Mac Pro 5.1 - High Sierra - HFS+ - WIN 8.1/10

[MikkelAD]

It seems can't specify the target volume, but not sure if --applicationpath can assign the target path.

Anyway, what if

1) only leave a HFS+ formatted SSD installed (pull out ALL other hard drives)

2) boot from USB installer

3) run that command line (with the correct "Contents") but do not specify a target volume?

I will try that method later just don't know why it's so hard to do when I did exactly like in this guide for example:

https://blog.macsales.com/42884-is-it-possible-not-to-convert-to-apfs-when-upgrading-to-high-sierra

- Will be back later with results...

 

[h9826790]

I will try that method later just don't know why it's so hard to do when I did exactly like in this guide for example:

https://blog.macsales.com/42884-is-it-possible-not-to-convert-to-apfs-when-upgrading-to-high-sierra

- Will be back later with results...

So, the command may be

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --converttoapfs NO --volume /Volumes/SSD

or

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app --converttoapfs NO --volume /Volumes/SSD

 

[MikkelAD]

So, the command may be

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --converttoapfs NO --volume /Volumes/SSD

or

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app --converttoapfs NO --volume /Volumes/SSD

Hope I understood you right...

I took one of my SSD's out - Booted from the USB like I would try to install HS normally. Formatted my remaining SSD to HFS+ and called it "SSD" - Went to terminal and tried both those command lines in terminal and no luck

 

[h9826790]

Hope I understood you right...

I took one of my SSD's out - Booted from the USB like I would try to install HS normally. Formatted my remaining SSD to HFS+ and called it "SSD" - Went to terminal and tried both those command lines in terminal and no luck

Those commands are only good for "Install from another full OS", not "from USB installer"

For USB installer, may be try this one (ONLY the target SSD is installed, an NO other hard drive in the cMP)

/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --converttoapfs NO

 

[MikkelAD]

Those commands are only good for "Install from another full OS", not "from USB installer"

It's all a bit confusing at this point - But you somehow think that if I install a fully working OS X with desktop on my USB it will work? (Guess I have to use my iMac to install OS X on that USB then...)

For USB installer, may be try this one (ONLY the target SSD is installed, an NO other hard drive in the cMP)

/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --converttoapfs NO

Maybe their is progress. Used /Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall --converttoapfs NO

and got license error (that is new) so tried to put --agreetolicense and got the following result.

 

[h9826790]

It's all a bit confusing at this point - But you somehow think that if I install a fully working OS X with desktop on my USB it will work?

I mean direct run the installer (with that terminal command) from another working full macOS, not from any USB drive).

 

[MikkelAD]

I mean direct run the installer (with that terminal command) from another working full macOS, not from any USB drive).

So you want me to run it from inside a working OS X with the USB a source of the installer and not from my application folder?

This gets hard if "For USB installer, may be try this one (ONLY the target SSD is installed, an NO other hard drive in the cMP)"

I may be a hell of lot confused at this point. We have tried so many things :S

 

[h9826790]

So you want me to run it from inside a working OS X with the USB a source of the installer and not from my application folder?

NOT from any USB, nothing related to USB. NO USB drive involve.

Just download the installer from appstore, let it stay inside the application folder, and run that terminal command from a fully work macOS.

I know it's hard. You want to achieve something that no one publish how to do it (because no practical reason to do it).

I am happy to try to achieve that with you. But expected lots of try by error. As I said, I never use that command. I can only slowly pick up bit by bit, and hopefully can go a bit further on each step.

 

[MikkelAD]

DUUUUUUUUDE

I

****ING

DID

IT

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[h9826790]

This gets hard if "For USB installer, may be try this one (ONLY the target SSD is installed, an NO other hard drive in the cMP)"

This is WHEN YOU BOOT FROM THE USB INSTALLER. So, nothing to do with any macOS anymore.

I have no idea which option can work, so try to provide 2 different approaches. This is the 2nd options. Has a bit of progress, but not working yet.

 

[MikkelAD]

So far this is what currently seems to work:

1) Make a USB with HS installer on (bootable)
2) Only have the destination SSD connected
3) Make sure the destination SSD is formatted HFS+
4) Go to terminal and write the following command:

"/Volumes/Image Volume/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall" --volume /Volumes/name_of_your_partition --converttoapfs NO

You don't even need to name your SDD in the command - It apparently works anyways because you only got one possible destination anyways and the computer seems to figure that...

- By the way you need at wired keyboard and mouse (wireless stuff won't work when you boot from a USB it seems)
[doublepost=1525284806][/doublepost]I plugged my other SSD back in and tried to install HS again now on the other SSD but now from the desktop (HS installer in application folder) and NOT any USB involvement - Can't get this method to work yet

THE HUNT IS ON !

 

[MikkelAD]

Any suggestions is welcome! Could be nice to test things so people in the future could do a "real" clean install and not from 1) Working OSX 2) Cloning method

On a slightly different note. What are the "rules" on plugging SSD's in and out of SATA ports while the computer is turned on? - Couldn't find information elsewhere...

 

[bsbeamer]

What are the "rules" on plugging SSD's in and out of SATA ports while the computer is turned on? - Couldn't find information elsewhere...

My understanding is that any drives hard connected to the system and not ID'd as "external" need to be connected prior to boot and disconnected after shutdown. If you can flag or ID drive as "external" with an "eject" option, there might be further options. I've never had the need to explore that and would just shut the system down.

 

[MikkelAD]

My understanding is that any drives hard connected to the system and not ID'd as "external" need to be connected prior to boot and disconnected after shutdown. If you can flag or ID drive as "external" with an "eject" option, there might be further options. I've never had the need to explore that and would just shut the system down.

Yup that was what I figured and makes pretty good sense. Just had to be sure since my testing will require a bit of plugging/unplugging of the two SSD's. But thanks !

 

[bsbeamer]

Some PCIe adapters ID the drives as external (like the Apricorn Velocity Duo X2). If there is a constant need, it might be worth looking into, but think you'd need a SATA bridge cable to make the drives physically accessible. Would be very tight and difficult to physically remove them from the PCIe adapter while still keeping/leaving the PCIe adapter in place. No idea if this would actually work in practice for discovering a newly connected drive.

 

[MikkelAD]

Some PCIe adapters ID the drives as external (like the Apricorn Velocity Duo X2). If there is a constant need, it might be worth looking into, but think you'd need a SATA bridge cable to make the drives physically accessible. Would be very tight and difficult to physically remove them from the PCIe adapter while still keeping/leaving the PCIe adapter in place. No idea if this would actually work in practice for discovering a newly connected drive.

Yeah that could be true... I have the SONNET TEMPO SDD but don't use it for any of my 850 EVO's at the moment.

Was just a thought. Not a huge problem
[doublepost=1525449432][/doublepost]What really is pissing me of right now is that I can't get the "simple" method working.

Wednesday I succeeded by booting from the USB and made a clean HS HFS+ install from terminal to one of my SSD's - It was dope

But no matter what I try of the suggested command lines in this thread or diverse links I can't make it work from the desktop of an already running OSX where I have the HS Installer placed in the application folder...

...And that should be the "easy" method

 

[MikkelAD]

It's actually a bit strange to me why more people aren't that "curious" to get "proper" clean installs of HS HFS+ to work.

Guess people in generel just 1) Install old OS X and upgrade to High Sierra from desktop 2) Use clone method

Maybe I just make it more difficult than it needs to be

 

[h9826790]

It's actually a bit strange to me why more people aren't that "curious" to get "proper" clean installs of HS HFS+ to work.

Guess people in generel just 1) Install old OS X and upgrade to High Sierra from desktop 2) Use clone method

Maybe I just make it more difficult than it needs to be

As long as it's a proper clone. The target drive is identical to the source. If the source is a proper clean installation. IMO, the clone is also a proper installation.

Anyway, may be HS itself is buggy enough, so no one care how to make a clean (and still buggy) installation
[doublepost=1525458922][/doublepost]And I believe most people just want a working solution.

There is nothing wrong to run a HFS+ cloned HS from SSD. So, why bother to spend time to figure out something that shouldn't improve anything.

 

[MikkelAD]

As long as it's a proper clone. The target drive is identical to the source. If the source is a proper clean installation. IMO, the clone is also a proper installation.

Anyway, may be HS itself is buggy enough, so no one care how to make a clean (and still buggy) installation
--- Post Merged, 1 minute ago --- And I believe most people just want a working solution.

There is nothing wrong to run a HFS+ cloned HS from SSD. So, why bother to spend times to figure out something that shouldn't improve anything.

Guess you are right

It really does still bother me why I could make the USB installation work and not the one from working OSX desktop...

It's like all those guides (discussed in this thread) were made months ago and somehow the newest versions of HS doesn't allow this way of installation

 

[zayaso]

It's a known good way to do it, but OP doesn't want to clone. And would like to figure how to perform a clean HFS+ HS installation directly to a SSD. Not clone, not upgrade, not APFS.

This is what I did to get past issues with my SSD not being able to be formatted into HFS+.
Been happy since!!

 

[MikkelAD]

This is what I did to get past issues with my SSD not being able to be formatted into HFS+.
Been happy since!!

Like stated above I got the "USB" way to work quite smooth but couldn't make it work from working desktop (OS X)

I continued my path down the road with thousands of new problems

 

[zayaso]

I had issues with both USB and from desktop. Way too frustrating.
Used the CCC method- and happy since.

Good luck to you Mikkel!

 

[Draeconis]

Hey !

Currently in the proces of experimenting with HFS+ and APFS for my bootable drive with High Sierra.

I have looked at numerous guides like this:

https://malcont.net/2017/09/how-to-...sierra-without-filesystem-change-hfs-to-apfs/

I want to make a fresh install of High Sierra without having to do the "cloning" proces. At the moment my two Samsung EVO 850's are connected by the regular SATA ports. Thought it would be smart to make one of the discs my "High Sierra installer disc" for fast install speed instead of a USB drive.

If the drive I want to install High Sierra on is called "HD50" shouldn't it be possible to install High Sierra from the terminal when booting up with the following line?:

"/Volumes/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/startosinstall" --volume /Volumes/HD50 --converttoapfs NO

I really want this to work in some way since the "cloning" method and installing old OS X (upgrading to High Sierra and running terminal from desktop) aren't optimal solutions in my eyes...

Thanks in advance!

I'm not sure I understand the reasons for trying to attempt this? APFS is going to be far better for you than HFS+..

 

[MikkelAD]

I'm not sure I understand the reasons for trying to attempt this? APFS is going to be far better for you than HFS+..

Are you serious?

What about reading a bit trough all the posts?

Since you know what's best for me and probably everyone else why don't you come up with new ways to make everything work smoothly together. Clearly people in this community are doing it all wrong...

 

[Draeconis]

Are you serious?

What about reading a bit trough all the posts?

Since you know what's best for me and probably everyone else why don't you come up with new ways to make everything work smoothly together. Clearly people in this community are doing it all wrong...

I've read all of them, yes. Beyond the fact you'd like to do this 'because', I can't see an actual reason..?

Don't get me wrong, I've done my fair share of odd things with macOS (AppleRAID of a Fusion Disk setup anyone?), but HFS+ is garbage, and APFS is a welcome breath of fresh air. It's probably one of the few things Apple have got right with High Sierra.. so I'm just a little baffled with the effort to prevent it is all.

What would be cool is if we could boot from ZFS, but that's another thread