Downloaded High Sierra - file is only 22.7 MB

[krs]

I just downloaded the High Sierra installer using this link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?mt=12

Turns out download is only 22.7 MB, it's supposed to be around 4.80 GB

If I go back to HS on the app store (the link I posted), the HS option has changed from "Download" to "Open"

Now what????

 

[dtravis7]

That is strange. Maybe what you downloaded is a downloader app. Have you tried to open it? I will check the URL I gave you in the other thread and see what I get.

 

[dtravis7]

I clicked Open and the installer launched. I am quite sure what I said above is correct.

Another thing that is interesting is the URL I gave you earlier now is in another language, when I went there earlier it was in English!!

 

[krs]

I actually got the link for High Sierra from this document that Randy posted:
Upgrading To The Very Latest Macintosh Operating System

I wanted to make a USB install drive the way I did with the other last few macOSs.
For all of those including Sierra and Mojave the downloads were around 6 GB

I assume I need the full HS installer to make an install USB stick using Disk Maker X
This is whast I have on my HD now

 

[dtravis7]

want me to try and find you the full installer? I am sure I can.

 

[dtravis7]

Read this carefully and follow what they say and you should be able to get the full installer.

How to Download a Full macOS High Sierra Installer App

 

[krs]

Thanks, the instructions are pretty straight forward.

What would still be nice to know is why Apple chose this route of this mini downloader installer app in some cases and not in others since some people get the full installer when downloading from the app store.
I'm trying to download HS on a Mac running 10.11.6 and according to this Apple note, I think the complete installer should have downloaded to my Mac

Download a macOS installer, such as macOS Mojave or macOS High Sierra.
To download macOS Mojave or High Sierra for this purpose, download from a Mac that is using macOS Sierra 10.12.5 or later, or El Capitan 10.11.6. Enterprise administrators, please download from Apple, not a locally hosted software-update server

https://support.apple.com/en-ph/HT201372

I already made a clone of my current Mac on El Capitan on an external that I was going to use to test High Sierra, sometime in the next few days I will boot up on that and try the HS download per the link you posted on the external.
That way, if anything goes haywire, my main Mac is not affected.

 

[ferrarr]

As long as you have the files downloaded, and they are still in your Applications folder, you are all set. You don't "need" to make the USB until you need it. I have also recovered those macOS installer files from my TM backup, especially if you download the installer but make a new backup before installing.

Edit: You can delete the file in your Applications folder, and retry the download, if you don't have it on one of your backups?

 

[krs]

As long as you have the files downloaded, and they are still in your Applications folder, you are all set. You don't "need" to make the USB until you need it. I have also recovered those macOS installer files from my TM backup, especially if you download the installer but make a new backup before installing.

Edit: You can delete the file in your Applications folder, and retry the download, if you don't have it on one of your backups?

I made the other USB installers already because I want to be able to delete these installers on my hard drive if I run short of space, right now I still have over 100 GB free.
For the mini HS installer, I have that on my most recent backup, but if I disconnect that backup from the Mac and delete the file in the application folder, I should be able to download the file again, correct?

 

[ferrarr]

Technically, yes. I tried that on my Mac, but I ended up copying the full installer from my TM backup.