Trying to make a bootable flash drive via Terminal

[dcs.79c]

I've tried 3 times to create a bootable flash drive with the following Terminal command:sudo /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app --nointeraction.

I initially tried Diskmaker X & got a 609 error, whatever that is. I used Disk Utility to erase the flash drive & rename it to "Untitled". I went to Google & found instructions to create a bootable flash drive via Terminal. I printed out the instructions. I copied the Terminal command & pasted it into Terminal. The following note was included in the instructions:"Note: The code above has missing double dashes in the quotes. Please replace a single "-" with "- -" when you enter the above command line in the terminal." If you look at the command, there are double dashes, but there's no space between them. Is there supposed to be a space between each dash? In the "Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app" part of the command, is "Install" a sub-command? Since the file name is "Install OS X Yosemite.app" should the command read "Applications/Install Install OS X Yosemite.app"?

After I downloaded Yosemite, the App name is "Install OS X Yosemite.app. I deleted the "Install" part & tried again. Terminal still complained.
Every time it tells me "command not found". What's going on?

Would you please break down the command line & tell me what each one means. Please tell me what the correct command is including spaces. I copied the command from an article I found on the 'net. I have both a MacBook Pro & a mini. The mini is my primary computer. I want to do a clean install of Yosemite on the laptop first. I'll gain experience & if I screw it up, there's an Apple store not too far from where I live. I will take it there & pay someone to install Yosemite.

I know that there is another way to create a bootable drive that I've read about on the 'net. It involves making hidden folders visible & moving folders & deleting folders. I don't want to use that method. It would be totally confusing to me & I know that I would screw it up.

 

[vansmith]

OK. What is your question?

 

[RadDave]

I've tried 3 times to create a bootable flash drive with the following Terminal command:sudo /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app --nointeraction

Well, I cannot comment on the command above - I'm a 'terminal amateur'

But take a look at this DISCUSSION - I made my Yosemite boot flash drive w/ the first suggestion, however, three options are offered. Dave

 

[dcs.79c]

Well, I cannot comment on the command above - I'm a 'terminal amateur'

But take a look at this DISCUSSION - I made my Yosemite boot flash drive w/ the first suggestion, however, three options are offered. Dave

IT WORKED!!! YAY!!!

This is weird! The command stated by the link you provided worked. When I compare both commands, they are almost identical. The first one that I tried, the Terminal complained "command not found". But the second one worked.

I don't understand why the first command that I found on several websites didn't work, but the command that was on the link that you provided worked.

I copied the text from the original website into my word processor & edited it to replace the first command with the second command.

Anyhow, I now have a bootable flash drive. YAY! USB 2.0 sure is slow. It took almost 30 minutes to create the bootable drive. So, it'll probably take a while to do a clean install of Yosemite on my laptop. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Next time, I'll have to use an external hard drive or SSD to create a bootable disk.

THANKS!

 

[cradom]

They are not the same. In yours, look where it says /Install OS X Yosemite.app/
In the other one it's /Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app
See the difference? the \ after Install, after OS and after X. That's called escaping and it's done because Bash doesn't know what to do with spaces on the command line.
That's why yours didn't work. As soon as Bash hit a space it assumed it was another command next and of course it wasn't. Hence the "command not found".

 

[dcs.79c]

They are not the same. In yours, look where it says /Install OS X Yosemite.app/
In the other one it's /Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app
See the difference? the \ after Install, after OS and after X. That's called escaping and it's done because Bash doesn't know what to do with spaces on the command line.
That's why yours didn't work. As soon as Bash hit a space it assumed it was another command next and of course it wasn't. Hence the "command not found".

I didn't say that they were the same. I said that they are almost identical. Here's what I stated:"When I compare both commands, they are almost identical." The keyword is "almost". I can't be blamed. I found the first command on the 'net & I copied it into Terminal. I saw the same command on several websites. So, the authors put the wrong command in the article that they put on the 'net. So, the blame falls on the person who wrote the article on the website not on me.

Anyway, I successfully created a bootable flash drive. So, thank you for your help.

Next step, do a clean install of Yosemite on my laptop.

 

[harryb2448]

Almost never applies in Terminal. Backup backup backup.

 

[MacInWin]

There is no "close " in Terminal. EVERYTHING matters, case, spacing, symbols, spelling, everything. That's why we don't recommend rookies try Terminal. Too many ways to really screw up your system beyond recovery.

 

[cradom]

No one was placing any blame. Reread the post.