Making a bootable High Sierra USB Installer Entirely From Scratch in Windows or Linux Mint (without access to Mac or App Store Installer.app)

[CuriousTommy]

On 11/23/2017 at 1:45 AM, fusion71au said:

6)  Type dmg2img -l BaseSystem.dmg to list the "partitions" in the compressed disk image file "BaseSystem.dmg"...

 

 

What exactly are we looking for when we run this command? Are we looking for the partition that lists "disk image"?

 

I am thinking of making a python program that can automate this on Linux, but I need to know the takeaway from running this command.

[george_m]

On 11/20/2017 at 4:59 PM, fusion71au said:

Updated Download Links for macOS Mojave 10.14_18A391

Browse Apple's Regular Software Catalog and find the URLs to download the following 6 installer files...

1. BaseSystem.dmg
2. BaseSystem.chunklist
3. InstallInfo.plist
4. InstallESDDmg.pkg
5. AppleDiagnostics.dmg
6. AppleDiagnostics.chunklist

 

How did you find 10.14 18A391? When I tried looking through the software catalog link you gave there, I could only find the following versions:

10.13.6 (17G65)
10.13.6 (17G2208)
10.14.1 (18B75)
10.14.1 (18B2107)
10.14.1 (18B3094)

 

This is the process I followed to find these versions
1. I looked for all "BaseSystem.dmg" URLs in the catalog and noted them

2. I looked at the "English.dist" corresponding to each of those BaseSystem URLs (since both share a similar URL pattern)

3. I noted the build and version of each English.dist.

 

Did I do that right? Following these steps, I could only find the above mentioned 5 builds from the catalog. Where is 10.14 18A391?

 

Reason I'm asking: I was trying out a weekend project to make a tool that would automatically parse an apple catalog XML for you, find the different mac builds in it and download the files of whichever one you choose (and automatically rename InstallESDDmg.pkg and update InstallInfo.plist). So I wanted to figure out the exact process of extracting the different macOS files and versions from the catalog

Edited November 21, 2018 by george_m

[fusion71au]

On 11/22/2018 at 5:27 AM, george_m said:

 

How did you find 10.14 18A391? When I tried looking through the software catalog link you gave there, I could only find the following versions:

10.13.6 (17G65)
10.13.6 (17G2208)
10.14.1 (18B75)
10.14.1 (18B2107)
10.14.1 (18B3094)

 

This is the process I followed to find these versions
1. I looked for all "BaseSystem.dmg" URLs in the catalog and noted them

2. I looked at the "English.dist" corresponding to each of those BaseSystem URLs (since both share a similar URL pattern)

3. I noted the build and version of each English.dist.

 

Did I do that right? Following these steps, I could only find the above mentioned 5 builds from the catalog. Where is 10.14 18A391?

 

Reason I'm asking: I was trying out a weekend project to make a tool that would automatically parse an apple catalog XML for you, find the different mac builds in it and download the files of whichever one you choose (and automatically rename InstallESDDmg.pkg and update InstallInfo.plist). So I wanted to figure out the exact process of extracting the different macOS files and versions from the catalog

 

Yes, you are correct.

 

Apple removed the URLs for 10.14_18A391 from the software catalog and replaced them with URLs for 10.14.1_18B75.  I just hadn't gotten around to updating the links for 10.14.1 in the first post .

 

On 11/12/2018 at 9:32 AM, CuriousTommy said:

 

What exactly are we looking for when we run this command? Are we looking for the partition that lists "disk image"?

 

I am thinking of making a python program that can automate this on Linux, but I need to know the takeaway from running this command.

 

Yes, you need the partition number of the hfs BaseSystem image for the next step...

 

sudo dmg2img -v -i BaseSystem.dmg -p 4 -o /dev/sdb3

 

[shadow_kitten]

@fusion71au I followed the instructions for the installer, but when I boot to Clover and select the Mac partition it shows the Apple Logo, then reboots my system and bounces me back to the Clover screen - this loops continuously. I had previously installed using VMWare and the command line following some of your other posts, but now I'm looking for a dual boot solution so I can leverage my GPU. Any idea what would cause the loop of Clover > Apple Logo > Restart > Clover? Just need an idea of how to troubleshoot. I'm a complete n00b when it comes to Clover.

 

I'm happy to provide any additional details you need.

 

Specs:

Motherboard: ASUS Rog Strix z370e, CPU: Intell i5-8600k, GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX-1060, Storage: 2TB HDD and 2x 500 GB Samsung Evo SSD, OS: Windows 10 Pro

 

 

[likenotanyone]

 
Hello. I'm trying on linux and can't do that

1) 7Z l BaseSystem.dmg gives me many text, i attached file

2) dmg2img gives error:

 

Quote

[awful@memory SharedSupport]$ sudo dmg2img -v -i BaseSystem.dmg -p 4 -o /dev/sda3
[sudo] password for awful:

dmg2img v1.6.7 (c) vu1tur (to@vu1tur.eu.org)

BaseSystem.dmg --> /dev/sda3

reading property list, 44376 bytes from address 486174238 ...
partition 0: begin=203, size=430, decoded=284
partition 1: begin=948, size=430, decoded=284
partition 2: begin=1695, size=430, decoded=284
partition 3: begin=2424, size=430, decoded=284
partition 4: begin=3137, size=34763, decoded=23404
partition 5: begin=38183, size=430, decoded=284
partition 6: begin=38911, size=430, decoded=284
partition 7: begin=39656, size=430, decoded=284

decompressing:
opening partition 4 ...       [574]  98.97%ERROR: writing file /dev/sda3

[awful@memory SharedSupport]$ lsblk
NAME        MAJ:MIN RM  SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda           8:0    1 14.5G  0 disk
├─sda1        8:1    1  200M  0 part
├─sda2        8:2    1  5.7G  0 part
└─sda3        8:3    1  1.9G  0 part

 

Please help me. Thanks!

1.txt

[Hutucej]

I Just created a account here to say thank you. I've looked for months a solution. Only this worked. 

I Just created a account here to say thank you. I've looked for months a solution. Only this worked. 

[sonu_simon]

I ve been through some of the steps. I restored the hfs file to the second partition. Then on trying to extend the partition to the maximum, I cant do that. The software suggested here is paid. So i tried using alternatives. I get the error that "no partition table found on this device."

 

How do i proceed? Anyone else experiencing similar problems? 
THanks

[Ramsy]

If you have got an.iso file,you can make one yourself.(I am talking about bootable USB)

Edited January 28, 2019 by Ramsy

[DiddyKong]

WOW, I really could've started from vanilla, without commercialized software, to get to the App Store to download and create a vanilla usb!!! Really wish I knew about this method before.

 

Has this ever been a option before?

[W-Tiggeh]

Okay, I'm trying to do the steps with Mavericks. 

 

I stumbled on the very first step, that's to download BaseSystem.dmg. There's many results. Which one do I have to download?

 

091-94326
091-95774
091-95155
041-47723
041-59913
041-73257
041-94412
 

Edited August 19, 2019 by W-Tiggeh

[Guest ricoc90]

6 hours ago, W-Tiggeh said:

Okay, I'm trying to do the steps with Mavericks. 

 

I stumbled on the very first step, that's to download BaseSystem.dmg. There's many results. Which one do I have to download?

 

091-94326
091-95774
091-95155
041-47723
041-59913
041-73257
041-94412
 

Well, sadly Mavericks has been removed from the catalog (other than the combo updates). The above method won't work for Mavericks. It'll only work for High Sierra and above. Sorry buddy

Edited August 19, 2019 by ricoc90

[W-Tiggeh]

Aww.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to install High Sierra in the old laptop I use for tests...

Edited August 19, 2019 by W-Tiggeh

[deni_frs]

Can anyone help me find the Catalina download links? I can't seem to figure out how to read this catalog file thing.

[cybermike]

download not found. Is there a working tutorial or working links?

Thanks

 

[sacorvlaa]

Mojave 10.14.6 18G103  26 Sept 2019

 

http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/32/061-26589-A_8GJTCGY9PC/25fhcu905eta7wau7aoafu8rvdm7k1j4el/BaseSystem.dmg
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/32/061-26589-A_8GJTCGY9PC/25fhcu905eta7wau7aoafu8rvdm7k1j4el/BaseSystem.chunklist
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/32/061-26589-A_8GJTCGY9PC/25fhcu905eta7wau7aoafu8rvdm7k1j4el/InstallInfo.plist
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/32/061-26589-A_8GJTCGY9PC/25fhcu905eta7wau7aoafu8rvdm7k1j4el/InstallESDDmg.pkg
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/32/061-26589-A_8GJTCGY9PC/25fhcu905eta7wau7aoafu8rvdm7k1j4el/AppleDiagnostics.dmg
http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/32/061-26589-A_8GJTCGY9PC/25fhcu905eta7wau7aoafu8rvdm7k1j4el/AppleDiagnostics.chunklist

[MFarooqi]

this is great tutorial..

My macbook had lost its OS.. actually i accidently deleted some files, I had dual boot with bootcamp windows and I was able to recover my files. But default recovery was unable to access my internal hard-drive. Because in my macbook pro mid-15, "sierra"recovery was avaialble and sierra doesn't recognize Nvme ssd used with an adapter. So I had to have at least mojave that can recognize M.2 Nvme ssd with adapter.  

 

One tip. you can use 7Zip too to extract dmg files if you've one. and from that "sharedsupport"folder can be accessed. Because TransMac is hell slow. 

 

Before this i was using only TansMac which was taking hours in restoring OS on usb. but this Boot Disk Utility worked great!. 

 

Thank you again.

[sachin7788]

Hi,

I have  dual boot Yosemite, Win 7 with  MBR partition.

 

I have prepared the High Sierra installer using this method.  it gave me error " Error: This volume does not use the GUID Partition Table scheme."

 

I think there is some MBR patch applicable for this installer.

 

Please help. Please provide instructions for MBR patching.