Make a bootable external disk with Mojave Installer

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Make a bootable external disk with Mojave Installer

Hello all!

First time I am going through this process. The external Disk should run on an older Mac, to reinstall Mojave. This MacBook Pro is stuck in the booting process after entering the password. So I am unable to figure out, when this Lap was built, whether Mojave is running on it. Could somebody check the Serial Number: C02JKAYADTY3 ???

Now to my question: I am trying to make an external start disk with Mojave installer. In my Shell I issued following command:

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

After this process the external disk is named Install Mojave disk, something like that ... On this disk is an installer - which needs Internet (?), but no bootable system. But I am unable to install Mojave on it. And the MacBook Pro wants to start as before and is stuck in the startup. When I choose the external disk for install with Mojave, it is saying, that the external disk is not formatted as it should (as APFS). But I don't need APFS for an old MacBook Pro ...

Any help? Would be very grateful for any hint

marek

Posted on Sep 18, 2019 4:01 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

HWTech

Level 9

55,664 points

Sep 20, 2019 12:30 PM in response to Marek Stepanek

Yes, Linux is very useful in troubleshooting systems. When I discovered Knoppix 15+ years ago I was amazed at the multitude of free tools & utilities on a single CD (even though I had experimented with Linux prior to Knoppix). It quickly replaced my other Window's based CDs which had severe limitations. I have since moved on to using Linux (Debian specifically) as a daily driver and to create my own custom support boot disks although I still use Knoppix from time to time. It is usually a matter of overlooking the flaws and concentrating on the strengths and adjusting your workflow accordingly. Same with any OS.

As for your hard drive I think it actually appears worse than you think. While the drive is relatively unused with only 21 hours of use, it does have two Reported Uncorrectable errors listed (attribute #187) which are reaching your file system and OS.

Normally I don't consider attribute# 195 "Hardware ECC Recovered" due to the odd implementations found in most drives, but here I think it is important as it relates to the two Reported Uncorrectable errors in attribute #187. The important part of attribute #195 is not the RAW value, but the "Value" and "Worst" columns. The "Value" and "Worst" are adjusted indicators for the attribute calculated from the RAW value. These numbers start out high and decrease as errors accumulate. The starting value varies, but usually the start value is either 250, 200, or 100. In this case I believe the start value was 100 and it is now at 051 nearly halfway to the "Threshold" of 000. Since the "Threshold" is "000", this will never trigger an outright failure warning as this attribute is considered only an indication of old age.

Attribute #195 indicates the drive's hardware is compensating and correcting stored data successfully except for the two events reported by Attribute #187. Because the drive has to correct errors (even successfully), this comes at a cost of performance & stability. Plus the drive won't be able to keep compensating for the errors since it already failed twice.

Since you are also experiencing issues with installing Mojave I believe your hard drive should be replaced.

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Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

55,664 points

Sep 18, 2019 12:33 PM in response to Marek Stepanek

You have a MBPro 13" (mid-2012) laptop.

The hard drive cable on this particular model has an extremely high failure rate and may need to be replaced.

You may also have a failing hard drive. To check the health of the hard drive create a bootable Knoppix Linux USB drive using Etcher (Mac/Windows/Linux). Option Boot the Knoppix drive and select the orange icon labeled "EFI". Once at the Knoppix desktop click on the "Start" menu on the lower left of the Taskbar and navigate to "System Tools --> GSmartControl". Within the GSmartControl app double-click on the drive icon which will show the health information & attributes for the drive. Post the GSmartControl report here using the "Additional Text" icon which looks like a piece of paper. Post the report even if the drive is listed as healthy as the report may contain clues.

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Answer 3

Sep 20, 2019 10:45 AM in response to HWTech

Sorry for my late reply. Was too occupied. I made as you suggested, and I am really amazed by Linux capabilities. Here are the reports and indeed the startup disk hast some errors although I don't see any serious errors in the following report. But first let me report on the status quo: I succeeded to install Mojave after erasing the SSD drive. It is starting without problems now. Only downside: both disks are not under the "roof" of a fusion drive and I am not sure, whether both drives were originally together as a fusion drive. So I will put them together with Disk Utility and reinstall Mojave and reimport both users with the timemachine backup. Good plan? Thank you again for your suggestion Mr HWTech

I made a big step forward in my computer knowledge because of you!

Here the report at the end some errors:

Error log

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Answer 4

Sep 18, 2019 4:07 AM in response to Marek Stepanek

Sorry for the noise! I just discovered the right command in the Installer App:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --volume /Volumes/startup_disk

Right? I am not able to verify just now! Perhaps somebody who knows to check the Serial Nr and compatibility with Mojave?

marek

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Answer 5

Sep 18, 2019 4:08 AM in response to Marek Stepanek

Do not post serial numbers here. They are considered private information and we can't answer your question from the serial number, anyway. We are just users like you.

You seem to have done the process to create the bootable installer correctly.

Both the name of the drive and its contents are as expected.

To use it to install Mojave on the other mac, all you have to do is insert the drive, turn the mac on and hold down the Option key until you are offered the selection of possible startup drives. Choose your installer drive and proceed. That is it - assuming your other mac can run Mojave.

The installer disk itself is not formatted as APFS. The drive you install Mojave ON will be converted to APFS by the installer.

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Answer 6

Sep 18, 2019 5:14 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thank you Luis!

Sorry for the serial number. I gave up to make the bootable external disk over my Shell. So I downloaded the Diskmaker X to achieve this. But this installer is not bootable??? (Not sure!) In any case when I choose Mojave Install disk it starts the user and asking the password and then it is stuck after 35 Minutes, saying it is unable to install Mojave on this computer (this is the same as before, when I started the MBP in recovery mode). Probably I should try to make an external disk with High-Sierra installer?

Thank you in any case for your helpful answer.

marek

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Answer 7

Sep 18, 2019 5:25 AM in response to Marek Stepanek

The command in your FIRST post was the correct one to create the installer disk - and apparently you had done it.

Now it seems you created that installer a second time using DiskMaker - that is also fine.

What exactly is the model of the mac you want to install onto, and what OS is it currently running?

To answer this question precisely, go to the Apple menu and choose About this Mac.

Post a screenshot or write exactly what you see there (for example, do not just write "iMac", but what you see there may be more like

iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)

Also, be specific about the OS (e.g. OS X El Capitan 10.11.4, or macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 or...)

I am thinking that maybe your mac is too old, or has an OS that is too old to upgrade directly to Mojave.

We need the above information to know for sure.

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Answer 8

Sep 18, 2019 5:50 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Thx again! As I explained, the MBP is not bootable, and wants to continue an Update or reinstall of Mojave. So I am not able to check anything (under apple menu or ... and in recovery mode, there is no Apple Menu either). The boot is stuck after 40 Minutes saying Mojave is unable to finish the install on this computer. For that reason I asked for checking the serial number. If I may guess it is a 2011 MBP 13 Inch. With a lot of disk space : 1 TB + 500 GB for the system ... Thats all I know.

Now I made an Install High Sierra disk. By the way: DiskMaker did not want to accept my (old) High Sierra Installer. But from my Shell it seemed to work to create this Install disk. (I keep you informed, whether the reinstall worked).

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

Best greetings

marek

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Answer 9

Sep 18, 2019 7:11 AM in response to Marek Stepanek

Unfortunately there is something wrong. This install of High Sierra is finishing with an error translated from German like follows:

macOs could not be installed in your computer
the procedure could not be finished. File exists
restart your computer ...

I am really at the end of my knowledge. Hardware Test (Start with D pressed) run through with message: ADP000 (without any error).

Don't know what I can do again

marek

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Answer 10

Sep 18, 2019 1:13 PM in response to HWTech

Thx HWTech! Interesting answer! Give me 24 hours. I will post back tomorrow. What I could try too: erase the MacBook Pro System disk and make a clean install. Only problem: I don't know how to recover the two users on the other disk or partition (it's 1 TB, so I suppose in this MBP are two SSD/HD - I just checked: CD drive is blocked). After the install I am asked for Apple ID etc - I have everything, I mean all Passwords, but how to point to the two users on the second drive? Sorry for this dump question. A second possibility is to install the original OS X by starting in recovery mode with Shift+Cntr+Cmd+R ...

But first try is what you suggested: check the EFI with Knoppix

Good night

marek

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Answer 11

Sep 20, 2019 1:55 PM in response to HWTech

Thank you again! So I think I will replace the SSD and same time check the power cable of the HD, which you said not very stable. I have to learn a lot again, to understand all these error messages. I will dig into it (right English?) Once again, thank you that you opened a new world for me (Linux).

marek

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Answer 12

HWTech

Level 9

55,664 points

Sep 20, 2019 3:33 PM in response to Marek Stepanek

Marek Stepanek wrote:

Thank you again! So I think I will replace the SSD and same time check the power cable of the HD, which you said not very stable. I have to learn a lot again, to understand all these error messages. I will dig into it (right English?) Once again, thank you that you opened a new world for me (Linux).

marek

You are welcome.

FYI, you did not provide any SMART report for the SSD, but your SSD is likely fine. If you want to post the report for the SSD I would be glad to examine it. The Seagate hard drive is what has the errors and needs to be replaced as well as the hard drive cable in the main drive bay.

Good luck.

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