Open Radar

 
Summary:
This is a duplicate of radar #27761568

The  `startosinstall` tool included in OS X Upgrade apps (as of 10.11) hangs indefinitely when invoked non-interactively (e.g. from launchd)

The `startosinstall` utility is a welcome addition to macOS! Unfortunately it only works when invoked from an interactive, GUI based shell (e.g. from Terminal.app). When invoked non-interactively (e.g. from a launchd plist), the expected reboot/install never occurs. Instead, a cryptic error is displayed. This is deeply problematic, since the most popular use-case for `startosinstall` is to use it for automating macOS upgrades across large fleets of Mac computers. Automating fleet-wide upgrades requires non-interactive/scripted use of `startosinstall.`


Steps to Reproduce:
1. Download the "Upgrade to macOS Sierra Developer Beta" app (macOS 10.12 beta 4 - Build 16A239m) into /Applications
2. As a non-GUI user, Invoke /Applications/"Upgrade to macOS Sierra Developer Beta"/Contents/Resources/startosinstall with the following arguments:
/Applications/Install macOS Sierra Developer Beta.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --applicationpath=/Applications/Install macOS Sierra Developer Beta.app/ --volume=/ --agreetolicense

For an example as a non-GUI user, invoke the above as a LaunchDaemon with the attached plist (com.osx.sierra-upgrade.plist), like so:
sudo launchctl load /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.osx.sierra-upgrade.plist

Expected Results:
1.  `startosinstall` waits the default amount of time after displaying the message corresponding with "--agreetolicense"
2.  `startosinstall` prepares the upgrade and reboots the machine.
3. The machine installs macOS Sierra Developer Beta.

Actual Results:
`startosinstall` hangs indefinitely and logs the following error messages:

/var/log/system.log
8/8/16 11:55:31.174 PM com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: (com.apple.xpc.launchd.domain.system) Could not import service from caller: caller = startosinstall.96365, service = com.apple.install.osinstallersetupd, error = 134: Service cannot load in requested session

/var/log/install.log
Aug  8 23:55:31 MacBook-Pro startosinstall[96365]: Could not schedule setup agent. Error: Error Domain=CFErrorDomainLaunchd Code=2 "(null)"


Attachments:

1. com.osx.sierra-upgrade.plist:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
  <dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>com.osx.sierra-upgrade</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
      <string>/Applications/Install macOS Sierra Developer Beta.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall</string>
      <string>--applicationpath=/Applications/Install macOS Sierra Developer Beta.app/</string>
      <string>--volume=/</string>
      <string>--agreetolicense</string>
    </array>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true/>
  </dict>
</plist>

Version:
10.11.6 (15G31)

Notes:
This error is also triggered when the startosinstall is kicked off by a JAMF recurring check-in.