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seitsme

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 12, 2017
78
2
-
After i installed a new 128gb SSD on my macbook late 2009, i used a boot usb with sierra to instal osx...

It seems SSD cannot be formated and i get an error <Volume erase failed: Media kit reports not enough space on device>

this error needs terminal command to be solved= to write zeroes on ssd and allow formating of it as it is 128gb and below size of 200GB needed for diskutility to format it...

i open terminal from usb boot installer, and says 'basic' mode.
i do sudo dd.... and i get back command not found
any clues how to replace this command correctly for sierra ?

this is where i got it from
https://www.reddit.com/r/applehelp/...utility_fails_to_eraseformat_an_external_hdd/

I also tried to edit path using another web example, nothing... maybe i have to reset it back also and dont know how to do so.

I tried to format it as extended also and worked, but after i went back to SSD APFS, it allows now formating, but i also see it creates a 'container' and dont know if this is something default by format or i need to remove this container and format again after writing zeroes to ssd with terminal

any help....
 

organicCPU

macrumors 6502a
Aug 8, 2016
836
294
Maybe I'm wrong or just don't get exactly what you're asking for...
Just try the dd command without sudo. Then it might be that dd isn't available on an Installer USB and you would need a working macOS to call the dd command. In that case you could install macOS on an external USB drive and run it from there to get the dd command working. Besides, it's a good habit to make a bootable clone of a working macOS before installing some new hardware or OS.
You're writing about macOS Sierra and then you're mentioning APFS. APFS is used for macOS High Sierra, while macOS Sierra should run from a JHFS+ formatted drive. APFS indeed is using containers on a drive. AFAIK, no containers, no APFS. Maybe you would get more helpful responses to your question in the correct macOS forum.
 

seitsme

macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 12, 2017
78
2
-
thanks for the reply.
I talk about high sierra. I did not notice there was sierra (non high) as well in osx.
i guess the commands dont exist on bootable usb.

This is what i have right now.
1. full download apple highsierra installer 6gb approx dont know what veriosn is though or build.
2. i have dosdude high sierra patcher installer to make bootable usb.

would you suggest burn with this patcher and install osx on my hdd then use maybe carboncopy to clone it on ssd ?
If i get a dvd dl disk with high sierra is it possible to install from it as well ?
 

organicCPU

macrumors 6502a
Aug 8, 2016
836
294
I assume that you try to install macOS High Sierra on an unsupported Mac. I don't have any experience installing HS on unsupported machines nor in installing HS from scratch as I just upgraded one single Mac from macOS Sierra to High Sierra. I recommend reading and posting your question to this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/macos-high-sierra-10-13-unsupported-macs-thread.2048478/.

I'd format the HDD with Disk Utility to HFS+ (Journaled) if not already done, install HS or even better some supported macOS version to obtain dd, if I were unable to format the SSD with Disk Utility. As Internet Recovery probably doesn't work on the specific model, you could use your original install media, buy some older macOS, use some of your older available USB Installer or download and install OS X El Capitan (10.11.x). Any macOS version from Snow Leopard 10.6.x to El Capitan should work for your purpose. Then try to install macOS High Sierra on your SSD if you really wish to do that.
Of course you could also disassemble and attach the SSD to another computer or use Target Disk Mode to perform the deletion of the SSD if you don't already have a bootable HDD. It's hard to give advice without knowing the details like Mac model and all other prerequisites from available install media, cables to other computers that you could use, etc. Cloning with Carbon Copy Cloner just works flawlessly once you have the system you'd like to use ready somewhere.

A DL-DVD I don't recommend. AFAIK, at least it won't work without tweaking things by yourself. The last version that was officially installed from DVD was Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6.x). However, a former version of Disk Maker X, that I usually use for making Installer USB thumbs, was able to burn an Installer DVD of Mac OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.x). Utilise a USB and you're fine.
 
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