Can you use the same El Capitan image file for other Macs?

[DavidInSydney]

Does anyone know if you can use the same el capitan image file for other macs?

This saves downloading the 5GB file for each Mac. It seems an obvious idea and you used to be able to do it, but I can't find any info on it this version.

Cheers,
David

 

[beebarb]

@DavidInSydney
You can, you just have to make sure you quit the installer when it automatically launches after the download, then copy it to an external drive, before starting the actual install.

The copy in the Applications folder will self destruct once the installation is completed.

 

[DavidInSydney]

@DavidInSydney
You can, you just have to make sure you quit the installer when it automatically launches after the download, then copy it to an external drive, before starting the actual install.

The copy in the Applications folder will self destruct once the installation is completed.

Thanks for your speedy and helpful reply, beebarb. You say it automatically launches after the download, so do I have to wait around for that moment? Or is there a way to stop it from launching the installer?

Makes me wonder why Apple automatically destroys that image file. I have 3 Macs so that means 15GB instead of 5GB that the internet traffic has to bear.

Cheers,
David

 

[Spink10]

Once it launches you can just close - the screen it launches require you to click continue before it installs and deletes the file. You can also make a bootable USB drive of El Capitan with it. I do that each year to have a copy if I need t reinstall. But I am frequently installing or reinstalling on different Macs.

 

[beebarb]

@DavidInSydney
There is no way to stop the installer from launching automatically, your only option is to quit it as soon as it opens.

Well, this way the process is effectively invisible to a casual user, some may not even fully realise that an actual reusable installer has been downloaded.

 

[DavidInSydney]

Once it launches you can just close - the screen it launches require you to click continue before it installs and deletes the file. You can also make a bootable USB drive of El Capitan with it. I do that each year to have a copy if I need t reinstall. But I am frequently installing or reinstalling on different Macs.

Thanks Spink10, that makes sense.

 

[Spink10]

Thanks Spink10, that makes sense.

http://www.macworld.com/article/298...le-os-x-10-11-el-capitan-installer-drive.html

 

[Shirasaki]

In fact, even when you pass through multiple steps, installer is just there. You can copy it at any time as many as you wish. You just don't try to enter your admin password to allow install. I have left the installer to the last step before restarting machine and I have installer copied from its original location with no problem. So don't need to worry.

 

[deviant]

Just download the installer, download http://diskmakerx.com , put the 8gb usb in and click 3 buttons then install on everything you want it.

 

[Shirasaki]

Just download the installer, download http://diskmakerx.com , put the 8gb usb in and click 3 buttons then install on everything you want it.

For USB disk, things are even easier.
Open terminal, use "createinstallmedia", and one command, boom. Done.
And you can install it on as many Macs as you want.

 

[rctneil]

Just download the installer, download http://diskmakerx.com , put the 8gb usb in and click 3 buttons then install on everything you want it.

This is exactly the process I have used since I first upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion. Super simple. Easy. And it leaves you with a USB bootable drive which actually came in useful to me the other day.

Before I updated to El Capitan, I went through all my backup routines to ensure everything was happy just incase the upgrade failed. I was installing other updates prior to OSX 10.11 and the system rebooted and took me to a grey screen with a no entry sign. My machine just refused to boot properly whatsoever. I scoured my house to find the USB drive I had made last year with Yosemite 10.10 on it. Found it, booted from it, overwrote my install with a fresh version and it fixed my install. Installed extra updates. All back to working order. Then updated to El Capitan and everything is now great!

Having a bootable installer drive can be a life saver!