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How to create a USB Installer for the 2018 MBP

T

TriBruin

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 28, 2008
479
1,004
I have seen several threads where people have had deleted their macOS partition and have had trouble reinstalling the correct version of macOS for the 2018 MacBook Pros. The App Store version will not work properly. I have created instructions to download the correct build for this model and wanted to share here:

Go to the following web page:

https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts/blob/master/installinstallmacos.py

Right-click the RAW button and select Download Linked file as

The file will be downloaded to your Download folder as installinstallmacos.py

Open terminal and issue the following commands:

Code: 
cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x ./installinstallmacos.py
sudo ./installinstallmacos.py
Type your user password (assuming you are an Administrator)

You will see a list of downloads like this:

Code: 
 #    ProductID    Version    Build  Title
 1    091-53703    10.13.6  17G2112  macOS High Sierra
 2    091-82771    10.13.5   17F66a  Install macOS High Sierra Beta
 3    091-94326    10.13.6    17G65  macOS High Sierra
 4    091-95251      10.14  18A336e  macOS Mojave Beta

Choose your download. (If you are downloading for the 2018 MacBook Pro, choose 1, otherwise choose 3 for High Sierra)

Once the download is complete, go to the Finder and open your Home folder. You should see a disk image for the installer. Open the Disk Image and then open the "Applications" folder. Inside is the full installer for the version of macOS you download.

If you need to create a bootable USB key:

Drag the installer from the Application folder to your Home folder
Insert a USB key and note the name of the USB key

Open terminal and issue the following command:

Code: 
sudo /Volumes/Install_macOS_10.13.6-17G2112/Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/<<NAME OF USB key>>

Follow the prompts to prepare the key.
 
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TriBruin said:
Once the download is complete, go to the Finder and open your Home folder. You should see a disk image for the installer
Click to expand...

Thank you

Trying this now, looks like it's copying files to the USB drive successfully

The only difference was my downloaded disk image was in my "Downloads" folder instead of the root "Home" folder
 
I keep getting the following when I select choice #1, any idea what's wrong?

Code: 
Making empty sparseimage...
installer: Error - ERROR_B14B14D9B7
Command '['/usr/sbin/installer', '-pkg', './content/downloads/28/06/091-53703/xmwnewxext02p8jj3jo2yhbyi175sg6bri/091-53703.English.dist', '-target', '/private/tmp/dmg.wAbX02']' returned non-zero exit status 1
Product installation failed.
 
Earl Urley said:
I keep getting the following when I select choice #1, any idea what's wrong?

Code: 
Making empty sparseimage...
installer: Error - ERROR_B14B14D9B7
Command '['/usr/sbin/installer', '-pkg', './content/downloads/28/06/091-53703/xmwnewxext02p8jj3jo2yhbyi175sg6bri/091-53703.English.dist', '-target', '/private/tmp/dmg.wAbX02']' returned non-zero exit status 1
Product installation failed.
Click to expand...

I just tested and was able to successfully download #1. Have you tried any of the other options to see if they work. (Option #4 is the updated 2018 MBP specific version with the i9 throttling fix, so try that for a 2018 MBP).

I have seen occasional errors if any one of the multiple downloads fails, that may be the cause. If you can try another (preferable fast) network, see if that makes any difference.
 
Only option 3 works for me.. I'll see about trying it from another internet connection, that's the only thing I haven't tried yet.
 
so what is the difference between option 1 and 3?
when I choose option 1, I get a "non-zero exit status" error.

I have a macbook pro 15 2018.
 
wqiu said:
so what is the difference between option 1 and 3?
when I choose option 1, I get a "non-zero exit status" error.

I have a macbook pro 15 2018.
Click to expand...

1 is the custom build for the new MacBook Pros (2018), 3 is the regular 10.13.6 build. There has also been an update since I posted, Apple has posted a new option (Build 17G2208) which is another custom build for the 2018 models with the supplemental update included. If you need a build for the 2018 models, try the newer option.
 
TriBruin said:
1 is the custom build for the new MacBook Pros (2018), 3 is the regular 10.13.6 build. There has also been an update since I posted, Apple has posted a new option (Build 17G2208) which is another custom build for the 2018 models with the supplemental update included. If you need a build for the 2018 models, try the newer option.
Click to expand...
@TriBruin, Thanks for your continued help.
I'm interested to know how to find out the details for the various build numbers. Do you know where we can find information specifics related to those build numbers (eg. 17G2208)?
 
Last edited:
wqiu said:
I tried option 4 ( build 17G2208), received the same error:

curl: (56) Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Could not replicate http://swcdn.apple.com/content/down...emmsbocipx0ic9lj2kcu0pt/RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkg: Command '['/usr/bin/curl', '-fL', '--create-dirs', '-o', './content/downloads/07/20/091-95774/awldiototubemmsbocipx0ic9lj2kcu0pt/RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkg', 'http://swcdn.apple.com/content/down...emmsbocipx0ic9lj2kcu0pt/RecoveryHDMetaDmg.pkg']' returned non-zero exit status 56
Click to expand...

What’s path are you trying to ru the script from? Maybe move the script to a different folder?
 
Someone seems to have modified the script about 22 hours ago; I downloaded it again and picked choice #1, but still got the same error:

Code: 
installer: Error - ERROR_B14B14D9B7
Command '['/usr/sbin/installer', '-pkg', './content/downloads/07/20/091-95774/awldiototubemmsbocipx0ic9lj2kcu0pt/091-95774.English.dist', '-target', '/private/tmp/dmg.zFtQfY']' returned non-zero exit status 1
Product installation failed.

Choice #4 seems to work now, though.

Edit: #1 may not be working because I'm running it on 10.13.6 on an HFS+ boot volume. The script may require APFS on the boot volume; will test this when I get to an APFS booted mac.
 
Last edited:
Earl Urley said:
Someone seems to have modified the script about 22 hours ago; I downloaded it again and picked choice #1, but still got the same error:

Code: 
installer: Error - ERROR_B14B14D9B7
Command '['/usr/sbin/installer', '-pkg', './content/downloads/07/20/091-95774/awldiototubemmsbocipx0ic9lj2kcu0pt/091-95774.English.dist', '-target', '/private/tmp/dmg.zFtQfY']' returned non-zero exit status 1
Product installation failed.

Choice #4 seems to work now, though.

Edit: #1 may not be working because I'm running it on 10.13.6 on an HFS+ boot volume. The script may require APFS on the boot volume; will test this when I get to an APFS booted mac.
Click to expand...

I am seeing this same ERROR_B14B14D9B7 for choice #1.

Update: I see now on the GitHub instructions page that it says you can only run choice #1 from another 2018 MBP. That it is too bad, but explains the error.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, I can now confirm that, having obtained a clean image from choice #1 by borrowing a friend's 2018 15-inch rMBP.

Guess Apple doesn't want just anybody to get their hands on a 2018 rMBP specific image.
 
I'll give my own experience: I too tried it on a non-2018 MBP and ran into the same type of error message. I tried it on a 2018 MBP using the Download folder — i.e., following the instructions to the letter — and again had similar errors. I then moved the python file to the Desktop, tried it again, et voilà, after half a dozen failed attempts, it worked. Thank you thank you thank you so much for the instructions, which saved me from trying to download this version on a sketchy site.

We have exactly one MBP 2018, and I had tried to image the machine without knowing about the Secure Boot and external boot restrictions. After that failure and the subsequent inability to do any sort of recovery, I had to take the machine to the Apple Store to be revived. Now I have an installer that should work on both this one machine and previous machines too. Huzzah.
 
Hi. I try to create a bootable USB for my MPB 2018 from Macbook Air 2015. Build 17G65 is not working for me. I want to try build 17G2112, but the script does not work on my Air ("could not find a default catalog for thie OS version").

May be someone have a link to the build 17G2112?

UPD. Updated MacBook Air to High Sierra. Now it works, but the first option give
ERROR_B14B14D9B7.

I don't understand how to create a bootable usb for MPB 2018 from MacBook Air.
 
Last edited:
Loriens said:
Hi. I try to create a bootable USB for my MPB 2018 from Macbook Air 2015. Build 17G65 is not working for me. I want to try build 17G2112, but the script does not work on my Air ("could not find a default catalog for thie OS version").

May be someone have a link to the build 17G2112?

UPD. Updated MacBook Air to High Sierra. Now it works, but the first option give
ERROR_B14B14D9B7.

I don't understand how to create a bootable usb for MPB 2018 from MacBook Air.
Click to expand...
If you use this script on the 2018 MBP, you'll be able to get a full installer of 17G2208. You must run the script on the MBP to make it work.
https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts/blob/master/installinstallmacos.py
 
Seems the only HS on the list now there is 10.13.6 17G66 ...and also 2 Mojave options.
Any idea where to get the original 17G2112?
 
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