Trouble creating bootable USB for MAC OSX using knowledge article 101578

I’d first try Command-Option-R to boot recovery here, if you’ve not already tried that.

The restore path would also usually first erase the entire internal storage. Ensure Show All Disks is selected in Disk Utility on newer macOS versions. (That switch wasn’t around as far back as El Capitan, though.)

If you really want to follow the createinstallmedia path, download and use Big Sur here, not El Capitan.

And a question: do you have a sufficiently-capacious removable device with the name MyDevice connected?

And if you’re really on macOS 15.1 here per the footer, update that to current.

Old macOS versions and outdated Macs have always been a hassle.

Here are the app store paths for downloading specific versions:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-big-sur/id1526878132?mt=12

For createinstallmedia, try adding Terminal to Full Disk Access, and check again:

Change Privacy & Security settings on Mac - Apple Support

Leave SIP enabled.

@MrHoffman is correct that if you have been able to install Mountain Lion onto the internal SSD, then you will need to first upgrade to macOS 10.11 El Capitan, but you will need to download the El Capitan DMG installer package using any other computer......then transfer that DMG to the 2013 Air. Once you upgrade the Air to El Capitan, then you should be able to access the App Store to access the Big Sur installer.

If you are unable to install Mountain Lion, then tell us exactly where the process fails including the exact error messages so maybe we can figure out how to get through it. Otherwise you will need access to another working Mac generally from 2007 to mid-2021 in order to create a bootable macOS USB installer.

For:

• macOS 11.x -- a Mac from 2013 to mid-2021
• macOS 10.15 -- a Mac from 2012 to mid-2020
• macOS 10.13 -- a Mac from Late-2009 to 2018
• macOS 10.11 -- a Mac from 2007 to 2015

These are just general model guidelines for creating those versions of a bootable macOS USB installer.....to confirm the other Mac is compatible with the particular OS you can use the information in the following article:

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

These are your only options when Internet Recovery Mode (Command + Option + R) doesn't work & cannot access the more recent version of the online macOS installer.

AppleNewb4321 wrote:

I coudlnt figure out how to DL Big SUR w.o it trying to update the new 2024 MAC Book Pro.

I’d again suggest using Command-Option-R to boot recovery. That gets the latest supported in the Mac, presuming the Mac has once run (at least) macOS 10.12.

Or on the path you are on, download macOS 11 using the App Store. If the installer launches, quit it. Don’t install it. You now have the installer downloaded.

But I would again suggest using Command-Option-R to boot recovery.

AppleNewb4321 wrote:

on the 2013.. only 10.8.5 is available when booting into recovery.

So to confirm, you have tried booting recovery with Command-Option-R?