HOWTO: Create bootable Mavericks ISO

creof · October 5, 2013 3:50PM

I've found a number of websites with instructions on creating a bootable USB for installing Mavericks, but an ISO is much more useful in my ESXi environment. Of course there's a 101+ ways to do this, the only requirement for this solution is a command line. You'll of course need to adjust the paths if necessary/desired.


# Mount the installer image
hdiutil attach /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.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/Mavericks

# Increase the sparse bundle capacity to accommodate the packages
hdiutil resize -size 8g /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage

# Mount the sparse bundle for package addition
hdiutil attach /tmp/Mavericks.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/

# 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/Mavericks.sparseimage | tail -n 1 | awk '{ print $1 }'`b /tmp/Mavericks.sparseimage

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

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

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

I take no responsibility if it blows up your machine (or worse yet installs Windows). The comments and some man'ing should explain it all. Hopefully it'll save someone some time.

Enjoy!

sqladmin · October 27, 2013 7:50AM

Thanks.

Very good script.

Marko

drdion · October 28, 2013 11:00AM

Seriously, how do you learn to do this stuff, oh I know, by getting sick of fixing Windows machines…I like to blow them up for fun, got a script for that. J/K Thank you so much, I could have never down it on my own, and while i do not really need it, I am learning ESXi and VSphere now, and presently just wanted a way to set this up in Fusion for a preview. I did it by updating a Mountain Lion .vmdk through the app store, which did work, but what fun is that!! Any hints on how to get the VMware tools to work, they seem not to be updated for Mavericks, I am running Fusion 6, it says that its is supported.

claytonbn · October 28, 2013 4:29PM

I followed the instructions, and the ISO was created successfully. However, when I select any of my 2 drives to install Mavericks - both are Mac OS Journaled - I click the Install button and it simply takes no action...

Any help?

Thanks in advance.

ccie6746 · November 11, 2013 11:42AM

Thanks for posting the script ! Great work !! I am not able to boot from the iso created however. Same as you I run VMware ESXi in my environment and currently using 5.5 in my home office. When I create my new VM using this ISO as the cd image it hangs on the grey screen with apple logo in the middle while the beach ball perpetually spins until I halt it manually by shutting down the VM. Never had an issue like this before, EVER with an iso and my current Apple OS X VM was created on and running in Fusion. Fusion created VM's cannot simply be transferred over and run in ESXi platform. Thats the reason I was creating a new bootable Mavericks .iso in order to create an updated VM as well as run on my ESXi server recently completed for home office use.

I copied and pasted your commands only changing the first one to match the path of my Downloads directory where I held a copy of the Install .app.

Any idea how to convert Fusion created Mac OS X VM to ESXi ?? It only complains about reading the virtual disk files if you changed/fixed hardware, NIC Network etc up front.

Dave

CCIE #6746

VCP 5

labeebahmad32 · November 14, 2013 3:00PM

Is it possible to download mac os x maverisk iso from torrent in windows 8 and boot a usb then install fresh mac os on pc. Everything on pc. Is it?

mcse5491 · November 16, 2013 7:05AM

Dave, I too am getting the same issue. Have you been able to resolve? Have you or anyone else on this thread been able to resolve?

Thanks,

Gio

mcse5491 · November 16, 2013 7:20AM

I remember getting something similar back on 10.7 and it involved changing the CPUID in the .vmx. Not sure if that is the issue or what to change the values to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccie6746

Same as you I run VMware ESXi in my environment and currently using 5.5 in my home office. When I create my new VM using this ISO as the cd image it hangs on the grey screen with apple logo in the middle while the beach ball perpetually spins until I halt it manually by shutting down the VM.

mcse5491 · November 16, 2013 7:26AM

The reason I think it has to do with the CPUID is that these are the last entries in my VMware log. I am running two ESXi 5.5 hosts. This one happens to be an older Dell desktop that I use for development. Core 2 (Clovertown). I have another host running on an Intel i5 3rd gen. Pretty sure I will get the same issue, but will give it a go.

Quote:

~~~~2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: FeatureCompat: EVC masks: 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID vendor: GenuineIntel 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID family: 0x6 model: 0xf stepping: 0x6 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID codename: Clovertown (Core) 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID name: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000000, 0: 0x0000000a 0x756e6547 0x6c65746e 0x49656e69 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000001, 0: 0x000006f6 0x00020800 0x0000e3bd 0xbfebfbff 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000002, 0: 0x05b0b101 0x005657f0 0x00000000 0x2cb43049 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000003, 0: 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000004, 0: 0x04000121 0x01c0003f 0x0000003f 0x00000001 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000004, 1: 0x04000122 0x01c0003f 0x0000003f 0x00000001 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000004, 2: 0x04004143 0x03c0003f 0x00000fff 0x00000001 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000004, 3: 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000005, 0: 0x00000040 0x00000040 0x00000003 0x00000020 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000006, 0: 0x00000001 0x00000002 0x00000001 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000007, 0: 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000008, 0: 0x00000400 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 00000009, 0: 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 0000000a, 0: 0x07280202 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 80000000, 0: 0x80000008 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000000 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 80000001, 0: 0x00000000 0x00000000 0x00000001 0x20100800 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 80000002, 0: 0x65746e49 0x2952286c 0x726f4320 0x4d542865 2013-11-16T06:28:52.448Z| vmx| I120: hostCPUID level 80000003, 0: 0x43203229 0x20205550 0x20202020 0x20202020

nepenthe · November 18, 2013 8:42AM

Has anyone had any luck with this? I'm experiencing the same grey-screen on boot of the Mavericks ISO/DMG- this is a fresh ESXi 5.5 install on a Core 2 Duo Host.

emorywilliams · November 25, 2013 11:44AM

Thanks!!!

slorigan · February 24, 2014 5:59AM

I get this error, or is it an error? It seemed to make a bootable disk even with this "error". Any help?

users-MacBook-Air:~ user$ hdiutil attach /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Mavericks.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg -noverify -nobrowse -mountpoint /Volumes/install_app

hdiutil: attach failed - No such file or directory

users-MacBook-Air:~ user$

hetal desai · March 28, 2014 3:30PM

hey thanks! this works like charm

mashedgear · October 16, 2014 4:47PM

The entire script worked but I got the following error at the end "mv /tmp/Mavericks.cdr ~/Desktop/Mavericks.iso

mv: /Users/%USER%/Desktop/Mavericks.iso: set owner/group (was: 223862479/0): Operation not permitted"

Any idea's why???

electrovictim · October 22, 2014 7:39AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mashedgear

The entire script worked but I got the following error at the end "mv /tmp/Mavericks.cdr ~/Desktop/Mavericks.iso

mv: /Users/%USER%/Desktop/Mavericks.iso: set owner/group (was: 223862479/0): Operation not permitted"

Any idea's why???

not 100% sure, but what is ~ referring to, to root's or your's Home Dir?

shsf · November 2, 2014 7:32AM

The easiest option is to use the unix prog createinstallmedia inside the installer app with one line in terminal. Up until a couple of days ago that was over there http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5856 , with instructions for both mavericks and yosemite. It's gone today that I checked.

Btw, I learned the very, very hard way that two untitled volumes, pen drive and external hd make for a very bad disaster scenario... Should have gone with my own way of thinking which was to give the pen drive another name, and not get sidetracked by the less than perfect macworld article I 'd read.

Maybe apple's removed the kb it to avoid future disasters for others? (no man entry btw, as in any case the prog is inside the bundle)

Here's the code: sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app

Same for mavericks.

Still works of course even if the kb's removed.

Always take the os bundle installer out of the applications and place it somewhere else otherwise it's deleted after an install. But to have this code work of course it should be in applications.

lucy khan · December 26, 2014 6:20AM

Is it possible someone can give me an idiots guide to doing this as I am in India at the moment and to download Mavericks from Apple is going to take 5 days. I have Yosemite and the mail is locking me out of my emails on a minute by minute basis even thou I know the passwords etc are correct.

Please Please

clyde hill · May 28, 2015 7:02PM

I have one mac and a pc, My mac crashed . I brought a new drive but am at a loss to figure out what are the steps needed to rebuild and boot my new drive, in my Imac any help will be appreciated.

shsf · June 22, 2015 9:03PM

Get OS X on a bootable thumb drive maybe off a friend's mac, stick it in the imac with the new drive, boot via the usb drive and have it install OS X on the new drive. Put your old drive in an enclosure and stick it on the imac if the drive is not completely dead and see if you can salvage some of your files, or restore via a time machine back up skipping the usb stick altogether if you have one.

HOWTO: Create bootable Mavericks ISO

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