An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running the application again

Question

I Have erased the hard drive of my MBP in order to perform a clean reinstall of OS X Mavericks, according to these instructions.
When I tried to reinstall, my internet connection stopped (was broadcasting via another MBP and the cable from that one got disconnected), so I restarted the erased MBP to try again. Holding command+R, it booted in internet recovery (as the recovery partition was erased along with the rest of the hard drive), but could not connect over the broadcasted WiFi, so I created a bootable USB flash drive according to these instructions on the other MBP.
This installation went smooth without any hiccups, but due to an oversight I had to do it again the next day.
I took the same steps, with the same bootable drive (I did not create a new one the first time) but this time I couldn’t get through the prepare to install phase. At the end, where the “about a second remaining” message stays for about 20 minutes, I get the “An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running the application again” message. When I quit the installer (only option at that stage) and return to Disk Utility, the internal drive on which I tried to do the installation is not visible anymore.
I tried this (after a reboot every time) with a new bootable usb drive with the same download of the OS X Mavericks installer and with a new one, each ending with the same error. The installer was downloaded on an MBP on which Mavericks is also installed, with the same Apple ID. The App Store did not allow me to change Apple ID for the Mavericks download. Can this pose a problem? It did work the first time, though.
Note that this error occurs at a different stage than the one with the same message due to the wrong date (this discussion amongst others). I also checked the date in terminal and this appears to be correct, when I consider the timezone.
Here are a few lines from the installer log (omitted similar lines and lines that could contain personal information). The most important line is the last one, indicating the error.
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: @(#)PROGRAM:Install  PROJECT:Install-846
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: @(#)PROGRAM:IA  PROJECT:InstallAssistant-476.8
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Hardware: MacBookPro9,2 @ 2.50 GHz (x 4), 4096 MB RAM
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Running OS Build: Mac OS X 10.9.3 (13D65)
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: DYLD_NO_FIX_PREBINDING=1
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: __CF_USER_TEXT_ENCODING=0x0:0:0
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: PATH=/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: PWD=/
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: SHLVL=1
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: __OSINSTALL_ENVIRONMENT=1
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: CI_DEFAULT_OPENCL_USAGE=0
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: OS_INSTALL=1
Jun 22 02:14:01 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Env: _=/System/Library/CoreServices/Language Chooser.app/Contents/MacOS/Language Chooser
Jun 22 02:14:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using distribution archive from /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/Install OS X Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/OSInstall.mpkg
Jun 22 02:14:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Configuring products from SharedSupport folder
Jun 22 02:14:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Install is double-dmg. Not adding chunklist to download list.
Jun 22 02:14:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using product <OSInstallDVDProduct> based on media at /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/Install OS X Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport at distance 5
Jun 22 02:14:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using product <OSInstallESDProduct> based on distribution at /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/Install OS X Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/OSInstall.mpkg at distance 5
Jun 22 02:14:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Checking Software Update catalog URL https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-10.9-mountainlion-lion-sn owleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: JS: installCheckScript threw exception TypeError: 'null' is not an object (evaluating 'my.target.systemVersion')
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: No available package ref for compatibility update. Ignoring.
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: *** IFDCustomizationController_10_6 does not know the size of distant package at (null)
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: *** IFDCustomizationController_10_6 does not know the size of distant package at (null)
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Can not connect to /var/run/systemkeychaincheck.socket: No such file or directory
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not load Software Update catalog: Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1009 "The Internet connection appears to be offline." UserInfo=0x7fedd960ccc0 {NSUnderlyingError=0x7feddc866ef0 "The Internet connection appears to be offline.", NSErrorFailingURLStringKey=https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-10.9-mountainlion-lion-sn owleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog, NSErrorFailingURLKey=https://swscan.apple.com/content/catalogs/others/index-10.9-mountainlion-lion-sn owleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog, NSLocalizedDescription=The Internet connection appears to be offline.}
Jun 22 02:14:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not fetch SWU catalog to create SWU product
Jun 22 02:14:49 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: LSExceptions [0x7fedd9446e50] unloaded
Jun 22 02:15:12 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: No available package ref for compatibility update. Ignoring.
Jun 22 02:15:12 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: *** IFDCustomizationController_10_6 does not know the size of distant package at (null)
Jun 22 02:15:12 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: *** IFDCustomizationController_10_6 does not know the size of distant package at (null)
Jun 22 02:20:55 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Created IATool object:dbe23a50
Jun 22 02:20:56 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not find package ref in any source for: com.apple.pkg.BaseSystemBinaries
—a lot of similar messages, but for other packages —
Jun 22 02:20:56 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: No available package ref for compatibility update. Ignoring.
Jun 22 02:21:09 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Preventing machine sleep.
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using product IA_PKSecureNetEnabledProduct <file:///Volumes/schijf/OS%20X%20Install%20Data/> at distance 5
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using existing boot files dir at /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using mutable product path: /Volumes/schijf/OS X Install Data
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Using boot files path: /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not find package ref in any source for: com.apple.pkg.BaseSystemBinaries
—a lot of similar messages, but for other packages —
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not find package ref in any source for: com.apple.pkg.OSInstall
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: No available package ref for compatibility update. Ignoring.
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not find package ref in any source for: com.apple.pkg.BaseSystemBinaries
—a lot of similar messages, but for other packages —
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Could not find package ref in any source for: com.apple.pkg.OSInstall
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: No available package ref for compatibility update. Ignoring.
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Retrieving 0 packages (0.000 GB)
*****This is where the timer starts saying “”About a minute remaining”*****
Jun 22 02:21:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Verifying InstallMacOSX.pkg/InstallESD.dmg
Jun 22 02:42:36 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Finished operation queue
Jun 22 02:42:36 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Opening /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/Install OS X Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg
Jun 22 02:42:38 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Extracting boot files from /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/BaseSystem.dmg
Jun 22 02:42:39 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Extracting Boot Bits from Inner DMG:
Jun 22 02:42:41 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Copied kernelcache
Jun 22 02:42:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Copied Boot.efi
Jun 22 02:42:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Copied PlatformSupport.plist
Jun 22 02:42:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Ejecting disk images
Jun 22 02:42:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Generating the com.apple.Boot.plist file
Jun 22 02:42:42 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: com.apple.Boot.plist: {
      "Kernel Cache" = "/.IABootFiles/kernelcache";
      "Kernel Flags" = "container-dmg=file:///Install%20OS%20X%20Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/ InstallESD.dmg root-dmg=file:///BaseSystem.dmg";
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Done generating the com.apple.Boot.plist file
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Blessing /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks -- /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Blessing Mount Point:/Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks Folder:/Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles plist:com.apple.Boot.plist
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: ***************************** Setting Startup Disk *****************************
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: ******           Path: /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: ******     Boot Plist: /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles/com.apple.Boot.plist
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: /usr/sbin/bless -setBoot -folder /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles -bootefi /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks/.IABootFiles/boot.efi -options config="\.IABootFiles\com.apple.Boot" -label OS X Installer
Jun 22 02:42:43 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Bless on /Volumes/Install OS X Mavericks succeeded
Jun 22 02:45:55 localhost Install OS X Mavericks[423]: Got error in writing to /Volumes/schijf/OS X Install Data/minstallconfig.xml
That last line indicates the error that occurred. (The internal drive on which I try to install Mavericks is called “schijf”, it also already has been called Macintosh HD, with no effect. This time I tried another name during the reformat to see if and when the installer renames the disk. Does it do this, or should I call the disk “Macintosh HD” myself?)
By now I also got past the internet recovery issues, being able to get the progress bar under the spinning globe and the option to install Lion (not Mavericks, but I suppose that’s because the MBP shipped with Lion). When I choose this option, the installer first spends a few hours downloading additional components. This eventually took less time than first indicated, but still about 4-5 hours. After this, the installation of about 24 minutes starts, but this takes much longer than the indicated 24 minutes, each minute taking about 15 minutes. When it was less than a minute, the internet connection got disconnected (but I don’t suppose it still needed an internet connection at this stage, having downloaded all additional components) and now the “Less than a minute” message has been there the whole night (about 9,5 hours), the last 9 hours with a spinning beachball on the screen after I accidentally clicked somewhere on the screen (nowhere in particular, he shouldn’t do something because of the click. After unplugging the power adapter, the battery icon on the screen wasn’t updated, and the WiFi icon simply disappeared, instead of showing no bars like it should when there’s no connection).
Does Anyone know how I can fix the error, because I would prefer installing with a bootable drive. Is it worth it to continue waiting on the current, apparently stuck Lion installer to finish or should I force a reboot?
Can I try using the Recovery Disk assistant (OS X Recovery Disk Assistant v1.0) to create a recovery disk with the other MBP? I think not, as this might cause trouble with 2 different MBP's using the same license.
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Since this thread seems to be gaining more speed than the other one i'm working on, i figured i'd add these images to help you all out detailing the exact problem.
I'm having the same issue and I wanted to provide some info specific to my mac, and some info in general to help with diganosis.
First, my specs
Secondly, I am running an aftermarket 500 GB drive.
Third, not sure if this is realated, but this screen suggests the proress will take 3 minutes, then it abruptly umps to the restart phase after about 1.5 - 2.5 minutes.
And finally, here is the seeminly unavoidable error message.
Also, other things I've tried now are
installing it from the "show package contents area",
mounting said DMG and trying to install from there.
installing a package file called "upgradeos.pkg"
no luck.