Problems creating a Mavericks bootable USB disk in Snow Leopard

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I've just downloaded Mavericks, and am now in the process of backing everything up and doing software updates before I begin the installation process.

However, before I install Mavericks, I want to make a bootable USB drive. I've tried using DiskMaker X, as well as using Disk Utility and various Terminal commands involving the create media programme, but I'm not having any luck. I'm currently running Snow Leopard on a 3 year old MacBook Pro. The USB stick in question is an 8 GB San Disk Cruzer Force.

My question is this: is there another way to create a bootable USB drive, or should I just back everything up on my external hard drive (and use Time Machine as a second option) and then install Mavericks and create the USB drive from there? Thanks in advance for any ideas or suggestions.
 

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I used Disk Utility but you can't do it the way you did with Lion or ML. There is a different procedure you have to follow. What happens when you tried to make the USB Flash drive with Disk Utility?
 

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The easiest way is to use the Lion DiskMaker 3b2 which has just been updated to work with Mavericks.
 
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Thank you both for your replies, chscag and dtravis7.

With regards to Disk Maker (formerly Lion Disk Maker), I used version 3, which (as far as I know) is the most recent version. Disk Maker kept giving me error messages regarding erasing the disk. Initially, I thought it was just an issue of having the USB stick in the wrong file writing format, but it seems to be something else. The error code in question was -10006.

I used the Terminal method that involves showing hidden files. At first I though it was because I was in my normal account instead of the administration account, so I logged out and tried it again from administration mode.

I'll have to reread the Mac World article again at a more civilised hour. Sorry if this is a bit incoherent. Deleting malware from my housemate's computer has made me more tired than I initially thought.
 

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First you don't have to unhide files to see that file. Just do what they say below and the hidden file will mount in Disk Utility and you are good to go. After you run the restore part with that file in Disk Utility, do the rest in the Mac World article and copy that one folder.

The file you want to get to is actually another disk image inside OS X Install ESD called BaseSystem.dmg. Unfortunately, BaseSystem.dmg is invisible, and because this is a read-only volume, you can’t make BaseSystem.dmg visible. Instead, you’ll mount it using Terminal, which makes it visible in Disk Utility. Open the Terminal app (in /Application/Utilities), and then type open /Volumes/OS\ X\ Install\ ESD/BaseSystem.dmg and press Return.
Launch Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities). You'll see both InstallESD.dmg (with its mounted volume, OS X Install ESD, below it) and BaseSystem.dmg (with its mounted volume, OS X Base System, below it) in the volumes list on the left.
Select BaseSystem.dmg (not OS X Base System) in Disk Utility’s sidebar, and then click the Restore button in the main part of the window.
Drag the BaseSystem.dmg icon into the Source field on the right (if it isn’t already there).


Also one other warning. SOME Sandisk USB sticks I have had a small bootable partition for their included software. If that is there the OSX installer will never boot. You need a utility from SanDisk to remove that partition.
 
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harryb2448, I tried the Create Install media method, and it didn't work. As I understand it, Snow Leopard is too old to use this command.

dtravis7, I have to run Terminal in admin mode, right?

There doesn't appear to be anything on the San Disk USB stick. When I plug the USB stick into my laptop, Finder says it has 0 items and 7.63 GB available. At the moment I have it in Mac Journalled format. The San Disk package said I had to download some security software onto my computer, but I haven't installed it onto the USB stick itself. Would that make a difference, or should I just leave the disk as it is and use the Disk Utility method?
 

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Personally I would use Disk Utility especially if I were in SL. I have never had issues with that method but follow that guide to the letter from Mac World.

When you are done, if the drive will not show from the boot menu, I will bet there is some Sandisk partition hidden there. I am hoping San Disk did away with that as it gets in the way for people like us! :D
 
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I'm giving the Mac World instructions a go. The Packages file is copying as I'm typing this.
 

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The other part has to happen first as that is the boot part. Be sure and copy the packages after the image is installed on the drive.
 
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I've already got the OS X Base System Icon on my desktop. I'm not going in the wrong order, am I? :)
 
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I think I've done it. The Mavericks Installer application is now on the USB stick. :D Thanks for all of your help, dtravis7.
 

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Did you try booting? Let us know if it works.
 
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I just tried booting up from the USB stick. It lives!!! :D

Thanks for your help, dtravis7. Now I know how Victor Frankenstein must have felt.
 
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Source box will not accept basesystem.dmg file when dragged over from devices pane

First you don't have to unhide files to see that file. Just do what they say below and the hidden file will mount in Disk Utility and you are good to go. After you run the restore part with that file in Disk Utility, do the rest in the Mac World article and copy that one folder.

The file you want to get to is actually another disk image inside OS X Install ESD called BaseSystem.dmg. Unfortunately, BaseSystem.dmg is invisible, and because this is a read-only volume, you can’t make BaseSystem.dmg visible. Instead, you’ll mount it using Terminal, which makes it visible in Disk Utility. Open the Terminal app (in /Application/Utilities), and then type open /Volumes/OS\ X\ Install\ ESD/BaseSystem.dmg and press Return.
Launch Disk Utility (in /Applications/Utilities). You'll see both InstallESD.dmg (with its mounted volume, OS X Install ESD, below it) and BaseSystem.dmg (with its mounted volume, OS X Base System, below it) in the volumes list on the left.
Select BaseSystem.dmg (not OS X Base System) in Disk Utility’s sidebar, and then click the Restore button in the main part of the window.
Drag the BaseSystem.dmg icon into the Source field on the right (if it isn’t already there).


Also one other warning. SOME Sandisk USB sticks I have had a small bootable partition for their included software. If that is there the OSX installer will never boot. You need a utility from SanDisk to remove that partition.

Hello. I am at my wits end trying to create a bootable El Capitan USB installer (Sandisk 16GB USB 2.0 I think) from Snow Leopard OS X 10.6.8. While in Disk Utility, I tried dragging the BaseSystem.dmg file into the Source box and the file disappears (no green plus sign). Can you please suggest a scenario and/or scenarios why this would occur? I know that createinstallmedia does not work; diskmaker x does not work, and probably other utilities per my research into trying to do the aforementioned. Thanks for looking, and I look forward to a response.
 
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Per 'my wits end', I finally stumbled upon the solution to my problem listed previously.


Well, Happy 2017 and glad you got a solution, but I can't understand why people like to create so much extra work when just saving and using the OS X installer can work so well and easily most times.
 

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+1, Patrick.

However, there is one drawback - as far as I know (which might turn out to be not very much!) - the OS X Installer App is not bootable.

Ian
 
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+1, Patrick.

However, there is one drawback - as far as I know (which might turn out to be not very much!) - the OS X Installer App is not bootable.

Ian



Well Ian,
I guess that's true but would only apply to those who also don't even have or use a bootable clone backup.

That's crazy if not IMHO!!!




PS: Nice good name there, just like one of my son's!! ;)

- Patrick
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