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How to build a bootable USB Installer
- Thread starter Dalton63841
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I'm curious, why can't I just use the old method of simply restoring InstallESD.dmg to a drive/disc? Why do we need to mess around with packages?
Not sure. Others tried and it didn't work, so something must have changed.
I made one with a GUID partiton and it works great in my Mac mini, it's amazing how much faster a clean install is versus an upgrade!
I'm curious, why can't I just use the old method of simply restoring InstallESD.dmg to a drive/disc? Why do we need to mess around with packages?
It does not work anymore, it does not make the usb stick bootable for some reason. This way is better anyway as it is much faster to install and does not have that useless recovery partition.
I successfully created and installed from a bootable USB using this guide.
However, I have problem.
I did a clean install of 10.9 Mavericks and when I try to turn on Find My Mac, I get an error message:
Find My Mac requires a recovery partition.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ue2oub48z7... Problem.jpg
How can this be fixed?
However, I have problem.
I did a clean install of 10.9 Mavericks and when I try to turn on Find My Mac, I get an error message:
Find My Mac requires a recovery partition.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ue2oub48z7... Problem.jpg
How can this be fixed?
For whatever reason, it doesn't create a recovery partition. I am in the process right at this moment of fixing that problem. Just give me a bit.
Please let us know how to fix the existing installation. Do we need to erase everything and reinstall again or can we just update the existing installation?
It does not create the Recovery partition this way because BaseSystem.dmg is part of the Recovery partition, which doesn't exist in it's dmg form on the installer. My method will just update the existing install.
EDIT: I have it worked out completely now. It's actually quite simple, but it's late and I'm tired. When I wake up I will be posting a full tutorial for creating a REAL recovery partition that is recognized by Find My Mac, AND a second tutorial on how to make the Recovery partition not need to download the installation files, which saves a ton of time if you ever have to use it.
Last edited:
Okay here it is.
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=17416978#post17416978
It's big, but it's actually pretty simple. I tried to spell everything out as much as possible to minimize confusion.
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=17416978#post17416978
It's big, but it's actually pretty simple. I tried to spell everything out as much as possible to minimize confusion.
Circle Slash
I'm pretty certain I've done everything right but keep getting the Circle with the slash on it when I try to boot from USB.
I've tried partitioning the USB as GUID and as MBR as someone suggested it worked for them that way previously. Still not working for me.
Don't know what else I can try. I have a Mac Mni Mid 2011 version. I believe it should be compatible.
Thoughts?
I'm pretty certain I've done everything right but keep getting the Circle with the slash on it when I try to boot from USB.
I've tried partitioning the USB as GUID and as MBR as someone suggested it worked for them that way previously. Still not working for me.
Don't know what else I can try. I have a Mac Mni Mid 2011 version. I believe it should be compatible.
Thoughts?
Show hidden files, and Go to your flash drive and look at System/Installation/ in Finder, and take a screenshot of the Finder window and post it here.
I deleted the Package alias and copied over the actual Package folder that was around 4.5GB. I just reformatted the USB drive because i was just going to go ahead and install mountain lion on the Mac instead.
Now, I was updating from 10.7 to 10.9 do you think that may have anything to do with it?
I'll post the screenshot shortly to see if maybe I missed anything
Now, I was updating from 10.7 to 10.9 do you think that may have anything to do with it?
I'll post the screenshot shortly to see if maybe I missed anything
Well the file structure is perfect. My best guess is maybe it doesn't like the drive you are using.
Thank you very much for sharing all your work with the community.
To be clear, there is no way to have a recovery partition to be installed when installing from scratch? We have to use your original guide to making a bootable USB drive and then follow the second guide to create the recovery partition?
Thanks. That should help for those who may not understand what I'm saying. I am not the best at spelling out what I mean. If you don't mind I will link to the video in the first post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSfMX8M9Qsw
The colors are off to say the least, it must be something with Mavericks because screen flow works perfect under ML for me.
The colors are off to say the least, it must be something with Mavericks because screen flow works perfect under ML for me.
Worse case scenario when it comes to a clean install there is always the possibility of doing a forced internet recovery and do a clean install directly off the server - it isn't the most ideal solution but I guess it avoids having to jump through hoops. It would be interesting to know the reasoning behind the change or whether it was simply to spite those of us users who would sooner do a clean install than taking our chances with the hit/miss of upgrading.
I was not able to do a forced internet recovery on 10.9.
Seed notes even state it is not supported at this point.
Well obviously it isn't supported at this point because it relies on it being available on publicly facing servers and consumers able to purchase it via the AppStore; when it becomes accessible on the AppStore then it'll be available via internet recovery.