How to download intel version of macOS Big Sur installer

The issue maybe because the USB Installer was created on an M1 System. It may sound odd, but worked on another person having issue creating a USB Installer made on Intel machine that would refused to work.

There is what appears to happen. The USB Drive formatted on the M1 using the createinstallmedia command on an M1 will function. But a USB Formatted via DU on Intel and then moved to M1 and same createinstallmedia command used will function only to the point of Bless as bootable and there fail time and time again. That same drive will have to be reformatted on the M1 in DU and re-run the createinstallmedia command and presto - all goes through

Suspect the Universal Installer does pickup the CPU type and there is the bottle-neck

If one wants to look over here for a more detailed description of all discussions - if this will assist. https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253005237

VikingOSX wrote:

Not that I am aware. The choice of the Big Sur installer architecture that is downloaded is likely made by machine architecture detection prior to the download. For that reason, I suspect one cannot download an arm64 Big Sur installer to a 2020 iMac either.

I am pretty sure that Apple is still using a 'Universal" installer otherwise the OP would not even be able to start the install if they were "unique to the machine". Also, the ipsw file that can be used with Configurator 2 to restore M1 Macs and T1 Intel Macs is identical, UniversalMac_11.5.1_20G80_Restore.ipsw.

There is no Intel version or Apple Chip version. Your Mac will automatically choose which version is correct for your computer. If you wish to download macOS Big Sur, then please click on this link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-big-sur/id1526878132?mt=12. Have a good day!

I have made Universal2 binaries here and it requires a separate build for each architecture whose binaries are then marsupialized into the Universal2 application bundle (via lipo). If Apple did this for every binary within the macOS Big Sur .dmg, wouldn't it be 24GB+ and not 12GB compressed? I am probably missing something here… 🤓

Not that I am aware. The choice of the Big Sur installer architecture that is downloaded is likely made by machine architecture detection prior to the download. For that reason, I suspect one cannot download an arm64 Big Sur installer to a 2020 iMac either.

Download it on the Big Sur compatible Mac with Intel architecture.