How to create El Capitan OS X Bootable DVD?

[wionda92]

I would like to create a bootable ISO image to do a clean install on VMware.

The code from this thread worked perfectly for Yosemite and the first beta of El Capitan https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-create-yosemite-os-x-bootable-dvd.1763439/

#!/bin/bash

# Mount the installer image
hdiutil attach /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint
/Volumes/install_app

# Convert the boot image to a sparse bundle
hdiutil convert /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.dmg -format UDSP -o /tmp/ElCapitan

# Increase the sparse bundle capacity to accommodate the packages
hdiutil resize -size 10g /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

# Mount the sparse bundle for package addition
hdiutil attach /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

# Remove Package link and replace with actual files
rm /Volumes/install_build/System/Installation/Packages
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/Packages /Volumes/install_build/System/Installation/

# Copy ElCapitan installer dependencies
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.chunklist /Volumes/install_build/BaseSystem.chunklist
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.dmg /Volumes/install_build/BaseSystem.dmg

# Unmount the installer image
hdiutil detach /Volumes/install_app

# Unmount the sparse bundle
hdiutil detach /Volumes/install_build

# Resize the partition in the sparse bundle to remove any free space
hdiutil resize -size `hdiutil resize -limits /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage | tail -n 1 | awk '{ print $1 }'`b /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

# Convert the sparse bundle to ISO/CD master
hdiutil convert /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage -format UDTO -o /tmp/ElCapitan

# Remove the sparse bundle
rm /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

# Rename the ISO and move it to the desktop
mv /tmp/ElCapitan.cdr ~/Desktop/ElCapitan.iso

Now it doesn't work anymore. When I boot to the created ISO image, it goes into the EFI shell menu, as if the ISO image weren't bootable.

I'd love to see the experts out there tweak it for El Capitan

 

[Shirasaki]

I would like to create a bootable ISO image to do a clean install on VMware.

The code from this thread worked perfectly for Yosemite and the first beta of El Capitan https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-create-yosemite-os-x-bootable-dvd.1763439/

#!/bin/bash

# Mount the installer image
hdiutil attach /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint
/Volumes/install_app

# Convert the boot image to a sparse bundle
hdiutil convert /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.dmg -format UDSP -o /tmp/ElCapitan

# Increase the sparse bundle capacity to accommodate the packages
hdiutil resize -size 10g /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

# Mount the sparse bundle for package addition
hdiutil attach /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint /Volumes/install_build

# Remove Package link and replace with actual files
rm /Volumes/install_build/System/Installation/Packages
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/Packages /Volumes/install_build/System/Installation/

# Copy ElCapitan installer dependencies
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.chunklist /Volumes/install_build/BaseSystem.chunklist
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.dmg /Volumes/install_build/BaseSystem.dmg

# Unmount the installer image
hdiutil detach /Volumes/install_app

# Unmount the sparse bundle
hdiutil detach /Volumes/install_build

# Resize the partition in the sparse bundle to remove any free space
hdiutil resize -size `hdiutil resize -limits /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage | tail -n 1 | awk '{ print $1 }'`b /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

# Convert the sparse bundle to ISO/CD master
hdiutil convert /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage -format UDTO -o /tmp/ElCapitan

# Remove the sparse bundle
rm /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

# Rename the ISO and move it to the desktop
mv /tmp/ElCapitan.cdr ~/Desktop/ElCapitan.iso

Now it doesn't work anymore. When I boot to the created ISO image, it goes into the EFI shell menu, as if the ISO image weren't bootable.

I'd love to see the experts out there tweak it for El Capitan

There should be a bootable media creator in install app. But I cannot remember its usage.

Don't need to be so complex like that.

 

[wionda92]

createinstallmedia only works on usb drives

Please give info on how to make the ISO for this special need

 

[maverick808]

createinstallmedia only works on usb drives

Please give info on how to make the ISO for this special need

If you have a USB device you could create the installer on that and then just do create image in Disk Utility to copy the installer from the USB device onto an image, and then just burn the image to the DVD as normal.

 

[Shirasaki]

If you have a USB device you could create the installer on that and then just do create image in Disk Utility to copy the installer from the USB device onto an image, and then just burn the image to the DVD as normal.

And what if OP don't want to use USB drive?

But yeah. When apple decides to remove CD/DVD player from their Mac, such needs becomes more difficult to achieve.

 

[Shirasaki]

createinstallmedia only works on usb drives

Please give info on how to make the ISO for this special need

Ok. I use USB stick.

My fault.

 

[KALLT]

Well the installer does have a method for creating bootable thumb drives, so I don’t see why it should not be possible to divert this process to a DVD master boot record image instead and then burn that image to a DVD. Problem is, I can’t test this for you, so you have to be willing to waste a DVD for this. ;-)

 

[KALLT]

Alright, I haven’t tested this yet, but try this:

1. Download El Capitan from the App Store, cancel the subsequent installation and make sure that you have the following file in your Applications folder: ‘Install OS X El Capitan.app’
2. Open Disk Utility, select File > New Image > Blank Image…
3. Set the following parameters (in this order):
   1. Image format: DVD/CD master
   2. Partition: Single partition - GUID Partition Map
   3. Size: 8.3 GB (DVD+R DL)
   4. Name: elcapitan
   5. Leave the rest unchanged
4. Create the disk image, you will end up with a .cdr image that will be automatically mounted as ‘elcapitan’
5. Open Terminal and type the following command (assuming that you followed the steps):
   

   sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/elcapitan --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app --nointeraction

6. Depending on what you want to do with the disk image:
   • Burning: right-click on the .cdr file and select ‘Burn Disk Image [name] to Disc…’
   • ISO: right-click on the .cdr file and change the extension to .iso.

Like a thumb drive, the disk image has the GUID partition scheme and two partitions: EFI and HFS+.

 

[wionda92]

Alright, I haven’t tested this yet, but try this:

This is what I get:


Erasing Disk: 0%... 10%...


Error erasing disk error number (22, 0)

A error occurred erasing the disk.


I get it that createinstallmedia is tuned for USB sticks and external HDs. To produce a bootable ISO or DVD should involve many steps.

 

[KALLT]

This is what I get:


Erasing Disk: 0%... 10%...


Error erasing disk error number (22, 0)

A error occurred erasing the disk.


I get it that createinstallmedia is tuned for USB sticks and external HDs. To produce a bootable ISO or DVD should involve many steps.

I was able to create a .cdr image with this. Are you sure you selected all the right parameters?

 

[br0adband]

There's something odd about El Capitan or something has been changed (meaning the final build released yesterday, Sept 30th) because I too have made multiple and I do mean multiple attempts to create a bootable ISO and not one time have I been successful so far and I've used basically the same instructions I did for the developer preview builds. Because I use Fusion and virtual machines frequently, having an ISO is vastly superior to using a USB stick when it comes to VMs and testing for installation purposes. Having said that, none of the instructions have been successful even one time so far, and while the method above does work in creating a cdr/iso file, it's not bootable in Fusion (at least for me).

It's somewhat frustrating to have to deal with this but I suppose it's how things go.

 

[wionda92]

Strange! I did it a second time after rebooting. This time it went without a hitch and produced a cdr image.

Frustratingly the cdr image does not work for me as br0adband says.

 

[crjackson2134]

There is a file in the install code that gets changed during the install. I can't remember where I read this exactly, somewhere on MR I'm sure. To my knowledge this is the reason why it will work with a USB (because it's re- writable during the install) and not with the opticle media. I believe the solution is to change that file (after extracting from the USB) before writing it to DL-DVD.

I may have some of the details wrong, but that's the gist of it. Reach out to user tywebb13. He probably has or is working on a solution for this.

 

[br0adband]

I sent tywebb13 a PM hoping he (or she) might be able to offer some advice or help in this matter. Let's hope at some point we can find a workable solution.

 

[james_911]

There is a file in the install code that gets changed during the install. I can't remember where I read this exactly, somewhere on MR I'm sure. To my knowledge this is the reason why it will work with a USB (because it's re- writable during the install) and not with the opticle media. I believe the solution is to change that file (after extracting from the USB) before writing it to DL-DVD.

I may have some of the details wrong, but that's the gist of it. Reach out to user tywebb13. He probably has or is working on a solution for this.

So, i film create the image with disk utility and then use diskmaker x in that image the isso created wont work after burn it on a dvd dl?

 

[br0adband]

I would suggest until we have an actual workable verified solution for creating the ISO (or CDR, whatever) that can be burned to a DVD9 aka dual layer DVD you should wait so you're not wasting a lot of time with failures in the creation process - it would also keep you from wasting dual layer DVDs too by waiting till we get something that actually does work.

I've done this like 9 times in the past 24 hours and each time it fails, every single time it's either a non-bootable ISO that gets created or it does boot but craps out at some point during the installation. I got it working one time in one instance but when I opened the installer log as the installation was taking place it was full of errors related to some part of the installation script and some font issue stuck in an infinite loop. I let one attempt sit there for 45 mins even after it said 1 second remaining and still nothing.

It's crazy how difficult this process is to create an ISO, it really is, and it really shouldn't be.

 

[tywebb13]

There is an underlying problem with this whole thread. You are confusing 2 issues.

1. To make an iso file capable of installing el capitan into vmware fusion.

2. To make an iso file which can be burnt onto a dvd such that you could boot up the el capitan installer from the dvd and install el capitan.

THEY ARE 2 DIFFERENT ISSUES.

I used parallels desktop to make a dmg of the yosemite installer from which I could then install yosemite into parallels desktop. But burn it to dvd expecting to get a bootable dvd capable of installing yosemite - and all you get is a coaster. And conversely, use the method you linked to in the first post to make an iso and try to use that to install yosemite into parallels and it doesn't work.

So I should point out that the method you linked to in the first post is for making an iso - whose ONLY purpose is to make a bootable dvd of the installer capable of installing the system. It is not meant for installing directly from the iso into parallels desktop or vmware fusion.

I generally don't bother with making a bootable dvd until public release. But I won't download el capitan yet because I am at a conference and the hotel wifi is too slow to download el capitan.

In the next few days though I might explore both issues. But I must stress that they are separate issues and should be handled differently. And success or failure in one issue is in no way related to success or failure in the other.

 

[tywebb13]

There could also be another problem with making a bootable dvd of el capitan. El Capitan is bigger than Yosemite. Even though the el capitan installer says it is 6.08 GB which would make you think it should fit onto a dual layer dvd just like it can be done for yosemite, there is other invisible stuff copied over making it bootable which would make it much bigger than 6.08 GB. So will it even fit onto a dual layer dvd - replete with all this other stuff? Maybe. Maybe not.

I also happen to know that it is possible to make a bootable bluray of yosemite.

So if I fail to fit el capitan with all the other invisible files too onto dvd I might make a bootable bluray instead.

 

[wionda92]

There is an underlying problem with this whole thread. You are confusing 2 issues.

1. To make an iso file capable of installing el capitan into vmware fusion.

2. To make an iso file which can be burnt onto a dvd such that you could boot up the el capitan installer from the dvd and install el capitan.

THEY ARE 2 DIFFERENT ISSUES.

I used parallels desktop to make a dmg of the yosemite installer from which I could then install yosemite into parallels desktop. But burn it to dvd expecting to get a bootable dvd capable of installing yosemite - and all you get is a coaster. And conversely, use the method you linked to in the first post to make an iso and try to use that to install yosemite into parallels and it doesn't work.

Size is not a problem. The expected ISO size is around 8.1G.

Hence the line

hdiutil resize -size 10g /tmp/ElCapitan.sparseimage

Whether or not there are two issues, so far I've been able to produce ISOs using your method that can both be used to install into VMs and be burned into DVDs for older MACs.

With DP2 and now Gold El Capitan, something changed.

 

[br0adband]

I wouldn't exactly consider it two issues: a bootable ISO is a bootable ISO, period - there aren't two versions of that final product. It's either a bootable ISO or it's not, and the same bootable ISO can be used to install the OS into a virtual machine directly from the ISO on a storage device or use that same ISO to burn a physical DVD and then use THAT physical DVD to install the same OS in a virtual machine from the physical optical drive attached to the same virtual machine - I've tested that with the GM candidate from a few weeks ago and both of them are workable solutions to install the OS in Fusion, at least for me.

An ISO is an ISO. And as stated, something has changed with the final release of El Capitan because I could do this same process with the GM candidate (the last build released pre-final which came out on Sept 30th for the masses) and I'd end up with a working bootable ISO. I'm not sure what's changed but something did, and I point a finger at Apple doing it since nothing on my end has changed, not even the steps used to create the ISO (well, a CDR disk master image renamed to ISO).

 

[tywebb13]

........The code from this thread worked perfectly for Yosemite and the first beta of El Capitan https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/how-to-create-yosemite-os-x-bootable-dvd.1763439/

Now it doesn't work anymore.

So the logical thing to do is to compare what has changed. LOTS of things have changed. BUT if you just focus on the commands you are using to create the iso, there are 2 new things in the public release which were NOT in the first beta.

Namely (and these are invisible files): AppleDiagnostics.chunklist and AppleDiagnostics.dmg

So you could add these to your code:

...

# Copy ElCapitan installer dependencies
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.chunklist /Volumes/install_build/BaseSystem.chunklist
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/BaseSystem.dmg /Volumes/install_build/BaseSystem.dmg
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/AppleDiagnostics.chunklist /Volumes/install_build/AppleDiagnostics.chunklist
cp -rp /Volumes/install_app/AppleDiagnostics.dmg /Volumes/install_build/AppleDiagnostics.dmg

...

But I think there are other changes too so this probably won't be enough to make it bootable.

 

[tywebb13]

Nevertheless you can still install el capitan into fusion. You don't need an iso. But you need the latest version 8.0.1 and the installer app for el capitan.

Open vmware fusion, then go to file menu and click on New...

This appears:

Now drag and drop the whole installer app called Install OS X El Capitan from your Applications folder into the box called install from disc or image

A new window appears with the app selected. Click Continue. Then you may either Click Finish or you have the option of customizing settings. When you click Finish it will ask you where to save it. When you decide where to save it, click save. It says it is creating installation medium which may take a while depending on how fast your computer is. Select language and then Install OS X. Click Continue. Continue. Agree. Agree. Select Macintosh HD. Click Install. Then it will proceed to do a clean install of el capitan into a virtual machine.

So there you go. I said it was a separate issue. I have been able to make a clean install of a virtual machine of el capitan into vmware fusion 8.0.1 without any iso. You just use the installer app.

So I think I've solved the vmware fusion issue.

The main point about that though is that you must update to at least version 8.0.1 or it won't work.

As for the dvd, well I made an iso but am still not convinced it will boot up. So I haven't burn't a dvd yet. I think that issue may still need some more exploration.

 

[wionda92]

As for the dvd, well I made an iso but am still not convinced it will boot up. So I haven't burn't a dvd yet. I think that issue may still need some more exploration.

Thank you tyebb13. I tried it and the resulting ISO doesn't work either. Thank you for helping and sorry if I came across as holding you responsible for the ISO not working. I didn't mean that at all. You're awesome man

 

[tywebb13]

Did you try it the other way - i.e., with just the installer app? That definitely works.

 

[wionda92]

I don't have Fusion 8.0.1 to experiment with