Create a bootable installer for OS X El Capitan

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Level 2

162 points

Create a bootable installer for OS X El Capitan

I need to create a bootable installer for OS X El Capitan. I read "HT201372: Create a bootable installer for OS X" and, following the instructions, I went to terminal and entered: /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia

It returns with

This tool must be run as root

Ricks-MacBook-Pro:~ RicksMBP$

How do I get to root? (It's been a very long time since I played with terminal)

MacBook Air, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), MacBook Pro/IPadAir/iPhone 6

Posted on Mar 20, 2016 1:34 PM

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Answer 1

Niel

Level 10

741,983 points

Mar 20, 2016 1:36 PM in response to SlippySlope

Add ‘sudo ‘ without the quote marks to the beginning of the command. It’ll ask for your password, but nothing will be displayed in the prompt as you type it.

(140786)

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Answer 2

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 1:56 PM in response to SlippySlope

BTW, I went to "Enabling and using the "root" user in OS X" > How to enable the "root" user > OS X Lion (10.7) and later but once you get to 8. Enter an administrator account name and password, then click OK. nothing matches the directions. i.e., click on Directory Utility and there is no Edit Menu with Enable Root User

So, this page appears to be out of date.(It says last modified March 27, 2015 - a year ago)

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Answer 3

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 1:57 PM in response to Niel

Thanks...I'll try that

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Answer 4

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:00 PM in response to Niel

So, this is the command: sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia ?

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Answer 5

Niel

Level 10

741,983 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:04 PM in response to SlippySlope

Yes.

(140787)

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Answer 6

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:08 PM in response to Niel

Niel,

Would this be the entire command?

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath "/Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app"

And, would I replace "--volume /Volumes/Untitled" with "--volume /Volumes/OS X Boot" (the name of my USB thumb drive that I want to be my bootable emergency drive)

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Answer 7

Niel

Level 10

741,983 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:13 PM in response to SlippySlope

1. Yes.

2. Use /Volumes/OS\ X\ Boot or '/Volumes/OS X Boot' with the quotes.

(140788)

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Answer 8

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:13 PM in response to SlippySlope

Niel,

I made this command entry:

Ricks-MacBook-Pro:~ RicksMBP$ sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/OS X Boot --applicationpath "/Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app"

And, after entering my PW got this:

Password:

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

Ricks-MacBook-Pro:~ RicksMBP$

So, perhaps it doesn't like spaces in the volume name? Perhaps I should rename it a single word?

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Answer 9

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:19 PM in response to Niel

OK. Termina will automatically rename the drive "Boot" ?

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Answer 10

Niel

Level 10

741,983 points

Mar 20, 2016 2:21 PM in response to SlippySlope

It’ll retain its current name.

(140789)

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Answer 11

SlippySlope Author

Level 2

162 points

Mar 20, 2016 3:11 PM in response to Niel

Niel,

Bingo !!! THANK YOU !!!

Last login: Sun Mar 20 17:18:56 on ttys000

Ricks-MacBook-Pro:~ RicksMBP$ sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/OS\ X\ Boot --applicationpath "/Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app"

Password:

Ready to start.

To continue we need to erase the disk at /Volumes/OS X Boot.

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

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

Copying installer files to disk...

Copy complete.

Making disk bootable...

Copying boot files...

Copy complete.

Done.

Ricks-MacBook-Pro:~ RicksMBP$

Now, if I need it, I just do a restart holding the option key and I'll see this disk as an option, right?

Thanks again, Niel.

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Answer 12

Niel

Level 10

741,983 points

Mar 20, 2016 3:13 PM in response to SlippySlope

Correct.

(140798)

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Answer 13

Osiyo

Level 1

64 points

Oct 5, 2016 6:42 PM in response to SlippySlope

There's a whole lot of OS's getting picked apart on this here page! How's about we settle them all, here and now?

OS Installer (using Terminal)

a. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.
b. After Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry with the mgrs. ID and size) from the side list.
c. Click on the Erase tab in the Disk Utility toolbar.
Name drive, "Sierra", "Capitan", "Yosemite", "Mavericks", "whatever" to match script. <---- IMPORTANT!
d. In the drop down panel set the partition scheme to GUID. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
e. Click on the Apply button and wait for the Done button to activate. When it does click on it.

Quit Disk Utility. Replace volumepath with the path to your USB flash drive or other volume, and replace installerpath with the path to the Install OS X app. createinstallmedia --volume volumepath --applicationpath installerpath --nointeraction

Terminal for Sierra
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Sierra --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app --nointeraction
Terminal for El Capitan:
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Capitan --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app --nointeraction
Terminal for Yosemite
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Yosemite --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app --nointeraction
Terminal for Mavericks
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Mavericks --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app --nointeraction

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Welcome to chime in on Mountain Lion and Lion --nointeraction variations, if such there be? Not sure about Yosemite and Mavericks --nointeraction. Just ran the other two without incident...

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