Error creating a macOS Big Sur bootable installer

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Error creating a macOS Big Sur bootable installer

I am trying to create a bootable installer for macOS Big Sur on an M1 MacBook Air to use on a 2016 MacBook Air that cannot reinstall macOS in recovery mode. I have a 32GB flash drive that I am trying to make into a bootable installer and I have downloaded the macOS Big Sur installer, but when I try to use terminal to complete the process, I get an error that I haven't found a working solution to online. I have tried multiple times but keep getting the same error:

Erasing disk: 0%... 10%... 20%... 30%... 100%
Copying to disk: 0%...
Error: Error Domain=NSCocoaErrorDomain Code=512 "“MacOS” couldn’t be copied to “Contents”." UserInfo={NSSourceFilePathErrorKey=/Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/PlugIns/IA.bundle/Contents/MacOS, NSUserStringVariant=(
    Copy
), NSDestinationFilePath=/Volumes/Install macOS Big Sur/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/PlugIns/IA.bundle/Contents/MacOS, NSFilePath=/Applications/Install macOS Big Sur.app/Contents/PlugIns/IA.bundle/Contents/MacOS, NSUnderlyingError=0x6000021fc570 {Error Domain=NSPOSIXErrorDomain Code=22 "Invalid argument"}}The copy of the installer app failed.

I have tried using the flash drive as both ExFAT and Mac OS Extended (Journaled), both times in GUID Partition Map Scheme. The MacBook I am creating the installer on came with Big Sur preinstalled, so it should be able to create an installer for it. I would appreciate any help as to how to get the flash drive into a working installer for Big Sur because the 2016 MacBook Air is unusable until I can reinstall macOS on it.

MacBook Air

Posted on Jul 13, 2022 8:54 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Level 9

60,446 points

Jul 14, 2022 1:50 PM in response to HexaGeorge

It is hard to say, but it seems like maybe the installer may be corrupt. Delete the installer app from the Applications folder and empty the Trash. Download the installer and try the commands again.

Try booting into Safe Mode in case you have some third party software installed which is interfering with the normal operation of macOS (usual culprits are anti-virus apps, cleaning apps, and third party security software). See if the commands work in Safe Mode.

Make sure to follow the instructions in this Apple article to acquire the macOS installers and the commands needed to create the bootable USB installer (these are the only instructions you need to follow):

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Try using another USB stick especially a different brand since the quality of USB sticks is extremely poor.

I believe I have created bootable macOS USB installers using my M1 Mac in the past, but I am running Big Sur.

Your MBAir should be able to access the online macOS installer by booting into Internet Recovery Mode using Command + Option + R (will access the Monterey installer if a 2015 or 2017 model -- there is no 2016 MBAir). Or Command + Option + Shift + R to access the online installer for the OS which shipped from the factory.

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Answer 2

Jul 13, 2022 11:06 AM in response to HexaGeorge

Maybe M1 and Intel Macs don't mix (some sources say that in M1 Macs it might be necessary to format the USB flash drive on the same M1 Mac because a drive formatted on an Intel Mac might not boot).

Try to connect the 2016 MacBook Air via Ethernet to the router and use Internet recovery (keep other net traffic to the minimum).

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Answer 3

HexaGeorge Author

Level 1

4 points

Jul 13, 2022 12:34 PM in response to Matti Haveri

I can boot the 2016 MacBook Air into internet recovery mode and access macOS Utilities, but I receive the error message "The Installer information on the recovery server is damaged." I have tried to fix this error but no online sources have provided a working solution through recovery mode which is why I am attempting to create a bootable installer to use instead.

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Error creating a macOS Big Sur bootable installer

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