11/01/23 updated with new error #4 test results, and added missed "I tried" items.
11/14/23 clarified testing for error 2.
I'm running a mid-2010 Macbook Pro 17", High Sierra 10.13.6, iTunes 12.8.3.1, iPhone 15 Pro Max on iOS 17.1.
HELP! In the last month, I've been getting a string of "network" or “server” related errors that seem to be caused by a single connection problem that I can't identify. I'm certain they are related because every system install/reinstall I try, that they occur in, they are present as a group. It's never just one or two of them.
Errors found so far, in no particular order:
1. App Store > Updates: won't talk to the server any more.
I get error: "An error has occurred / This operation couldn't be completed. / (NSURLErrorDomain error -1012.)"
2. When I plug in my new iPhone 15, I'm prompted to install updates to support the phone. I agree. I get a network error.
I get error "Installation failed / Can't download the software because of a network problem."
Note: Make sure you have the latest iTunes for High Sierra, 12.8.3 if you want to test for this issue. You have to install it manually, as it never appeared in the App Store "Updates" for many users. Otherwise your results may be inaccurate. Download iTunes 12.8.3 for Mac
3. System Preferences > Internet Accounts > *adding a Google or Yahoo* account pops up a perpetually loading empty window, and an error popup on top of that.
I get error: "Connection Insecure / Failed to verify the server certificate. This could be because your network configuration or your proxy settings."
4. When I run the [small] High Sierra installer from the Mac App Store (attempt to reinstall), it fails talking to the server.
I get error: "The recovery server could not be contacted."
More errors I suspect, but can not be easily tested.
5. I tried Apple Support, but then Screen Sharing fails. It worked fine about a month ago. Now it shows a successful connection on my end, but the Apple Support rep never gets the video. Sorry, no error for this one.
-I would need Apple Support to test.
6. Recovery Mode (to reinstall High Sierra) can't contact server.
I get error: "The recovery server could not be contacted."
-I think it's failing nearly the same connection as #4 above, but I thought this was OS independent, so I'm unsure if related.
Solutions for workaround, but not the fix:
A. I have installed fresh copies of High Sierra onto thumb drives with latest compatible iTunes, and errors 1, 2, 3, 4 all go away completely. Obviously, I can't run off a thumb drives. I tried installing fresh High Sierras onto regular drives, but on the first boot up, they already have errors 1, 2, 3, 4. I can't explain it.. I’m NOT importing ANYTHING from the original problem system.
B. I installed fresh copies of unsupported Mojave systems onto regular drives and errors 1, 2, 3 all go away completely. Error 4 can't be tested on Mojave because High Sierra installers aren't allowed to run on higher OS versions. However, this system was unsupported on my hardware and prohibitively slow. I can't use it as a long term.
Things to Note
-I have no VPN
-I have no anti-virus
-I made no system changes to be suspect.
-Migration Assistant (everything selected) will NOT migrate the errors from a bad High Sierra system to a fresh Mojave system. Thumb drive High Sierras too slow to test the same way.
Things I Tried
-I’ve lost track of how many High Sierra fresh installs I have tried on internal and external drives = exact same errors.
-The error systems and the working systems are all using the same laptop, same router, and same internet connection. Just to make everybody happy, I still tried all the errors on under a secondary WIFI router, and secondary internet connection, and = exact same errors.
-I tried error systems over a cellular personal hotspot = exact same errors.
-I tried error systems with a VPN (via cell personal hotspot) = exact same error.
-I had Little Snitch but disabled it = exact same errors.
-I disabled the system Firewall = exact same errors.
-I restarted in Safe Mode = exact same errors.
-I cleared NVRAM = exact same errors.
-Apple Support suggested I reinstall High Sierra on top of itself = exact same errors.
-On the error systems, I tested alternate admin user accounts, existing and new = exact same errors.
-I tried to clone a working thumb drive High Sierra to a hard drive instead, but it refused to boot.
-I've also tried troubleshooting each error individually, and so far all solutions fail except my workarounds above.11/01/23 updated with new error #4 test results, and added missed "I tried" items.
11/14/23 clarified testing for error 2.
I'm running a mid-2010 Macbook Pro 17", High Sierra 10.13.6, iTunes 12.8.3.1, iPhone 15 Pro Max on iOS 17.1.
HELP! In the last month, I've been getting a string of "network" or “server” related errors that seem to be caused by a single connection problem that I can't identify. I'm certain they are related because every system install/reinstall I try, that they occur in, they are present as a group. It's never just one or two of them.
Errors found so far, in no particular order:
1. App Store > Updates: won't talk to the server any more.
I get error: "An error has occurred / This operation couldn't be completed. / (NSURLErrorDomain error -1012.)"
2. When I plug in my new iPhone 15, I'm prompted to install updates to support the phone. I agree. I get a network error.
I get error "Installation failed / Can't download the software because of a network problem."
Note: Make sure you have the latest iTunes for High Sierra, 12.8.3 if you want to test for this issue. You have to install it manually, as it never appeared in the App Store "Updates" for many users. Otherwise your results may be inaccurate. Download iTunes 12.8.3 for Mac
3. System Preferences > Internet Accounts > *adding a Google or Yahoo* account pops up a perpetually loading empty window, and an error popup on top of that.
I get error: "Connection Insecure / Failed to verify the server certificate. This could be because your network configuration or your proxy settings."
4. When I run the [small] High Sierra installer from the Mac App Store (attempt to reinstall), it fails talking to the server.
I get error: "The recovery server could not be contacted."
More errors I suspect, but can not be easily tested.
5. I tried Apple Support, but then Screen Sharing fails. It worked fine about a month ago. Now it shows a successful connection on my end, but the Apple Support rep never gets the video. Sorry, no error for this one.
-I would need Apple Support to test.
6. Recovery Mode (to reinstall High Sierra) can't contact server.
I get error: "The recovery server could not be contacted."
-I think it's failing nearly the same connection as #4 above, but I thought this was OS independent, so I'm unsure if related.
Solutions for workaround, but not the fix:
A. I have installed fresh copies of High Sierra onto thumb drives with latest compatible iTunes, and errors 1, 2, 3, 4 all go away completely. Obviously, I can't run off a thumb drives. I tried installing fresh High Sierras onto regular drives, but on the first boot up, they already have errors 1, 2, 3, 4. I can't explain it.. I’m NOT importing ANYTHING from the original problem system.
B. I installed fresh copies of unsupported Mojave systems onto regular drives and errors 1, 2, 3 all go away completely. Error 4 can't be tested on Mojave because High Sierra installers aren't allowed to run on higher OS versions. However, this system was unsupported on my hardware and prohibitively slow. I can't use it as a long term.
Things to Note
-I have no VPN
-I have no anti-virus
-I made no system changes to be suspect.
-Migration Assistant (everything selected) will NOT migrate the errors from a bad High Sierra system to a fresh Mojave system. Thumb drive High Sierras too slow to test the same way.
Things I Tried
-I’ve lost track of how many High Sierra fresh installs I have tried on internal and external drives = exact same errors.
-The error systems and the working systems are all using the same laptop, same router, and same internet connection. Just to make everybody happy, I still tried all the errors on under a secondary WIFI router, and secondary internet connection, and = exact same errors.
-I tried error systems over a cellular personal hotspot = exact same errors.
-I tried error systems with a VPN (via cell personal hotspot) = exact same error.
-I had Little Snitch but disabled it = exact same errors.
-I disabled the system Firewall = exact same errors.
-I restarted in Safe Mode = exact same errors.
-I cleared NVRAM = exact same errors.
-Apple Support suggested I reinstall High Sierra on top of itself = exact same errors.
-On the error systems, I tested alternate admin user accounts, existing and new = exact same errors.
-I tried to clone a working thumb drive High Sierra to a hard drive instead, but it refused to boot.
-I've also tried troubleshooting each error individually, and so far all solutions fail except my workarounds above.11/01/23 updated with new error #4 test results, and added missed "I tried" items.
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