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Create a bootable USB drive for OSX El Capitan
Everytime when Apple releases new software, I can’t help it to format my computer. I just don’t seem to trust an update of a operating system. I like to create a bootable USB drive because it’s blazing fast to install the OS. For El Capitan, it took me +- 15 minutes with a USB3 stick.
Luckily it is fairly easy to create a bootable USB drive for OSX El Capitan!
Create a bootable USB drive
- Have a USB stick ready (USB3 is really fast! :-))
- Format it with the Disk Utility tool (Mac OSX extended format, give the drive the name Untitled)
- Download OSX El Capitan from the Mac App Store, but quit the update application when it is downloaded.
- Open Terminal
- Use the following command
sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/ --nointeraction- Type in your password when asked
- Wait a little while the files are being copied to your USB stick
- TAKE A FULL BACKUP OF YOUR IMPORTANT FILES
- Reboot your computer and hold the alt key
- You’ll see a menu where you can choose to run the installer from the USB drive
Done :-)
About the Author
👋 Hi, I'm Frederik Jacques, a passionate iOS developer and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience building innovative mobile applications.
I love creating apps that solve real problems and bring joy to users. From educational tools to creative meme makers, I'm always exploring new ways to blend technology with user experience. When I'm not coding, you'll find me sharing insights about iOS development, app monetization, and the indie developer journey.