HowtocreateOSX10.

11ElCapitanbootableinstallation
flashdrive
byMichalBlazekonOctober8,2015

Introduction
AppleofficiallyreleasedOSX10.11ElCapitanoperatingsysteminSeptember2015asan
updatethroughAppleAppStore.Thisactualizationwillupdatecoreofyoursystemandpreserve
youruserdata.
However,ifyouwanttohaveacleaninstallationofElCapitanonyourMacyouwillneedto
createaspecialinstallationUSBdriveandinthisarticlewewillshowyouhow.

FourwayshowtocreateElCapitanUSBinstallationflash
drive:
Usecreateinstallmediatool

UseTerminalcommands
UseDiskUtilityandFinder
UseDiskMakerX

PreparationgetOSXElCapitaninstallerandUSBflashdrive
DownloadElCapitaninstaller(InstallOSXElCapitan.appinApplicationsfolder)availableinMac
AppStore.

PrepareaflashdrivewithOSXDiskUtility.FormatitwithGUIDPartitionTableandnameitas
Untitled.Theminimalcapacityofflashdrivemustbe8GB.

HowtocreateElCapitaninstallationUSBdrivewith
createinstallmediatool
ThecreateinstallmediaisacommandlinetooldistributedwithOSXinstaller.
WhenyouhavepreparedyourUSBflashdriveandElCapitaninstallerisdownloadedfromAppStore
openTerminalandtypecommand:

sudo/Applications/Install\OS\X\El\Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmediavolume
/Volumes/Untitledapplicationpath/Applications/Install\OS\X\El\Capitan.appnointeraction
Inourcase"Untitled"isthenameofUSBflashdrive!Replace"Untilled"bynameofyourflashdrive.
WaitafewminutesandyourElCapitaninstallationUSBdrivewillbeprepared.

ToinstallOSXElCapitanrestartcomputerholdtheOptionkeyandselectInstallationUSBdrive
fromthemenu.

HowtocreateElCapitanUSBinstallationwithTerminal
commands
WhenyourUSBflashdriveisreadyandElCapitaninstallerdownloadedfromAppStoreOpen
Terminalandtypethefollowingsequenceofcommands:

sudohdiutilattach/Applications/Install\OS\X\El\
Capitan.app/Contents/SharedSupport/InstallESD.dmg
sudoasrrestoresource/Volumes/OS\X\Install\ESD/BaseSystem.dmgtarget/Volumes/Untitled
eraseformatHFS+
sudorm/Volumes/OS\X\Base\System/System/Installation/Packages
sudocpa/Volumes/OS\X\Install\ESD/Packages/Volumes/OS\X\Base\
System/System/Installation/Packages
sudocpa/Volumes/OS\X\Install\ESD/BaseSystem.chunklist/Volumes/OS\X\Base\System
sudocpa/Volumes/OS\X\Install\ESD/BaseSystem.chunklist/Volumes/OS\X\Base\System
sudocpa/Volumes/OS\X\Install\ESD/BaseSystem.dmg/Volumes/OS\X\Base\System
hdiutildetach/Volumes/OS\X\Install\ESD
NowwaituntilyourbootableinstallationflashdrivewithOSX10.11ElCapitanismade.

ToinstallOSXElCapitanrestartcomputerholdtheOptionkeyandselectInstallationUSBdrive
fromthemenu.

HowtocreateElCapitanUSBinstallationwithDiskUtility
andFinder
WhenyourUSBflashdriveisreadyandElCapitaninstallerdownloadedfromAppStoreOpen
Terminalandtype:

defaultswritecom.apple.finderAppleShowAllFiles1&&killallFinder
ThiscommandallowsyoutoviewhiddenfilesinFinder.
NowOpenFinderApplicationsInstallOSXElCapitan.apprightclickSelectShowPackage
Contentsoption.

NavigatetoContents/SharedSupportMountInstallESD.dmgfile

OpenOSXInstallESDarchiveinFinderandmountBaseSystem.dmgarchive

ConnectUSBdriveandopenDiskUtility(/Applications/Utilities)
SelecttheUSBdrivefromthelistofdisks,selectRestoretabandpickSelectOSXBaseSystem
archiveasasourceandUSBflashdriveasthedestination.WhenreadyclickonRestorebutton.

AftertheRestoreprocessisfinished,openFinderopenUSBdrive(OSXBaseSystem)gotothe
System/InstallationfolderandselectPackagesfileanddeleteit.

OpenOSXInstallESDvolumeinFinder,selectPackagesfolderandcopythem
toSystem/InstallationfolderonUSBdrive.

AlsocopyBaseSystem.chunklistandBaseSystem.dmgfilesfromInstallESD.dmgvolumetorootof
USBflashdrive(OSXBaseSystem).

NowyourElCapitaninstallationUSBdriveispreparedandreadyforuse.
ToinstallOSXElCapitanrestartcomputerholdtheOptionkeyandselectInstallationUSBdrive
fromthemenu.

HowtocreateElCapitanUSBinstallationdiskwith
DiskMakerX
DiskMakerXtoolisWizardliketoolthatallowsyoucreateOSXinstallationdisk.
DownloadDiskMakerXtoyourMacandcopyittoApplicationsfolder.
WhenyouhavepreparedyourUSBflashdriveandElCapitaninstallerisdownloadedfromAppStore
openDiskMakerX.
SelectversionofOSX(inourcaseElCapitan)

SelectcopyofOSXinstallationapp

SelectUSBdrivethatwillbeusedforUSBinstallation

AndwaitafewminutestillthetheDiskMakerXfinishcreatingprocess.

ToinstallOSXElCapitanrestartcomputerholdtheOptionkeyandselectInstallationUSBdrive
fromthemenu.