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User profile for user: Judy Churchill
Judy Churchill Author
User level: Level 1
29 points

Downloaded install macOS High Sierra.app is not recognized as a valid OS installer application

Just downloaded High Sierra install app from the App Store, but Terminal tells me "/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app does not appear to be a valid OS installer application." I'm using commands for Terminal that are listed in https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372. These instructions worked perfectly to create a bootable installer for El Capitan. Is there something wrong with the App Store download?

I'm running macOS Yosemite (OS X 10.10.5)

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5), Cinema display

Posted on Sep 26, 2017 4:15 PM

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User profile for user: edelver
edelver
User level: Level 1
14 points

Posted on Sep 27, 2017 6:40 PM

I have to do the following steps; as it gave me the same error.




- Download the MacOS High Sierra installation from iTunes.


- Run the installation application and let it download things and exit the application before restarting.


- The operating system is installed in '/macOS Install Data', copy the contents of the directory to '/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport'.


- If the 'SharedSupport' directory does not exist, create it in '/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents'.


- Launch terminal.


- With USB plugged in, type the following command:

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


The examples assume that the name of your USB flash drive is MyVolume.


I'm running macOS Sierra Version 10.12.3

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User profile for user: edelver
edelver
User level: Level 1
14 points

Sep 27, 2017 6:40 PM in response to Judy Churchill

I have to do the following steps; as it gave me the same error.




- Download the MacOS High Sierra installation from iTunes.


- Run the installation application and let it download things and exit the application before restarting.


- The operating system is installed in '/macOS Install Data', copy the contents of the directory to '/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport'.


- If the 'SharedSupport' directory does not exist, create it in '/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents'.


- Launch terminal.


- With USB plugged in, type the following command:

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


The examples assume that the name of your USB flash drive is MyVolume.


I'm running macOS Sierra Version 10.12.3

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User profile for user: kahjot
kahjot
User level: Level 4
2,462 points

Sep 29, 2017 5:21 AM in response to ZeeBloBouf

There is a lengthy discussion of High Sierra over at Macintouch which includes discussion of the stub, which apparently checks and updates firmware, and what people have tried to get the full installer to download. Not sure if a clear solution exists yet. Those who have reported getting the full installer seem to be people who downloaded it from systems running the latest version of Sierra. I have one computer sunning 10.12.6 and was able to get the full installer.

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User profile for user: ZeeBloBouf
ZeeBloBouf
User level: Level 1
4 points

Oct 5, 2017 6:49 AM in response to kahjot

Thanks, it's a bit intimidating reading all of this! I have no problems downloading the full update (I have sierra), but my partner seems to be having a bit of trouble with it. Granted, he's in PNG with sketchy internet so we're unable to determine if it's related to that or not. He's running Yosemite and all we're trying to do is update to at least El Capitan so that we can get mainstage 3 on his computer.

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User profile for user: Georgy11811
Georgy11811
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 6, 2017 5:23 PM in response to edelver

I found it wasn't enough to just create the empty directory '/Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport' because I still got the 'not recognized' error. I had to create it as a symbolic link to the '/macOS Install Data' directory: 'ln -s /macOS\ Install\ Data /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport'.

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User profile for user: Georgy11811
Georgy11811
User level: Level 1
8 points

Oct 6, 2017 6:11 PM in response to Georgy11811

Correction: creating the symbolic link fixed the 'not recognized' error in 'createinstallmedia'. However, it simply copied the link, not the DMG and PKG files. I had to do 'mv /macOS\ Install\ Data /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/SharedSupport' in order to get it to copy those files to the USB memory stick. I'll report on the installation from the stick soon.

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Downloaded install macOS High Sierra.app is not recognized as a valid OS installer application

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