Update error: A snapshot is currently set to boot that is not the currently booted snapshot [solved]

macos_snapshot_fix.md

Fix for "A snapshot is currently set to boot that is not the currently booted snapshot" issue

I spent a while figuring this one out. Here is what I did to render it [Solved] on my Dad's new Sonoma iMac. (BTW: I caused this problem in the first place by enabling his nfsd service, then adding and tagging the snapshot as bootable)

1. Boot into recovery mode, open the terminal and disable SIP

   csrutil disable

2. Reboot at this point back into Recovery mode and this time open up DiskUtil

   You should now be able to see the system snapshot that is causing the issue, however you will not be able to delete it (since it is the active boot snapshot) So, instead, take careful note of the previous snapshot - it might have a name like:

   com.apple.os.update-5E4DF785AD9E60757D57924284549E29EECDBFE5942B5587D41DEAD049A903BE

3. Now exit DiskUtil and go back into Terminal, then mount the booting hard disk as rw:

   mount -uw /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

4. Now 'tag' the official snapshot as the next bootable one:

   /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs_systemsnapshot -r "SnapshotName" -v /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD

   (replace SnapshotName with the name of your snaphot. (like the one I showed)

5. Now exit the terminal and go back into DiskUtil

   Now you can view the snapshot and should be able to delete the offending one if you want to. (select it and click the minus sign at the bottom left)

6. Exit DiskUtil and go back to the terminal (last time I promise) and re-enable SIP:

   csrutil enable

7. Reboot back into MacOS and your apple sanctioned update should proceed without any errors

diskutil apfs listSnapshots /disk3s1

can directly get the snapshot's name from the terminal.

You can execute

diskutil list 

to know how many disk you have in the computer.