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jw74

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 15, 2009
54
0
I'm trying to make a mountable usb drive of Mountain Lion.
I tried using Diskmaker X and tried it manually in Disk Utility; but I get the attached messages.
I've tried this on a Macbook running ML and a brand new 2012 Mini running Mavericks with the same results.
Any ideas?
 

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I think you can also do it without any additional software such as Diskmaker. Here's an Apple support document that might help,

http://support.apple.com/en-us/ht4848

Is that the same thing? I did try just using disk utility.
My goal is to install ML on 2012 Mini. I've been told this is possible with the bootable usb.
This is what I end up with on the usb:
 

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It's for creating a bootable install disk for your Mac should anything happen to the HD or SSD.

I always create one for emergencies. I've only ever had to use it once - when my 2011 developed Radeongate. Although, it didn't really help in that case. :/
 
It's for creating a bootable install disk for your Mac should anything happen to the HD or SSD.

I always create one for emergencies. I've only ever had to use it once - when my 2011 developed Radeongate. Although, it didn't really help in that case. :/

I don't think this will work for me. I can't make a ML boot disk on the Mini, because it came with Mavericks installed. And, if I make it on the Macbook, it will be a specific version for the Macbook.

That error looks vaguely familiar, as in while I was reading up on how to make a Yosemite USB installer I think I skimmed over a comment about it.
But try searching "os x boot usb no such file or directory"
I took a brief look and there seemed to be some clues.

Yeah, I initially did a search with the entire error message, but there were no results. Then tried a broader search.
Those errors are similar, but seem to have a different causation.
It's strange that it won't work with two different computers with different OS.
From what I've read, this should be easy.
I guess I'll pick up another usb drive and see if that's the problem.
 
I don't think this will work for me. I can't make a ML boot disk on the Mini, because it came with Mavericks installed. And, if I make it on the Macbook, it will be a specific version for the Macbook.



Yeah, I initially did a search with the entire error message, but there were no results. Then tried a broader search.
Those errors are similar, but seem to have a different causation.
It's strange that it won't work with two different computers with different OS.
From what I've read, this should be easy.
I guess I'll pick up another usb drive and see if that's the problem.

I think the error stems from the name of your USB stick. I think if there are spaces in the name it won't work. I found this when I made mine yesterday.

I initially named my USB stick, "Install OS X Yosemite", the default name it game me an error. But when I named it "Yosemite" and I replaced "MyVolume" with "Yosemite" (below), it worked.

The process renamed my USB stick to "Install OS X Yosemite".

In terminal,

OS X Yosemite

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app

OS X Mavericks

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app

I've done this for Mavericks and Yosemite. I don't think it should matter what your machine came with. Mine came with Mavericks, but now it is Yosemite. I don't think it is hardware specific.
 
I think the error stems from the name of your USB stick. I think if there are spaces in the name it won't work. I found this when I made mine yesterday.

I initially named my USB stick, "Install OS X Yosemite", the default name it game me an error. But when I named it "Yosemite" and I replaced "MyVolume" with "Yosemite" (below), it worked.

The process renamed my USB stick to "Install OS X Yosemite".



I've done this for Mavericks and Yosemite. I don't think it should matter what your machine came with. Mine came with Mavericks, but now it is Yosemite. I don't think it is hardware specific.

So I erased and renamed the usb drive "mountainlion" using Disk Utility. Then I tried Diskmaker and got the same error.
I then tried a restore in Disk Utility and it worked! Thanks!!

Now I need to downgrade to ML.
When I booted off the usb drive it won't let me install to the Mac HD.
However, it seem like it will let me install ML on the second drive(I have the server Mini w/two HDDs).
This is all a test right now, as I'm replacing both HDDs with an SSD for the boot drive and a 7200 for data(I'm using this for Pro Tools which works best with faster, separate drives).
Any ideas? This might be one for the Mini forum.
 
So I erased and renamed the usb drive "mountainlion" using Disk Utility. Then I tried Diskmaker and got the same error.
I then tried a restore in Disk Utility and it worked! Thanks!!

Now I need to downgrade to ML.
When I booted off the usb drive it won't let me install to the Mac HD.
However, it seem like it will let me install ML on the second drive(I have the server Mini w/two HDDs).
This is all a test right now, as I'm replacing both HDDs with an SSD for the boot drive and a 7200 for data(I'm using this for Pro Tools which works best with faster, separate drives).
Any ideas? This might be one for the Mini forum.

Cool! I'm glad it worked!

I have no idea about the Mac Mini. I'm not familiar with it. Good luck and have fun!
 
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