Time is linear and rolls onwards! Sadly the security certificates on the Apple supplied “Install Mac OS X El Capitan” app do not get updates! (Some users have reported that if you re-download a fresh copy of "Install OS X El Capitan" app the security certificates are okay - see below)
Some users have found that re-installing El Capitan with Pikify is now failing. This is due to the security certificates having expired. You can still perform the installation, but there is an additional step. You need to set the Mac Pro’s clock to something like Jan 1st 2018.
To set the clock: follow the steps to boot into the installer. Before you proceed with the installer, open the Utilities menu and select Terminal.
Once the Terminal is running issue the date command to set the date
The date string is in the format: month day hour minute year. I’ve shown the first of January 01:01 ‘18 - mmddHHMMyy (optionally you can include the century too mmddHHMM
ccyy)
If you do this after the boot into the Installer partition (USB if you’re using one), then there should be no need to use the super user do command (sudo).
Run the date command on its own to verify the date is now as you expect. Then quit out of the Terminal. You should arrive back at the Installer, continue as normal
If you want to do this from MacOS before you boot into the Installer, then you will need to go into the Date & Time System Preference, turn off the automatic setting, then set the date/time in the Preference Panel.
Either way you might find it convenient to disconnect from the Internet to be doubly sure it won't then auto-update when you boot into the installer...
The Pikify App.
Version 1.0 had a bug which took me while to track down.
Version 1.1 would not run correctly on Snow Leopard 10.6. Turns out I was using a method for 10.7 or higher!
Version 1.2 fixes the 10.6 usage
Versions 1.3 through 1.7 weren't released
Version 1.8 contains many fixes and better progress visuals
Version 1.9 contains a small number of fixes, a new feature that detects an existing Data folder giving you the option to re-use it or build a new one, and I finally added a Help Book! If you choose to re-use the existing Data folder, the App will re-bless it to make it bootable again!
The current stable release is version 1.9 (build 148)
The App is not signed, therefore you may need to right-click on the app and select Open the first time you run it. This forces Gatekeeper to allow the app.
The same conditions apply:
- You must have a unmodified copy of the Apple 'Install OS X El Capitan' app in your Applications folder.
- See https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886 if you are having difficulty finding a copy of El Capitan (STEP 4 AND STEP 5). The page has a download link that will deliver a disk image file (.dmg). Double-click the disk image to open it. Inside the disk image is an installer package. Don’t get excited, all the installer does is to put a copy of the “Install OS X El Capitan” app into your main Applications folder. Therefore run the installer. Assuming it completes okay, you will have Apple’s unmodified app in the right place and ready for the Pikify tools to operate on...
- depending on what system you do this on, the “Install OS X El Capitan” app might launch after it installs. Just quit out. Then run the Pikify tools.
- If you are running from a MacPro, you must have 12Gb of RAM or more.
Notes: The app is designed to run from Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or later;
Tested on:
- 10.6 Snow Leopard
- 10.7 Lion
- 10.11 El Capitan
- If you are going to use this app from El Capitan, be aware that SIP prevents the bless command from setting the boot partition. There are two workarounds:
- Reboot and hold the ALT key down, select the Pike Installer
- Reboot into the Recovery HD, turn off SIP, reboot back into El Capitan and run the App again...
USAGE:
It's an app, double-click it (or right-click and choose 'Open' if you get a unsigned/unknown developer warning). The rest should be self-explanatory...
The script-based Pikify tools
Version 14 marks a shift in technique. With V14 the installation process is much simpler, becomes a single pass, does not require an intermediate installer volume (USB memory stick), and does not require the use of the EFI boot selector (which should be a great help to those people with graphics cards that do not show boot screens).
NO USB!
Also note: I have tested V14 on Snow Leopard 10.6.8. It will work (even though the video says "Lion 10.7.x or higher" as the starting point.
See
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886 if you are having difficulty finding a copy of El Capitan.
12Gb or more of RAM is required
I made a video
To use v14, pass the path to your target disk. Let's say you want to install El Capitan onto the Macintosh HD disk....
Code:
sudo ./createpikeinstallmedia /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD
[your password]
============== Previous Versions ===========================
Are now retired....
V14 can build on a USB stick, then you can install from there...
==================== Version 12 ==================================
Version 12 saves the unmodified software in a format that makes it easier to restore. Also adds more checks. The biggest change is that the disk images are now mounted on specific mount points so that my script doesn't conflict with the default mount points.
==================== Version 13 ==================================
Not released
==================== Version 14 ==================================
Version 14 is a major change in strategy. With this version you no longer need an intermediate installation media (USB memory stick). Version 14 emulates the way Apple is currently performing the installation. With version 14 you target the disk you want to install El Capitan onto (not the USB memory stick). New users should use v14. If you encounter any issues, please post an entry on this thread.
One really big advantage to V14 is that it will reboot directly into the installer. This should be a great boon for those people with graphics cards that do NOT show boot screens. There's no more need to guess how to boot into the installer.
The only exception is using El Capitan to install another copy of El Capitan. If SIP is active, then the bless command is not allowed to change the boot device settings (setBoot). This is a security feature and should be applauded, but it means with SIP enabled, you must reboot and manually select the installer...
++++++++++++++++ MD5 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
MD5 (pikify3.1.v14.zip) = e7b1699c8db8335c2331e1e8b247efa8
MD5 (PikifyAppV1-9.zip) = 981af2253c9610f2d13257a4368501c3