Usb installer broken and erased disk

This method will WIPE ALL Data and there is No Recovery - Period.

>> Only works on Intel Based Apple Computer

To perform this action will require booting from a Bootable Installer. 

The Bootable Installer can Only be performed on an Apple Computer 

This will have to be performed from a Qualifying Computer to run the version of macOS to be made on the Bootable Installer. Example : Bootable Installer of Big Sur would have to be done on a computer that Qualifies to run Big Sur.

Notation: If the computer being used to perform this action is Too New or Too Old to qualify to run the version of macOS - this computer can not be used.

Alternative is, to gain access to a Qualifying Apple Computer from a family member, friend or associate.

Extra Special Notation regarding the Touch ID equipped Apple Computer. About Startup Security Utility and Must Enable from Recovery Mode the ability to boot from External Drive Before Attempting 

1 - Shutdown computer and disconnect all external drive Except the newly created Bootable Installer.

2- Restart and immediately hold the OPTION key until the Startup Manager appears and choose the USB Drive. 

3 - It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 

4 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).

5 - The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map. This applies to macOS 10.14 Mojave and above. 

6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 

7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 

8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

I have two comments which may be useful. First, when you use the Command-R function to reload an operating system, it only installs the OS that originally came with the Mac. Then you must install an upgrade to your desired OS. Second, I recommend using a wired Ethernet connection for downloading OS updates and upgrades. They are too big for the slower Wi-Fi and corruption of the data being downloaded will often occur. (Not always, but often.) So I would reformat the flash drive and then you can download and install the newer OS installer onto it. Or you can just download it directly to your Mac and install the OS. Good luck.

Use the Option + Command + r ( three key combination ) that is the real Internet Recovery Mode .

Would suggest if at all possible to preform this with an Ethernet Cable to the Router.

That will eliminate the iffy and often time problematic Wifi and Manually Inputting the Wifi Password PLUS A more stable Internet Connection

If you have an Intel Mac, the you should erase the whole physical drive as GUID partition and APFS (top option). Within Disk Utility you may need to click "View" and select "Show All Devices" before the physical drive appears on the left pane of Disk Utility. Do this while booted to your Big Sur USB installer. Even Monterey has made more changes to the drive layout so Big Sur can have trouble unless you erase the whole physical drive.

If you can only boot from a macOS 10.11 installer, then make sure to erase the whole physical drive as GUID partition and MacOS Extended (Journaled) since El Capitan is unable to understand the newer drive layouts and APFS file system used by newer versions of macOS. After installing El Capitan you can create a new Big Sur USB installer if necessary or you can just upgrade to Big Sur directly.

Michiel Buisman wrote:

This is not helpful. For one: 10.11 disk util can not erase the internal drive anymore. And I don't want big sur, I want mojave.

It will work if you select the whole physical drive to erase. Otherwise you have a hardware issue. macOS 10.11 is unable to recognize the new drive layouts used by macOS 10.13+ so macOS 10.11 will be unable to erase or even see the "Macintosh HD" volume. That is the problem you are having, or there is a hardware issue. There is a slim chance you may need to destroy the partition table by writing zeroes to the beginning of the drive since in very rare situations the partition information may be in such a state that Disk Utility doesn't know what to do.

If you don't have access to a Qualifying Mac for creating a Mojave bootable installer, then you don't have much choice but to install Big Sur in order to allow you to create a bootable macOS 10.14 USB installer where you then perform another clean install of macOS. It is more work, but it will get you where you want to be. Isn't that the point to be able to make yourself a bootable Mojave USB installer? It may not be the way you were hoping to do it, but it will get you there.

FYI, here is an article showing macOS compatibility with various Apple hardware so you may be able to see whether you may have access to another Qualifying Mac to make the Mojave USB installer:

https://eshop.macsales.com/guides/Mac_OS_X_Compatibility

There is a slim chance you may need to destroy the partition table by writing zeroes to the beginning of the drive since in very rare situations the partition information may be in such a state that Disk Utility doesn't know what to do.

Is that why occasionally you have to Format a Drive ExFat or MS-DOS before you can put any Mac Format on it?

BDAqua wrote:

There is a slim chance you may need to destroy the partition table by writing zeroes to the beginning of the drive since in very rare situations the partition information may be in such a state that Disk Utility doesn't know what to do.

Is that why occasionally you have to Format a Drive ExFat or MS-DOS before you can put any Mac Format on it?

Yes. Usually the only time I see this is with USB drives which have had another non-Apple OS on them. Usually ones with Linux that have had their .iso file "burned" (aka transferred) to them. Although USB sticks and SD cards used & formatted by other devices can also have this problem as well. Otherwise something probably just corrupted a spot at the beginning of the drive that causes Disk Utility to have problems. However, even changing the partition layout isn't always enough since I have had to resort to the command line to write zeroes to the beginning of the drive.

Thanks! :)