App Store only downloads a 'downloader.' It doesn't download full Monterey 'installer.'

Please help me to get full macos installer as I need to create a bootable drive to install on other mac.

Size of macos downloaded installer - ~40MB

Size mentioned on the App Store - ~12 GB


Now I come across this error - Applications/Install macOS Monterey.app does not appear to be a valid OS installer application.


Help me Apple!

MacBook Pro

Posted on Oct 25, 2021 10:04 PM

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Posted on Oct 26, 2021 4:49 AM

Open the Terminal Application and use this command without the quotation marks


" softwareupdate -l " this will search for updates and if it finds Monterey - good


Same thing again No Quotation Marks


"  softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 12 " or whatever the output from previous command

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6 replies

Oct 26, 2021 5:05 AM in response to dvcam.rastogi1980

FYI and as @ Jack-19 very correctly mentioned - sometimes Apple will offer a " Stub Installer " for an upgrade of a newer macOS like Monterey.


The Stub effectively calls to the Apple Servers and does Unknown know things ( to me ) and then pulls down the remainder of the Full Version.


That makes it impossible to make a USB Installer. which is what you want to do. The why Apple does this - really only they could answer that question.


Oct 25, 2021 10:36 PM in response to dvcam.rastogi1980

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities.


When downloading a newer version of macOS on a Mac that has an older version, such as downloading macOS Monterey on macOS Catalina, occasionally only a small installer will be downloaded.


I suggest that you use macOS Internet Recovery on the Mac you need to upgrade to Monterey, or upgrade your Mac to macOS Monterey before creating the macOS Bootable Installer.


Jack

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App Store only downloads a 'downloader.' It doesn't download full Monterey 'installer.'

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