[Fixed]An Internal State Error Occurred! Partitioning Failed (2025)

Summary:Encountering the error "An intenal state error has occurred"! You can:

1.Recover the drive's data as quickly as possible withiBoysoftData Recovery for Mac
2.Repair the disk with Disk Utility or macOS Recovery Mode
3.Reset NVRAM and SMC
4.Create a new user account in Users & Groupsin System Settings
5.Check in Mac Safe Modewith the Shift key
6.Restore from your Time Machine backup
7.Erase the drive and reinstall macOS in Recovery Mode

DownloadiBoysoft Data RecoveryRating:4.8

The error message "An internal state error occurred" on your Mac can be both confusing and frustrating. This error typically points to underlying issues within macOS, such as corrupted system files, faulty user accounts, or startup problems.

It may appear during login, while booting, or during system updates, making the normal process stuck.

I cannot restore or reinstall macOS, and I get this error inside Disk Utility. But I tried everything except throwing it out the window.-discussion.apple.com
See Also
How to exit Safe Mode (when stuck) on Windows 11 - UMA Technology [Windows 11/10] Wie man in den abgesicherten Modus wechselt | Offizieller Support | ASUS Deutschland

When I attempted to resize the partition of my external drive in Disk Utility, but found the bigger Free Space partition. I tried to delete it, however, I got the error "An internal state error has occurred".-reddit.com

Whatever the scenario, this error can severely impact your productivity and access to files, so it's important to address it promptly and protect your data.

The priority: Recover data as soon as possible

Before attempting any solutions, data recovery should be your top priority. System-level issues like this Internal state error that occurred when partitioning disks can result in data corruption or irretrievable data loss, especially if you need to do the partitioning or erasing as normal again.

For recovering data from the internal and external drives, one of the most reliable tools in such error situations isiBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac. It supports macOS Sequoia/Sonoma/Ventura/Monterey..., which is designed to scan and recover inaccessible files from Mac, including external disks or problematic volumes.

DownloadiBoysoft Data RecoveryRating:4.8

Let's recover the valuable data with iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac:

Free download, install, and open iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.
Select Storage Device under Data Recovery on the left.
Select the wrong drive and click Search for Lost Data at the bottom.
Wait for scanning, then preview the files. Select the needed ones or select all and click Recover.
(Remember to save to another safe place.)
Click OK when finishing recovery, and Finder will open the files for you.

By the way, if you encounter the error inmacOS Recovery mode, you canrun iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac in recovery modeto rescue your data, too.

Once data is safe(whether in internal or external drives), proceed with the following troubleshooting steps to fix the "An internal state error has occurred". Share this useful tool, please.

How to fix "An internal state error has occurred" on Mac

After getting back all your data, you can try several methods here to eliminate the error and restore your system's functionality.

# 1 Use First Aid in Disk Utility

Corrupted disk structures can trigger internal system errors, such as an internal state error that occurs on Mac. Running First Aid inDisk Utilitycan help repair these issues.

Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
Select the internal/external disk on the left.
Click First Aid on the top toolbar, then click Run.

You can also boot into macOS Recovery Mode and use Utilities > Disk Utility > First Aid to scan and repair any disk errors. If First Aid completes successfully but the error persists, continue with the next steps.

# 2 Reset NVRAM and SMC

NVRAM(Non-Volatile Random-Access Memory) and SMC (System Management Controller) store critical system settings. Resetting them can fix startup and hardware-related issues.

To reset NVRAM:

Shut down your Mac.
Turn it on and immediately press Option + Command + P + R.
Hold for about 20 seconds.

To reset SMC (for Intel Macs):

Shut down your Mac.
Hold Shift + Control + Option on the left side and the power button for 10 seconds.
Release all keys and restart your Mac.

# 3 Boot into Safe Mode

Mac Safe Modeloads macOS with only essential extensions, helping to diagnose issues caused by third-party software or startup items.

Intel Macs: Restart and hold the Shift key until the login screen appears.
Apple Silicon Macs: Shut down > Hold the power button until options appear > Select your startup disk while holding Shift, then click Continue in Safe Mode.

Use Safe Mode to test if the error appears. If not, uninstall recently installed apps or extensions that might be causing the problem.

# 4 Create a new user account

If the error only appears under a specific user profile, the issue may be due to corrupted user settings.

Apple menu > System Settings> Scroll down and click Users & Groups.
Click Add User to create a new user account.
(You'll be asked to enter the password.)
Enter the Full Name, Account Name, Password... and click Create User.
Log in to the new user account and check if the error still occurs.

If not, the issue is likely user-specific, and transferring data to the new profile may be a solution.

# 5 Restore from a Time Machine

If you've been regularly backing up withTime Machine, restoring your Mac to a previous working state can resolve the error.

Boot into macOS Recovery Mode.
Select Restore from Time Machine Backup.
Choose a backup date before the error first appeared.

This will revert your system settings and files to a stable version.

# 6 Erase drive in macOS Recovery Mode

If all else fails, erasing the drive is a more drastic but effective solution to remove deeply rooted system errors.

Warning:This will erase all data. Ensure you've recovered everything beforehand with iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac.

Boot into macOS Recovery Mode.
Open Utilities panel > Disk Utility, select your startup disk, and click Erase.
Choose APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and confirm.
Once erased, you're ready to reinstall macOS.
Go back to the beginning page, select Reinstall macOS…, and follow the on-screen instructions.

After reinstallation, check if the error "An internal state error has occurred" is resolved. If you previously erased your drive, you'll need to restore your data from the backup. Please share these ways with more Mac users.

"An internal state error has occurred" is a critical error that shouldn't be ignored. The best approach is to prioritize data recovery using iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac, then proceed with systematic troubleshooting, and hope that you can restore your Mac to full working order without losing valuable data.