To Convert Mac OS Installer from pkg file download available in Apple Support.

Question

To Convert Mac OS Installer from pkg file download available in Apple Support.

I would like to document the things, that can help you out, with tricky situation like wants to make bootable USB for older Macintosh devices, and to use older OS X in VMWare and Virtual Machines.

Firstly, need to download the OS X installer, from Apple website - Link
Open the DMG file, downloaded.
Open the Terminal, and direct to workspace like Desktop, or Documents, or Downloads.
Now write the command as prescribed.

cd <workspace>
pkgutil --expand-full “/Volumes/<version>/InstallMacOSX.pkg” OSInstaller

<version> is the name of DMG volume which is mounted in Volumes Location.

for For Lion and Mountain Lion:

Install Mac OS X

For Yosemite and El Capitan:

Install OS X

For Sierra:

Install macOS

Now after Command Successfully run, then you will get a folder, which is same directory, in which your terminal working, and name will be OSInstaller.

Note: In current folder, only one OSInstaller can exist, so if you try to make for other OS X version, then in command, just change the name, or change the working directory, before proceeding for first command.

Now open OSInstaller folder, then right click on pkg file -> show content package -> Copy InstallESD.dmg.

then go to Payload -> right click on App installer -> show Package content -> Contents -> SharedSupport.

then Paste the file copied, just cmd + v.

then back to Payload folder, then Copy the Application into Host OS Application folder.

and Done.

Now for bootable USB Creation:

You can get help from Apple Page - Link

and additionally you can do for:

# Yosemite

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app – Yosemite

# Mavericks

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app --nointeraction

Posted on Jun 20, 2023 3:57 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Jun 20, 2023 7:42 AM in response to dialabrain

Sure,

Suppose, many of us (Developer/ Engineer/ Researcher) uses older Mac, not too old, and many times, while doing some experiment, we end up with unwanted problem, and last option is completely re-installation of Operating system.
By having older OS, we can do some in depth research, as we can easily modify it, for other machine, bitterly known as H**h.
I personally wants to use my older computer as my web server/ Storage server/ and many more, despite it's old, I don't want to throw it, and Apple "Discontinued" to give service and support in latest OS. Mac OS Server allowed from snow leopard to El Capitan, I know that we can run linux based server like TrueNAS, and other, but macOS is absolutely top of the line for handling options and users.
I grown up learning OS X Yosemite, and it attached with my sweet memories.
And sometimes older OS helps us to generate the software, which we need, and can't made in new OS, and not available in internet archive, "on trusted sites/ platform"