Purpose of DiskMaker

[durango]

If I clone my iMac (running El Capitan) using SuperDuper, do I also need to generate a bootable USB install using DiskMaker? Can't I always boot from the clone?

 

[MacInWin]

Theoretically, you don't need an installer and you can boot from your backup. But having an installer is a good thing as a backup to the backup. Costs very little, nice to have. Your call.

 

[durango]

Theoretically, you don't need an installer and you can boot from your backup. But having an installer is a good thing as a backup to the backup. Costs very little, nice to have. Your call.

Might as well do both, since I own both. Jake, you have been a big help on several topics I have posted, and I thank you for that.

 

[MacInWin]

You are welcome.

 

[IWT]

Might as well do both, since I own both. Jake, you have been a big help on several topics I have posted, and I thank you for that.

Hear! Hear!

Ian

 

[durango]

Hear! Hear!

Ian

Ian, you have also been a big help. It's just that we are on different sleep cycles, whereas Jake is just up the road in Virginia, lol.

I've been on Microsoft Windows for so long that I was getting bored. Resurrecting my old 2009 iMac has been challenging.....and several members on this forum make it fun and educational. For that I thank you all.

 

[durango]

I've encountered a problem with DiskMaker and I would appreciate some help/advice.

My old version of DiskMaker was 4b4, and it would only go up to Yosemite. But since I wanted to generate a bootable USB install for El Capitan, I downloaded what I thought was a later version of DM. This resulted in the app called Install OS X El Capitan going into my Applications folder. When I click on this app, things begin to happen that I don't understand.

Specifically, it goes through a 31-minute installation of something someplace. But it never asked me what OS for which I wanted to create an install, where I wanted the install to be created (e.g., USB my flash drive), or any pertinent questions. For awhile I even thought I was reinstalling my El Capitan OS on my main drive.

So my question at this point is....what should I do with the Install OS X El Capitan app sitting in my Applications folder so as to create a bootable install of El Capitan on my USB flash drive? Thanks in advance....

 

[MacInWin]

Install OS X El Capitan is the actual installer from Apple to install El Cap on whatever drive you boot from. What Diskmaker does is to extract from that installer the files it needs to make a USB drive bootable, then continues to create a bootable and automatic installer on that same USB drive, again using the Install OS X El Capitan app from Apple. I guess what happened is that Diskmaker looked for the installer, didn't find it so it downloaded it for you. I have always first downloaded the installer myself, then launched Diskmaker, so that's just a guess.

I fear that by clicking on the app on your application folder it installed El Cap to your boot drives because that is what it does. It doesn't ask what OS you want installed because it only installs El Cap and it doesn't ask where because it only installs to the boot drive. And it doesn't ask for any approval because by running it, you give approval to do that installation. So, what you did is what you thought you did: You installed El Cap to your boot drive. Fortunately, you were running El Cap already and by default the installation does not destroy your own data, it just reinstalls OVER what is there already. But depending on the version of El Cap the installer installs, there may now be updates that you may have already installed. That is unlikely, but possible. If it was just unloaded, it should have the latest updates included.

What you should have done is to run Diskmaker (the correct version) with the Install file in your Applications folder where Apple puts it, let it build the USB drive as it does and then you can do whatever you want with the Install app. Once done, the way to install from the USB drive is to boot from it and follow the instructions that result. You will have some options to select HOW the installation is to go, so you'll need to pay attention to the options.

 

[durango]

Jake, here's what confused me and still does to an extent. In years past I had an app in my Applications folder called DiskMaker X 4b4. When I tried to run that the other night, it would only make a boot disk for Yosemite, Mavericks or Mountain Lion. Since I wanted one for El Capitan, I deduced that my DM was out of date, so I went to the DM website and downloaded a 6.2 GB file called Install OS X El Capitan. I was really expecting a file called DiskMaker X 6 or something like that. So I just figured they had changed the nomenclature.

When the download was completed and I clicked on the Pkg, sure enough Install OS X El Capitan was in my Application folder. So I clicked on it, expecting it to once again ask me what version of OSX did I want to make a boot disk of, hoping this time giving me El Cap as one of the choices. But that never happened, and like you said, I probably ended up installing El Cap on top of itself (but it only took 31 minutes).

So I guess my remaining confusing is....what do I now do with this Install OS X El Capitan app? In one of your reply paragraphs above, you cautioned me against clicking on the app in my Applications folder. So how do I run the correct version of DiskMaker using the Install file in my Applications folder and building the USB drive? This is what I thought I was doing before, but instead got into all that trouble.

As a reminder, I'm only looking for DiskMaker to provide a 2nd backup, since I already generated (and tested) a clone using SuperDuper.

Thanks again for your support......

 

[MacInWin]

I haven't used DM in a long time. However, as I said, the Install app actually installs the OS. It's not bootable itself, it is just an app. DiskmakerX comes from here: DiskMaker X

Here is the image of the page you get there when you select Download:



Note two columns with blue entries, one called "Latest version and download link" and the other "Download link for the macOS installer." You needed to first download Diskmaker X 9 at the link on the left side, and then get the installer from the link on the right side. I suspect all you did was click on the link on the right to download the installer and not the Diskmaker app.

When you run DM, it will lead you through the steps to create a bootable USB drive. If it doesn't do that, what you got may well be bogus. I keep saying that because the security in macOS is pretty good, as long as you, the user, don't authorize bad actors to do things. The safe way to add applications to your Mac is to go to either the Mac App Store, where applications are vetted by Apple, or by going to developer websites for developers you trust. I never, never, never download from any aggregator site, like download.com, cnet.com, any site with "soft" in the name (other than Microsoft). Aggregators are historically well known for "bundling" what they want you to have with what you want and installing what they want as they install what you want.

OK, enough soapbox. What to do with Install...? Depends on what you want to do. If you still want a bootable installer, get Diskmaker from that link I gave, then run it and point to the Install file for it to use.

Or, just throw it away. You have, as you said, a bootable drive and theoretically could get the installer again from Apple if you needed it for some reason.

BTW, the "4b4" in the name of the installer says it was a beta version, so not a production version of Diskmaker.

EDIT: I used the Catalina line at Diskmaker. There is a separate line for Sierra, El Cap and Yosemite with Diskmaker 6. You need to match the versions of Diskmaker and the Install files to make it work.

 

[durango]

Jake, I previously saw the separate line for El Cap, and that is the installer I downloaded and what currently resides in my Applications folder. Since there was no DiskMaker opposite this installer, I falsely assumed it wasn't needed. I guess the author was too lazy to repeat the DiskMaker version to be used for El Cap and Yosemite and left these spaces blank.

Anyway, I will now go back and download DiskMaker X 6. I will then run DM and point it to the Install OS X El Capitan app in My Applications folder. I will also have a properly formatted USB flash drive ready to use as the Destination. If all goes well, I will have my bootable USB drive and won't need to bother you again (on this subject, lol).

BTW, I totally agree with you about the aggregator sites. Thanks again for putting me on the right path.

 

[MacInWin]

There are no dividing lines for the three versions that DM 6 can use:

Then below that is a different version. I guess it can be interpreted differently. But the headers of the table were pretty clear about what each column was:



Anyway, you need both downloads to make a bootable installation drive.

 

[durango]

The column headings and dividing lines (or lack thereof) are clear to me now that you explained things in your previous post. But when that page first hit me cold, it was confusing. Probably because I had never been down that road before.

But I now have both downloads on my iMac. And in the morning after my brain recovers, I will attempt to make my bootable installation drive. Thanks again........

 

[MacInWin]

Yeah, one of the things I have learned (the hard way, as usual) is to read the ENTIRE page before I start hitting buttons. Can take a bit of time, but it's easier (and better) than trying to clean up the mess later if I don't do that.

 

[harryb2448]

That Jake is why I struggled with my former MBP whilst waiting for the M1 iMacs. Just didn't see enough of the page before jumping in lol!

 

[durango]

Jake, my brain recovered and I carefully followed instructions for creating a bootable flash drive using DiskMaker. At the end, the Lion roared and it said the process was successfully completed.

However, when I went to test the flash drive by booting from it, the drive did not appear in the startup option. What did appear were my Macintosh HD, My Book, and something called Recovery Drive. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just selected Macintosh HD.

After I booted back up, I right clicked on the install flash drive that supposedly DiskMaker generated. I then selected Get Info and noticed that only 33.1 MB had been used on my 16 GB flash drive.

So even though the Lion roared, I fear something went wrong. Is this normal behavior for the DiskMaker install flash drive? Should I try again? Advice appreciated.

BTW, the clone I created on a flash drive using SuperDuper booted up just fine, and it consumed 36.28 GB on my 64 GB disk.

 

[MacInWin]

Does not sound right. My installer usb thumb drive has about 10 GB used. That includes the OS portion, plus the installer file. I would try making it again, being very careful to follow every step exactly.

 

[durango]

I must have taken a wrong turn someplace, so will try again later tonight. Will keep you posted. Thanks.

Just curious....how do you earn your Reaction Score and Points? And how can I recognize or credit you for solving a problem for me?

 

[MacInWin]

I have no idea how the system works. I just post a lot and somehow, someone for some reason changes the numbers periodically.

 

[chscag]

Just curious....how do you earn your Reaction Score and Points? And how can I recognize or credit you for solving a problem for me?

Click the "Like" button on the lower right of your screen. See my example above.

The reaction scores and points are done by the forum software according to algorithms.