Problem updating Mac Mini fusion drive to High Sierra or Mojave

Long ago, I unwisely updated my Mac Mini fusion drive to a beta version of High Sierra. Ever since, I have not been able to update to later versions of High Sierra or to Mojave.


When I try doing any update, l either to the last High Sierra or to Mojave, I get a message from Apple saying to follow the instructions on these pages:


https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372


As per the second set of instructions, I attach an old external hard drive for the bootable installer, open Terminal, and copy this into the command line (MyBook being the name of the external hard drive):


sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyBook


When I hit enter, Terminal tells me:


/Application/Install macOS High Sierra.app does not appear to be a valid OS installer application.


What am I doing wrong? Alternately, is it possible le to just wipe my Mac Mini's drive clean and install High Sierra (or Mojave) directly, without the external drive? Everything's backed up.

Mac mini, macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 26, 2019 2:14 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 26, 2019 11:05 PM

Where is your installer app? See if the following helps: DiskMaker X 8.0.3. Or you can do it manually. I've made bootable USB sticks with all of this, so I'm pretty sure it works.


Bootable USB Installers for OS X Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra


First, review this introductory article: Create a bootable installer for macOS. Second, read this How To outline for creating a bootable macOS installer. Simply use the Terminal command by copying and pasting the command line for the version of macOS from the list below. You will need an 8GB or larger USB flash drive that has been partitioned and formatted for use with OS X as well as an installer for the desired macOS version that you have previously downloaded from the App Store.


Drive Partition and Format


  1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities' folder.
  2. After Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry with the mfg.'s ID and size) from the side list.
  3. Click on the Erase tab in the Disk Utility toolbar. Name the drive, "MyVolume". <---- IMPORTANT!
  4. In the drop down panel set the partition scheme to GUID. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
  5. Click on the Apply button and wait for the Done button to activate. When it does click on it.
  6. Quit Disk Utility.


Create Installer


Open the Terminal in the Utilities' folder. Choose the appropriate command line (in red) depending upon what OS X installer you want. Paste that entire command line from below at the Terminal's prompt:


Command for macOS Mojave:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume


  • Command for macOS High Sierra:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume


Command for macOS Sierra:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app


Command for El Capitan:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app


Command for Yosemite:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app


Command for Mavericks:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app


Press RETURN. You will be asked for your admin password. It will not echo to the Terminal window. Then press RETURN again. Wait for the return of the Terminal prompt signifying the process has completed. It takes quite some time to finish. Be patient.


  • If your Mac is using macOS Sierra or earlier, include the --applicationpath argument. The Sierra and El Capitan commands show the proper format of this argument.


The bootable installer can be used to install the selected version of macOS. Shut the computer down. Insert your flash drive into a USB port. Start the computer like so:


Boot Using OPTION key


  1. Restart the computer.
  2. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the  "OPTION" key.
  3. Release the key when the Boot Manager screen appears.
  4. Select the disk icon for the USB flash drive.
  5. Click on the arrow button under the disk icon.




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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 26, 2019 11:05 PM in response to Peter in New York

Where is your installer app? See if the following helps: DiskMaker X 8.0.3. Or you can do it manually. I've made bootable USB sticks with all of this, so I'm pretty sure it works.


Bootable USB Installers for OS X Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra


First, review this introductory article: Create a bootable installer for macOS. Second, read this How To outline for creating a bootable macOS installer. Simply use the Terminal command by copying and pasting the command line for the version of macOS from the list below. You will need an 8GB or larger USB flash drive that has been partitioned and formatted for use with OS X as well as an installer for the desired macOS version that you have previously downloaded from the App Store.


Drive Partition and Format


  1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities' folder.
  2. After Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry with the mfg.'s ID and size) from the side list.
  3. Click on the Erase tab in the Disk Utility toolbar. Name the drive, "MyVolume". <---- IMPORTANT!
  4. In the drop down panel set the partition scheme to GUID. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
  5. Click on the Apply button and wait for the Done button to activate. When it does click on it.
  6. Quit Disk Utility.


Create Installer


Open the Terminal in the Utilities' folder. Choose the appropriate command line (in red) depending upon what OS X installer you want. Paste that entire command line from below at the Terminal's prompt:


Command for macOS Mojave:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume


  • Command for macOS High Sierra:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume


Command for macOS Sierra:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app


Command for El Capitan:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app


Command for Yosemite:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app


Command for Mavericks:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app


Press RETURN. You will be asked for your admin password. It will not echo to the Terminal window. Then press RETURN again. Wait for the return of the Terminal prompt signifying the process has completed. It takes quite some time to finish. Be patient.


  • If your Mac is using macOS Sierra or earlier, include the --applicationpath argument. The Sierra and El Capitan commands show the proper format of this argument.


The bootable installer can be used to install the selected version of macOS. Shut the computer down. Insert your flash drive into a USB port. Start the computer like so:


Boot Using OPTION key


  1. Restart the computer.
  2. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the  "OPTION" key.
  3. Release the key when the Boot Manager screen appears.
  4. Select the disk icon for the USB flash drive.
  5. Click on the arrow button under the disk icon.




Jun 26, 2019 4:28 PM in response to Kappy

I'm confused--those slashes are there in my command. I have mine in Notes, and then copied yours right below it, and I swear they are absolutely identical! Anyway, pasting yours into the command line still results in the same message.


I have verified that Install macOS High Sierra is in my Applications folder, downloaded just this morning.


As an experiment, I used the command for Mojave, and it finds that just fine.


Puzzled...

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Problem updating Mac Mini fusion drive to High Sierra or Mojave

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