from the Updates tab or through the programs themselves.

Also check that the program is compatible with macOS High Sierra.

Mac started to run slowly

If your Mac starts to run slower than usual after installing macOS High Sierra, this is most likely due to background tasks Siri, Search, Photos, iCloud, etc.

Try just leaving the laptop on for a while and letting it complete all background tasks.

Many Macs, on the other hand, run faster with macOS High Sierra, especially when copying and moving files, and this is due to the new APFS file system.

If the work remains slow after waiting, it is worth checking how much RAM is consumed by specific programs and services using the System Monitor program. Sometimes the system is slowed down by some programs that consume a lot of resources.

Additional Tips

• Install all available updates for macOS and all programs.
• Create a new Mac account and use it if the problem goes away.
• Back up your Mac and reinstall macOS High Sierra from it.
• Make a copy of the Mac and reinstall macOS High Sierra via the USB installation disk.
• Roll back macOS High Sierra to a previous version using Time Machine.