I have an iMac 2007 20', and its a second hand computer. It was running OSx Lion when I bought it, then I upgraded it to El capitan, After that, I made a big mistake of erasing the data without taking a copy of the dmg file in USB. After reset, I only have the option to boot into the recovery mode. Creating bootable USB Installer can be done in different ways specifically create bootable USB Installer for macOS X El Capitan on Windows and other macOS versions. The first way to do manually and the second way is to do a software that is pre-build to do all those with a click or two.
- Create El Capitan Usb Installer
- Create El Capitan Usb Install
- Install El Capitan From Usb
- Create El Capitan Bootable Usb From Pkg
- Create El Capitan Usb Installer
Oct 01, 2015 Here's how you can create a Mac OS X El Capitan bootable USB flash drive. OS X El Capitan is finally here, and if you're looking to install Apple's new desktop OS fresh from the ground up, then.
Introduction
Apple officially released OS X 10.11 El Capitan operating system in September 2015 as an update through Apple App Store. This actualization will update core of your system and preserve your user data.
However, if you want to have a clean installation of El Capitan on your Mac you will need to create a special installation USB drive and in this article we will show you how.
Four ways how to create El Capitan USB installation flash drive:
Preparation - get OS X El Capitan installer and USB flash drive
Download El Capitan installer (Install OS X El Capitan.app in Applications folder) available in Mac App Store.
Prepare a flash drive with OS X Disk Utility. Format it with GUID Partition Table and name it as Untitled. The minimal capacity of flash drive must be 8 GB.

How to create El Capitan installation USB drive with createinstallmedia tool
The createinstallmedia is a command line tool distributed with OS X installer.
When you have prepared your USB flash drive and El Capitan installer is downloaded from App Store ► open Terminal and type command:
sudo /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app --nointeraction
In our case 'Untitled' is the name of USB flash drive! Replace 'Untilled' by name of your flash drive.
Wait a few minutes and your El Capitan installation USB drive will be prepared.
To install OS X El Capitan ► restart computer ► hold the Option key and select Installation USB drive from the menu.

How to create El Capitan USB installation with Terminal commands
When your USB flash drive is ready and El Capitan installer downloaded from App Store ► Open Terminal and type the following sequence of commands:
sudo hdiutil attach /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg
sudo asr restore -source /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/BaseSystem.dmg -target /Volumes/Untitled -erase -format HFS+
sudo rm /Volumes/OS X Base System/System/Installation/Packages
sudo cp -a /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/Packages /Volumes/OS X Base System/System/Installation/Packages
sudo cp -a /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/BaseSystem.chunklist /Volumes/OS X Base System
sudo cp -a /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/BaseSystem.chunklist /Volumes/OS X Base System
sudo cp -a /Volumes/OS X Install ESD/BaseSystem.dmg /Volumes/OS X Base System
hdiutil detach /Volumes/OS X Install ESD
Now wait until your bootable installation flash drive with OS X 10.11 El Capitan is made.
To install OS X El Capitan ► restart computer ► hold the Option key and select Installation USB drive from the menu.
How to create El Capitan USB installation with Disk Utility and Finder
When your USB flash drive is ready and El Capitan installer downloaded from App Store ► Open Terminal and type:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles 1 && killall Finder
This command allows you to view hidden files in Finder.
Now Open Finder ► Applications ► Install OS X El Capitan.app ► right click ► Select Show Package Contents option.
Navigate to Contents/SharedSupport ► Mount InstallESD.dmg file
Open OS X Install ESD archive in Finder and mount BaseSystem.dmg archive
Connect USB drive and open Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities)
Select the USB drive from the list of disks, select Restore tab and pick Select OS X Base System archive as a source and USB flash drive as the destination. When ready click on Restore button.
After the Restore process is finished, open Finder ► open USB drive (OS X Base System) ► go to the System/Installation folder and select Packages file and delete it.
Open OS X Install ESD volume in Finder, select Packages folder and copy them to System/Installation folder on USB drive.
Also copy BaseSystem.chunklist and BaseSystem.dmg files from InstallESD.dmg volume to root of USB flash drive (OS X Base System).
Now your El Capitan installation USB drive is prepared and ready for use.
To install OS X El Capitan ► restart computer ► hold the Option key and select Installation USB drive from the menu.
Create El Capitan Usb Installer
How to create El Capitan USB installation disk with DiskMaker X
DiskMaker X tool is Wizard like tool that allows you create OS X installation disk. Download DiskMaker X to your Mac and copy it to Applications folder.
When you have prepared your USB flash drive and El Capitan installer is downloaded from App Store ► open DiskMaker X.
Select version of OS X (in our case El Capitan)
Select copy of OS X installation app Internet radio automation software.

Select USB drive that will be used for USB installation
And wait a few minutes till the the DiskMaker X finish creating process.
To install OS X El Capitan ► restart computer ► hold the Option key and select Installation USB drive from the menu.
Bootable USB Installers for OS X Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan, and Sierra
First, review this introductory article: Create a bootable installer for macOS. Second, see this How To outline for creating a bootable El Capitan installer. Simply replace the Terminal command with the one from the preceding article by copying it into the Terminal window. You will need an 8GB or larger USB flash drive that has been partitioned and formatted for use with OS X.
Drive Partition and Format
Create El Capitan Usb Install
- Open Disk Utility in the Utilities' folder.
- After Disk Utility loads select the drive (out-dented entry with the mfg.'s ID and size) from the side list.
- Click on the Erase tab in the Disk Utility toolbar. Name the drive, 'MyVolume'. <---- IMPORTANT!
- In the drop down panel set the partition scheme to GUID. Set the Format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.)
- Click on the Apply button and wait for the Done button to activate. When it does click on it.
- Quit Disk Utility.
Create Installer
Open the Terminal in the Utilities' folder. Choose the appropriate command line (in red) depending upon what OS X installer you want. Paste that entire command line from below at the Terminal's prompt:
Command for macOS High Sierra:
sudo /Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app
Command for macOS Sierra:
sudo /Applications/Install macOS Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install macOS Sierra.app
Command for El Capitan:
sudo /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X El Capitan.app
Command for Yosemite:
sudo /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X Yosemite.app
Command for Mavericks:
Install El Capitan From Usb
sudo /Applications/Install OS X Mavericks.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install OS X Mavericks.app
Create El Capitan Bootable Usb From Pkg
Press RETURN. You will be asked for your admin password. It will not echo to the Terminal window. Then press RETURN again. Wait for the return of the Terminal prompt signifying the process has completed. It takes quite some time to finish. Be patient.
Create El Capitan Usb Installer
Sep 13, 2018 1:16 PM