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Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

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Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#41

Post by sbornia »

em3rgent0rdr wrote: post #33

I find it a little absurd and obscene that Apple users will have to code free software projects for the sole purpose of satisfying basic user needs such as creating a bootable ISO. At some point it makes sense to leave the abusive relationship with apple and switch to an FOSS OS.

Actually you don't need any third party software to do this, Apple does provide a way of doing it, and if you have a look at the code of this program, it seems to be just a wrapper of this functionality: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#42

Post by Synaesthesia »

misnome wrote: post #38
em3rgent0rdr wrote: post #33

I find it a little absurd and obscene that Apple users will have to code free software projects for the sole purpose of satisfying basic user needs such as creating a bootable ISO. At some point it makes sense to leave the abusive relationship with apple and switch to an FOSS OS.

I'm curious; what user need is there to create ISO's vs the current way updates are distributed? I can think of a small handful of corner cases (making iso's for e.g. virtualbox, whose OSX support is extremely minimal), but nothing that most users, or even developers, would run into on a day-to-day basis.

Sometimes you need to do a fresh install of a particular version, eg I had to install Mavericks for a guy for Pro Tools 11. It’s also a good way to install onto fresh media or do a clean install, or repair macs.

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#43

Post by beefhash »

ilikepi wrote: post #15

From the README: > [...list of macOS installer apps...] > Mac users can download theses files from the App Store. This isn't really accurate. It's not possible to find and download macOS releases older than the current release. The only exception I was able to find a few months ago is if you've already downloaded them once previously while signed into the App Store on a different machine. I believe in that case an ol…

It's also not possible to download newer macOS releases than the ones deemed compatible with your Mac by the Store.

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#44

Post by chrisper »

feelix wrote: post #36
chrisper wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes it does. I had a USB Image of the OS X Installer I created some years ago. Was not able to install it (since the certificate expired). I had to reset the Systemclock to something like 2015. But I guess they don't expire like iOS updates do.

That was due to a separate bug related to code signing. The poster above you who got downvoted was correct.

How is it a bug that a certificate expires? Every certificate expires at one point and if you try to use in the future it will not work as it is expired. That is not a bug. It is a feature.

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#45

Post by mikeash »

chrisper wrote: post #31
mikeash wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re thinking of iOS. That doesn’t apply to the Mac.

Yes it does. I had a USB Image of the OS X Installer I created some years ago. Was not able to install it (since the certificate expired). I had to reset the Systemclock to something like 2015. But I guess they don't expire like iOS updates do.

iOS requires permission from Apple, so resetting the clock doesn’t work.

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#46

Post by feelin_googley »

alwillis wrote: post #30
feelin_googley wrote: post #25

Would this allow a user to have a "diskless" Mac? I create bootable media, e.g. USB sticks or SD cards, for PCs and RPis and I can thus run "diskless"; no disk access is required and the full system fits in RAM. I can insert the media into any available PC and use the computer, without disturbing anything on its HDD. This can also be very useful for emergencies where a computer with a HDD will not boot due to some pr…

You’ve been able to boot Macs over a network connection for many years… here's an example using a Linux machine as a netboot server for a Mac: https://www.blueboxmoon.com/wordpress/linux-based-mac-bsdp-a...

I used the term "diskless" but did not intend to imply booting from a network. It probably was a poor choice of words as "diskless" may have a loaded meaning.

The media I create require no network to boot. They only require 1. a computer with an appropriate USB or SD card slot that can boot from USB or SD card, respectively, and 2. sufficient RAM to hold the system.

This sort of usage is what I am curious about on the MacIntosh.

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#47

Post by bluedino »

mikeash wrote: post #27
bluedino wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Plus, old versions expire after a certain time due to Apples signing of the files

You’re thinking of iOS. That doesn’t apply to the Mac.

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/03/03/older-os-x-installers-b...

Re: Show HN: OSX-ISO – Create a bootable ISO of macOS from the installation app file

#48

Post by em3rgent0rdr »

misnome wrote: post #38
em3rgent0rdr wrote: post #33

I find it a little absurd and obscene that Apple users will have to code free software projects for the sole purpose of satisfying basic user needs such as creating a bootable ISO. At some point it makes sense to leave the abusive relationship with apple and switch to an FOSS OS.

I'm curious; what user need is there to create ISO's vs the current way updates are distributed? I can think of a small handful of corner cases (making iso's for e.g. virtualbox, whose OSX support is extremely minimal), but nothing that most users, or even developers, would run into on a day-to-day basis.

Maybe to replace the hard drive or fresh install. Or want a backup to return to after testing out a linux install which might fail.
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