can't install big sur from installer install macos Big Sur too old

[azrael2001ca]

Hello.

I am trying to create myself, on an external drive, a fresh install of Big Sur using the installer version 16.1.03.

When it opens and I select the external drive I want to use, I get a message along the lines of "installer too old for this version.
My main computer uses Big Sur 11.1.

I have tried deleting and formatting with APFS in a number of manners and it fails on the same message.
I have used the command "diskutil eraseVolume APFS <name> <disk identifer>" and it doesn't help.

I tried to pull a new version of the install from the app store and it fails as I try and download it.

Has anyone run into this, and do they have a solution?

Regards

 

[Apple_Robert]

I don't believe Big Sur allows installation and use from an external drive. I have seen many forum posts from people trying to same thing and wren't able to do so. Maybe someone will reply who can give you good news.

 

[azrael2001ca]

Hi there, Apple_Robert.

Just to let you know that I did load the OS Big Sur onto my 2TB external drive. And this is how I did it.

1) Drink enough coffee to refloat the Titanic
2) Boot from my internal Mac Catalina OS
3) Use the previously downloaded Install MacOS Big Sur installer.
4) Sit down and wait.

The interesting thing for me is, that when I did the install on a 4TB drive, it kept rebooting into my Catalina. So I would have to shut down, reboot into the MacInstaller, and continue. I wonder if there is a drive size issue?

Merry Christmas and a Happy Gnu Year.