HT201372: Create a bootable installer for OS X

Learn about Create a bootable installer for OS X
lkvilla

Q: Failed to start erase of disk due to error (-9999, 0). A error occurred erasing the disk.

Tried the recommendations in this article, however ran into the  error posted below.

Creating a bootable OS X installer in OS X Mavericks

 

 

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath "/Applications/Install OS X Mavericks.app"
Ready to start.
To continue we need to erase the disk at /Volumes/Untitled.
If you wish to continue type (Y) then press return: Y
Failed to start erase of disk due to error (-9999, 0).
A error occurred erasing the disk.

 

Is there an updated document ?

 

MacBook 13" white - Early 2009 model

MacBook (13-inch Early 2009), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Dec 31, 2013 5:56 PM

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Q: Failed to start erase of disk due to error (-9999, 0). A error occurred erasing the disk.

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  • Helpful answers

  • by davidnave,

    davidnave davidnave Dec 31, 2013 6:35 PM in response to lkvilla
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Dec 31, 2013 6:35 PM in response to lkvilla

    that's irritating. You have the correct command, but does it do the same thing if you do --applicationpath /applications/install os\ x\ Mavericks.app ? do you get the same error if you erase or repartition the drive manually?

     

    diskutil eraseDisk JHFS+ Untitled disk1, where disk1 is the mount point for the removable media.

     

    You can get the path, diskutil list and you'll get a list with /dev/disk0, /dev/disk1, etc.

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Dec 31, 2013 7:23 PM in response to lkvilla
    Level 10 (207,926 points)
    Applications
    Dec 31, 2013 7:23 PM in response to lkvilla

    The command doesn't work in 10.6. Make a copy of the installer application, then run it. Once 10.9 is installed, move the copy back into the Applications folder and run the command again.

  • by Mac-Guyver,

    Mac-Guyver Mac-Guyver May 5, 2014 8:03 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (8 points)
    May 5, 2014 8:03 PM in response to Linc Davis

    1) When you say, "make a copy then run it," a) why not run the original?  b) where?  I don't have another 5 GB of space on my internal drive

     

    2) What do you mean "Once 10.9 is installed?"  Where do you want me to install 10.9 to?

     

    3) When you say, "move the copy back into the Applications folder," do you mean replace the original?

     

    4) What does this accomplish?  How does it prevent the 9999 error?

  • by davidnave,

    davidnave davidnave May 5, 2014 8:25 PM in response to Mac-Guyver
    Level 1 (10 points)
    May 5, 2014 8:25 PM in response to Mac-Guyver

    1. If you leave the installer in the /Applications folder, the OS will delete the installer at the end of the install automatically.

     

    2. The USB installer can only be created from a computer running 10.9. If you run the command in any OS earlier than 10.9, you will get the 9999 error. Not the most useful tool in the world, I admit.

     

    3. Again, I think Linc was just trying to avoid having to provide a different path for the command. The way the article written, it presumes the Installer is in the /Applicaitons folder.

     

    Hope that helps.

  • by Mac-Guyver,

    Mac-Guyver Mac-Guyver May 6, 2014 3:44 PM in response to davidnave
    Level 1 (8 points)
    May 6, 2014 3:44 PM in response to davidnave

    Oh, createinstallmedia only runs on OS 10.9!  Oh!  The 9999 is if you try to run it on an earlier OS!  Oh! Linc means to update the current drive to Mavericks, and then one will be able to run createinstallmedia, if one has first saved away a copy of the installer.

     

    But if, like me, you are trying to create an installer to do a clean install on an empty drive, without replacing the earlier OS on your current drive, then...

     

    You must use the slightly more complicated instructions you can find all over the place that look like

    • Right click "Install OS X Mavericks.app" and show package contents
    • Find a certain .dmg file and double click
    • Find a hidden .dmg within the drive that mounts from the first .dmg
    • Double-click or use "mount" on the hidden .dmg within the .dmg
    • Use Disk Utility to "restore" the second disk image onto the erased USB drive
    • Then replace an alias folder with a copy of a huge folder within the first disk image

     

    I had success with the "Option 2: Use Disk Utility" section here.

  • by Armandag,

    Armandag Armandag Feb 11, 2016 1:04 PM in response to Linc Davis
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 11, 2016 1:04 PM in response to Linc Davis

    Hi! From Argentina, my questions:

    After I copy the installer in my usb pendrive, I run it from the pendrive or from my mac?

    thanks!