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User profile for user: baslowman
baslowman Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

trying to create a bootable usb drive for Monterey

I know this has created problems for others. I now have a USB stick with a GUID partition and have tried to install Monterey on it using instructions in Terminal as advised in several videos. My latest attempt got closest (I think) but still failed. my Terminal instruction was sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume/Volumes monterey\ bootable


I then gave my pass word and eventually got the following message

Usage: creatinstallmedia --volume ,path to volume to convert>


Arguments

--volume, A path to a volume that can be unmounted and erased to create the install media.

--nointeraction, Erase the disk pointed to by volume without prompting for confirmation.

--downloadassets, Download on-demand assets that my be required for installation


Example: createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled


Can anyone tell me what is going wrong here and how to create this disk?

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Dec 3, 2024 4:06 AM

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12 replies
User profile for user: Zorba_le_grec
Zorba_le_grec
User level: Level 3
576 points

Dec 3, 2024 10:21 AM in response to baslowman


All your errors are real errors, most of them due to lack of respect of spaces in the right place inside arguments.


To help you avoid this kind of trouble, please copy and paste the following line where all the spaces are protected through

the use of single quotes [']:

/usr/bin/sudo '/Applications/Install macOS Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia' --volume /Volumes/monty

Just add a [return] and your password, and you shouldn't get any new error ( at least I hope so ).



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User profile for user: baslowman
baslowman Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Dec 3, 2024 5:30 AM in response to dialabrain

That does not work. the message comes /Volumes/monty is not a valid mount point (monty is the name of the usb drive). I had noticed that in Disk Utility the icon and name for the USB stick lies beneath (and it would seem inside) a larger volume called VendorCo ProductCode Media. I have tried inserting that as the name of the volume. that produced the reply command not found. So that is not an answer either.

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User profile for user: ConT3ch
ConT3ch
User level: Level 1
62 points

Dec 3, 2024 7:14 AM in response to baslowman

Hi, this is how the command should look in your case sudo "/Applications/Install\ macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume /Volumes/monty


The command could also look like this sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/monty


In Unix based systems, you must either escape special characters with a backslash character, or wrap them in quotes. Otherwise the systems thinks you're trying to run two different commands. Spaces count as a special character and In your example above, you're missing a \ after macOS.


You indicated that there may be an issue with your drive. As others have mentioned, please be sure to check the name of the volume and ensure it's spelled correctly (Case sensitive matters). The easiest way is once the volume is mounted to your Desktop, drag the icon into the Terminal directly, it will add the name for you.


This should get your drive working. Let us know what specific errors you receive if not.


Best,

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User profile for user: baslowman
baslowman Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Dec 3, 2024 9:53 AM in response to ConT3ch

No joy. All the options below and variations on them have resulted in 'command not found'. I checked and found that the drive called monty actually had a space after its name. So I deleted that and ran all the options again but got the same result. You can see below all the variations I have tried. (my errors in bold)

I'm sorry to attach all this stuff but since precision is of the essence I thought you would need to see what I have done.

j

Last login: Tue Dec 3 11:17:48 on ttys000

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo/Applications/Install\macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia--volue/Volumes/monterey bootable

Password:

createinstallmedia: unrecognized option `--volue'

Usage: createinstallmedia --volume <path to volume to convert>

Arguments

--volume, A path to a volume that can be unmounted and erased to create the install media.

--nointeraction, Erase the disk pointed to by volume without prompting for confirmation.

--downloadassets, Download on-demand assets that may be required for installation.

Example: createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume/Volumes/monterey bootable

/Volumes/monterey is not a valid volume mount point.

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume/Volumes/monty

/Volumes/monty is not a valid volume mount point.

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo /Applications/Install\ macOSMonterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia--volume /Volumes/VendorCo ProductCode Media

Password:

sudo: /Applications/Install macOS: command not found

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo "/Applications/Install\ macOSmonterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia"--volume/Volumes/monty

Password:

sudo: /Applications/Install\ macOSmonterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

command not found 

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo

"/Applications/Install\ macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia"

--volume/Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install\ macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

command not found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo "/Applications/Install\macOSmonterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia"--volume/Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install\macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia: command

not found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo "/Applications/Install\macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume/Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install\macOSmonterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

commandnot found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo"/Applications/Install\macOS\monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume /Volumes/monty


sudo:/Applications/Install\macOS\monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

command not found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo

"/Applications/Install\macOS\monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume/Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install\macOS\monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia: command

not found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo


/Applications/Install\ macOS\ monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install macOSmonterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

command not found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

command not found


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo "/Applications/Install\ macOSmonterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia" --volume/Volumes/monty


sudo: /Applications/Install\ macOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia:

command not found

JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~ wjcchurchill$ sudo /Applications/Install\macOS\monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/monty

Password:

sudo: /Applications/InstallmacOS monterey.app.Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia: command

not found

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User profile for user: baslowman
baslowman Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Dec 4, 2024 8:35 AM in response to Zorba_le_grec

My thanks to Zorba le grec, ConT3ch and dialabrain. It appears to have worked. I say appears because I havent been able to test it fully yet.  Others might benefit from what happened.


Zorba’s final instruction seemed to do the trick. See JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~wjcchurchill$

/usr/bin/sudo '/Applications/Install macOSMonterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia' --volume /Volumes/monty


Password:

/Volumes/monty is nota valid volume mount point.


JAMESs-MacBook-Pro:~wjcchurchill$

/usr/bin/sudo '/Applications/Install macOSMonterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia' --volume /Volumes/monty


Ready to start.

To continue we need to erase the volume at /Volumes/monty.

If you wish to continue type (Y) then press return: Y

Erasing disk: 0%...10%... 20%... 30%... 100%


Making diskbootable...

Copying to disk:

0%... 10%... 20%... 30%... 40%... 50%... 60%... 70%... 80%... 90%... 100%


Install media now available at "/Volumes/Install macOS Monterey"


This hides some strange things. I used a different USB stick and forgot to rename it ‘monty’ – hence the initial rejection above. So I renamed it ‘monty’ and started again. All went smoothly until  Copying to disk: 0%... this was displayed for so long that I thought it had failed. But be patient.  It got there in the end - but do not withdraw stick until you see "Install media now available at "/Volumes/ [diskname]" 

Partway through this (I did not notice when) the USB stick renamed itself  'Install macOS Monterey'  and dropped the name monty. I certainly did not do it. Curious why??? I repeat - it takes a long time to do this.

thanks again.

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User profile for user: HWTech
HWTech
User level: Level 9
61,676 points

Dec 4, 2024 9:01 PM in response to baslowman

As you have discovered, the command line is very unforgiving. Every character is critical. And when any file/folder has a space or other non-alpha-numeric characters, then things can become complicated. Sometimes even people with years of command line experience can have trouble from time to time.


FYI, in the future these tips may prove useful to you or anyone else who views this thread:


1) When creating a bootable macOS USB installer, make sure to follow the instructions in the Apple article exactly...including the naming of the USB stick. If you do that, then you can just copy & paste the command from the article into the Terminal window. I highly recommend this for anyone who is not familiar or comfortable with the command line.


2) When posting any Terminal commands & output, please use the "Code Insertion" tool located on the forum editing toolbar which has an icon that looks like "</>". The Code Insertion tool makes reading Terminal commands & output much easier since it uses a special fixed width font which helps with distinguishing spaces and special characters such as the number zero. Or take a screenshot & attach the picture as long as it is a clear picture that has not been cut down in size so it is easily readable for both the command used and all output. Here is a comparison between using the main forum edit window and the Code Insertion tool:


Regular forum editing window:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume


Using the Code Insertion tool "</>":

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Monterey.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume


Notice how much easier it is to notice the spaces throughout the command and how you can distinguish some of the characters more easily such as the upper case letter "I" (aka "eye") and the lower case letter "l" (aka "ELL").

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trying to create a bootable usb drive for Monterey

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