Create a Bootable Installation Disk for Mac OS X Yosemite

2 Parts:

Steps

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Mac OS X Yosemite is available for free from the Apple iTunes store. If a Mac computer has the hardware to run Mac OS X Mavericks, then it also has the hardware necessary to run X Yosemite, with the exception in some circumstances being that some Mavericks machines do not have WiFi for the Continuity feature, which allows users to pick up where they left off using any of their Apple products.

One of the issues users face is the process by which Yosemite is updated. iTunes makes it simple for users to download, install and forget, but it does not make it easy for those who have a number of Macs which they want to update. This is because after iTunes installs the latest OS, it deletes the file which was used to update it. This means that most people with more than one Mac will end up spending time downloading the same file over and over until the job is complete. This article will discuss a procedure which will allow power users to create a bootable installation disk for Mac OS X Yosemite.

1. 1
   The first thing to do is begin the download of Yosemite from iTunes

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   The download will need to be watched for when it completes and the installer begins. Since the installer will remove the download when it is done, it is necessary to stop the installer before it is able to complete the update. The download will be located in the /Applications folder

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2. 2
   The next step is to plug in a USB drive to the Mac where the file was downloaded

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   Turning the USB device into a boot device will wipe all of the data on it, so any important files on the USB drive should be backed up to another location first. Rename the drive to "YosemiteInstall" by selecting the USB and typing a new name.

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3. 3
   Next, go to Applications > Utilities and open the Terminal

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4. 4
   When the following command is executed in Terminal, the contents of the USB drive will be erased and replaced with the bootable installer

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   Copy the following:

   sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/YosemiteInstall --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ Yosemite.app -nointeraction
   

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5. 5
   Then paste into the Terminal shell and press the return key to run it

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   The Administrator password must be entered before Terminal will execute the command. The command will take some time to finish, depending on the quality of the USB drive.

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6. 6
   When it is finished, the USB drive will be ready to be used as a bootable device to update Maverick to Yosemite without deleting the files needed for the update

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   This will allow for simple upgrades on multiple Macs without the need to download the same large file over and over.

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If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

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