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Zackmd1

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2010
815
487
Maryland US
I am trying to create a bootable USB for High Sierra but I am running into an issue with actually downloading the installer. When I click the download button from the mac app store it takes less then a minute to "download". I am assuming it is just downloading the installer app and the actual OS image is downloaded when you go through the install process. Is there anyway I can download the full image for use with a bootable USB without going through the install process?
 

fischersd

macrumors 603
Oct 23, 2014
5,367
1,936
Port Moody, BC, Canada
I am trying to create a bootable USB for High Sierra but I am running into an issue with actually downloading the installer. When I click the download button from the mac app store it takes less then a minute to "download". I am assuming it is just downloading the installer app and the actual OS image is downloaded when you go through the install process. Is there anyway I can download the full image for use with a bootable USB without going through the install process?
It downloads the installer to your Applications folder. Are you low on drive space? (that may be why it's just downloading an installer to pull from the internet, rather than the full image). (the full image is 5.19GB for PB1)
 

Zackmd1

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2010
815
487
Maryland US
I have over 100gb of space so I doubt that is the problem.... The download says 4.9gb but what was downloaded is only 14.5mb on the disk and does not contain the InstallESD. I have no other options when downloading from the App Store. I am assuming I need some terminal command to download the installESD but I have been unable to find one yet.
 

fischersd

macrumors 603
Oct 23, 2014
5,367
1,936
Port Moody, BC, Canada
Broadband connection, right? (not using a tethered phone?). Could also be a carrier limitation if you were doing that.

What's the actual name of the file you're talking about?
 

Zackmd1

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2010
815
487
Maryland US
Broadband connection, right? (not using a tethered phone?). Could also be a carrier limitation if you were doing that.

What's the actual name of the file you're talking about?

No problem with internet connection. I am actually downloading the full sierra installer from the mac store now with no issues. The High Sierra public beta is what I am referring to. "Install High Sierra Beta"
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
28,519
12,648
It looks to me that with High Sierra, Apple has changed the paradigm on how the Installer will be downloaded.

With all previous versions of the OS, when you chose to "download the OS", you received an "Installer" into your Applications folder which contained "the whole OS". And then ran it from there.

Now, when you "click to download the Installer" in developer beta of High Sierra, you DON'T get a "complete download" of the Installer.

Instead, you seem to get some kind of "pre-download application" which (when you run it) will then download "the full Installer".

BUT -- this downloading app seems to be "picky" about where it will download to.

I tried it yesterday, and got the error that there was some kind of fault with the "recovery data" and the download app would go no further.

Right now, if Apple is throwing this curve ball out to you it looks like the only way to get a "full and complete" Installer will be when one is uploaded to the (cough! choke!) "UN-authorized" downloading sites, and then download it from there.

That's my observation as of right now.
Things may change...
 

fischersd

macrumors 603
Oct 23, 2014
5,367
1,936
Port Moody, BC, Canada
It looks to me that with High Sierra, Apple has changed the paradigm on how the Installer will be downloaded.

With all previous versions of the OS, when you chose to "download the OS", you received an "Installer" into your Applications folder which contained "the whole OS". And then ran it from there.

Now, when you "click to download the Installer" in developer beta of High Sierra, you DON'T get a "complete download" of the Installer.

Instead, you seem to get some kind of "pre-download application" which (when you run it) will then download "the full Installer".

BUT -- this downloading app seems to be "picky" about where it will download to.

I tried it yesterday, and got the error that there was some kind of fault with the "recovery data" and the download app would go no further.

Right now, if Apple is throwing this curve ball out to you it looks like the only way to get a "full and complete" Installer will be when one is uploaded to the (cough! choke!) "UN-authorized" downloading sites, and then download it from there.

That's my observation as of right now.
Things may change...
Well, I snagged mine yesterday and it gave me the full installer (PB1). :)
[doublepost=1498836572][/doublepost]
No problem with internet connection. I am actually downloading the full sierra installer from the mac store now with no issues. The High Sierra public beta is what I am referring to. "Install High Sierra Beta"
You're grabbing the Sierra installer at the same time. (so, it could just be the "bugger off" mechanism built into Apple's servers for when things are busy and people are being bandwidth hogs) :)

When that is complete (and you aren't doing any other downloads from Apple)....

Try this (grabbed from a support thread from people having similar problems with El Capitan):

Go to App Store -> Store -> Check for Unfinished Downloads. (I had to login again with my Apple ID.)

I got a message that there was no unfinished download, but next time I clicked to download El Capitan from the Purchased list in the App Store it worked. (I now get the progress bar and I see the download growing under /Applications).

Edit: And if THAT doesn't get things rolling, I'd try re-running the macOSPublicBetaAccessUtility.pkg - could be that there was a blip during the install process - maybe you're not pointed at the beta catalog. :)
 
Last edited:

bbfc

macrumors 68040
Oct 22, 2011
3,849
1,612
Newcastle, England.
It looks to me that with High Sierra, Apple has changed the paradigm on how the Installer will be downloaded.

With all previous versions of the OS, when you chose to "download the OS", you received an "Installer" into your Applications folder which contained "the whole OS". And then ran it from there.

Now, when you "click to download the Installer" in developer beta of High Sierra, you DON'T get a "complete download" of the Installer.

Instead, you seem to get some kind of "pre-download application" which (when you run it) will then download "the full Installer".

BUT -- this downloading app seems to be "picky" about where it will download to.

I tried it yesterday, and got the error that there was some kind of fault with the "recovery data" and the download app would go no further.

Right now, if Apple is throwing this curve ball out to you it looks like the only way to get a "full and complete" Installer will be when one is uploaded to the (cough! choke!) "UN-authorized" downloading sites, and then download it from there.

That's my observation as of right now.
Things may change...
No. It should download the full installer.
 

Zackmd1

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Oct 3, 2010
815
487
Maryland US
Well, I snagged mine yesterday and it gave me the full installer (PB1). :)
[doublepost=1498836572][/doublepost]
You're grabbing the Sierra installer at the same time. (so, it could just be the "bugger off" mechanism built into Apple's servers for when things are busy and people are being bandwidth hogs) :)

When that is complete (and you aren't doing any other downloads from Apple)....

Try this (grabbed from a support thread from people having similar problems with El Capitan):

Go to App Store -> Store -> Check for Unfinished Downloads. (I had to login again with my Apple ID.)

I got a message that there was no unfinished download, but next time I clicked to download El Capitan from the Purchased list in the App Store it worked. (I now get the progress bar and I see the download growing under /Applications).

Edit: And if THAT doesn't get things rolling, I'd try re-running the macOSPublicBetaAccessUtility.pkg - could be that there was a blip during the install process - maybe you're not pointed at the beta catalog. :)

Sierra install was started after I got frustrated with the High Sierra issue... The problem is that High Sierra does not show up on my store purchases list....
 

fischersd

macrumors 603
Oct 23, 2014
5,367
1,936
Port Moody, BC, Canada
Sierra install was started after I got frustrated with the High Sierra issue... The problem is that High Sierra does not show up on my store purchases list....
Like I said...re-run the macOSPublicBetaAccessUtility.pkg

If everything has gone as it should, you should be pointed at the beta catalog. You can run this command in terminal to check:

sudo defaults read /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate CatalogURL

The response (if on the beta catalog) should be:

https://swscan.apple.com/content/ca...ion-snowleopard-leopard.merged-1.sucatalog.gz
 

ed.

macrumors regular
Jan 31, 2008
217
175
Yesterday I tried twice and twice I've got a 14,5 mb installer, (which then failed with some error about corrupt data), but the third time I alt-clicked the 'download' button on a whim and it started downloading the full thing (which went on but stalled at 5.18Gb...). Cancelled it from Launcher, tried again, got the small one again but this time it worked.

Also, it seems like the small file is now 5.18gb, so maybe the downloaded files get added to the initial small one during installation? It could make sense: your installation starts instantly and if you have a quick enough connection the download is 'hidden' in the installation process.

Btw I've installed high sierra on an external usb3 stick (a sandisk that claims speeds up to 150mbs) and I should say it's a perfectly decent solution for a sneak peek!
 
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