Unlock the Secrets to Creating a Fail-Proof Bootable Flash Drive for Your Mac OS or MacOS - Expert Tips Revealed!

Are you tired of encountering error messages and issues when attempting to boot your Mac OS or Mac OS X operating system from a USB flash drive? If so, you’re not alone. By following these expert tips, you can unlock the secrets to creating a fail-proof bootable flash drive for your Mac OS or MacOS.

Step 1: Choose the Right Flash Drive

The first step to creating a fail-proof bootable flash drive is to select the right one. You’ll want to choose a flash drive that offers high speeds and durability. Look for a flash drive with USB 3.0 or USB-C connectivity for maximum transfer rates.

Step 2: Download the Correct MacOS or Mac OS X Installer

Next, ensure you have downloaded the correct installer for the MacOS or Mac OS X version that you are working with. This process can vary depending on the version of MacOS or Mac OS X. For instance, if you want to create a bootable USB drive for MacOS Mojave, you can download it from the App Store.

Step 3: Format the Flash Drive

Once you have the correct installer, you need to format the flash drive so that it’s compatible with your Mac computer. Launch Disk Utility, choose the flash drive, and select the Erase option. Choose the right format as per the version of macOS you are installing. If you’re installing OS X El Capitan or earlier versions, choose the Mac OS X Extended format. For later versions like Sierra and High Sierra, choose the APFS format.

Step 4: Create a Bootable USB Drive

Once the flash drive is formatted, the next step is to create a bootable USB drive. To do this, launch Terminal on your Mac computer and enter the appropriate command with the name of the installer you downloaded earlier. This process varies depending on the version of MacOS or Mac OS X; therefore, you should search for the appropriate command for your MacOS or Mac OS X version.

Step 5: Boot the Mac from the USB Drive

Lastly, you can boot your Mac computer from the USB flash drive by holding down the Option key while starting your computer. This will allow you to choose the bootable USB drive and complete the installation process.

With these expert tips, you can create a fail-proof bootable flash drive for your Mac OS or MacOS operating system. By selecting the right flash drive, downloading the correct installer, formatting the flash drive correctly, creating a bootable USB drive, and booting the Mac from the USB drive, you’ll have a seamless installation process without any errors or issues.

This article explains how to create a bootable installer for OS X or macOS using a USB flash drive.

What to Know

  • You’ll need: OS X or macOS installer and a 12+ GB USB flash drive (formatted as “Mac OS Extended”).Find installer in Applications > plug in flash drive > rename flash drive > open Applications or Utilities folder.Next: Open Terminal > enter OS-specific command > enter admin password when asked > Y to confirm.

What You Need

First, you need the OS X or macOS installer on your Mac. Ideally, download the installer, but don’t use it. When you download and use the OS X or macOS installer, the installer deletes itself as part of the installation process. If you’ve already installed OS X or macOS, redownload the installer.

This article addresses the creation of a bootable USB drive for OS X Mavericks and later as well as macOS. macOS refers to Apple operating systems starting with version numbers 10.12 and later. OS X describes version numbers 10.8 through 10.11.

After it is downloaded, the installer resides in the Applications folder. It is called “Install OS X [your version]” or “Install macOS [your version].”

If you download the installer and find that it starts up on its own, quit the installer the way you would any other Mac app.

You’ll also need a USB flash drive. Make sure that it has at least 12 GB of available storage and is formatted as Mac OS Extended.

It’s also important that your Mac meets the minimum requirements for the OS you’re installing. Apple’s website offers the exact system requirements for each version.

How to Use the Createinstallmedia Terminal Command

From OS X Mavericks forward, in the installer packages is a hidden command that you can enter into Terminal to create a bootable copy of the installer.

This Terminal command, called createinstallmedia, creates a bootable copy of the installer using any drive connected to your Mac. This example uses a USB flash drive. Here’s how to do it:

  • Locate the Mac OS installer file in the Applications folder.
  • Plug the USB flash drive into your Mac.
  • Change the flash drive’s name. This example calls it FlashInstaller. Double-click the drive’s name to select it and then type in the new name.
  • Rapid double-clicking the name of a drive can open that drive in a window on Finder, so if this step isn’t working for you, try clicking once on the file name, pausing for a second, and then clicking a second time.
  • Launch Terminal, located in Applications/Utilities.
  • Alternatively, enter Terminal into Spotlight Search to quickly start up the utility.
  • In the Terminal window that opens, enter one of the following commands, depending on which OS X or macOS installer you’re working with. Note that they use the example name FlashInstaller for our USB drive, so if you named your drive something else, use that name.
  • For macOS Catalina:
  • sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller
  • For macOS Mojave:
  • sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller
  • For macOS High Sierra:
  • sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller
  • For OS X El Capitan
  • sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app
  • For OS X Yosemite:
  • sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app –nointeraction
  • For OS X Mavericks:
  • sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app –nointeraction
  • After you enter the command, press Return.
  • When prompted, type your administrator password and press Return again. Terminal doesn’t show any characters as you type your password.
  • When prompted, type Y to confirm that you want to erase the volume and then press Return. Terminal shows the progress as the bootable installer is created.
  • When Terminal is finished, the volume has the same name as the installer you downloaded, such as Install macOS Catalina. Quit Terminal and eject the volume.
  • You now have a bootable installer for your OS X or macOS version.

The createinstallmedia command erases the content of the USB drive, so back up any data on the drive if it’s important.

Locate the Mac OS installer file in the Applications folder.

Plug the USB flash drive into your Mac.

Change the flash drive’s name. This example calls it FlashInstaller. Double-click the drive’s name to select it and then type in the new name.

Rapid double-clicking the name of a drive can open that drive in a window on Finder, so if this step isn’t working for you, try clicking once on the file name, pausing for a second, and then clicking a second time.

Launch Terminal, located in Applications/Utilities.

Alternatively, enter Terminal into Spotlight Search to quickly start up the utility.

In the Terminal window that opens, enter one of the following commands, depending on which OS X or macOS installer you’re working with. Note that they use the example name FlashInstaller for our USB drive, so if you named your drive something else, use that name.

For macOS Catalina:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller

For macOS Mojave:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Mojave.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller

For macOS High Sierra:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller

For OS X El Capitan

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app

For OS X Yosemite:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app –nointeraction

For OS X Mavericks:

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia –volume /Volumes/FlashInstaller –applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app –nointeraction

After you enter the command, press Return.

When prompted, type your administrator password and press Return again. Terminal doesn’t show any characters as you type your password.

When prompted, type Y to confirm that you want to erase the volume and then press Return. Terminal shows the progress as the bootable installer is created.  

When Terminal is finished, the volume has the same name as the installer you downloaded, such as Install macOS Catalina. Quit Terminal and eject the volume.

You now have a bootable installer for your OS X or macOS version.

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