Fix: Mac Sierra error “The installer Payload failed signature check”

One of the Mac users tried to install Sierra multiple times. But the error message is continuously showing on the screen. The error message is “The installer payload failed signature check”. Have you tried several methods like recreating the installer USB stick, internet recovery, If that doesn’t work Try the below suggestions to resolve the error issues.

Solution 1: Change the system date and time

If you don’t have an internet connection,

1. Close the installer. Go to the utility menu and open a Terminal window.
2. Enter ‘date’ to know your system date and time.
3. If your system’s date and time is wrong then enter ‘date <month><day><hour><minute><two digit year>’
4. Now a window will display with a new system date and time.
5. Close Terminal and reopen again the macOS Siera installation.

How to change date and time on older Mac version

Try to reboot your Mac. Go to Apple Menu -> System Preferences and change your date and time.
Reboot your USB boot disk.
If you don’t have OS on your Mac follow the steps to rectify the error.

1. Open Utilities and select Terminal.
2. Enter date in the prompt. Now you view the date of your Mac.
3. If you have an internet connection on your Mac, go online and check the current date and time. By going into prompt, and enter ntpdate-u time.apple.com. Click Return.

4. Now, you will find the current date and time.

Solution 2: Use ntpdate command

• Use ntpdate command in the recovery system to update your system clock.
• ntpdate – u time.apple.com
• Now, reopen the OS X installer

Solution 3: Copy the files to the USB drive

• If the InstallESD.dmg file was not copied to the USB drive, this error will occur. Open the terminal and run the diff command. Go to the Application directory and copy the below files into the USB drive.
• diff/Applications/Install\macOS\Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg/Volumes/Install\macOS\Sierra/Install\macOS\Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg
• If the result of the binary files is dissimilar, run the next command.Sudo cp/Applications/Install\macOS\Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg/Volumes/Install\macOS\Sierra/Install\macOS\Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSSupport/InstallESD.dmg

Note: Enter the sudo command for the Administrative Password.

Solution 4: Run directly from the Hard Disk

• Like everybody tries some solution on their own, some people find that it works when you just run directly from the Hard Disk.
• Some people find it helpful for their Mac. make sure that you rebooted correctly.

Solution 5: Change the USB port

• Make sure that nothing wrong with the USB port / hard disk.
• To ensure that, change the hard disk you had tried with and try to copy the files to another hard disk to process.

Other Solutions

• Delete the previous downloader installer and again re-download it through AppStore.
• Search “Sierra” and click download. Also, check whether the previous downloader gets deleted.

Tips & summary:

1. Change the system date and time  (necessary when you haven’t used it for a while)
2. Use ntpdata command
3. Copy files to a USB drive
4. Run directly from the hard disk
5. Change the USB port

Final verdict:

Hope you find it helpful and thanks for supporting us. If you knew any other solutions about Fix: Mac Sierra error “The installer payload failed signature check” inform us using comments.