createinstallmedia : no such file

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createinstallmedia : no such file

Trying to get my old Macbook working which ran Catalina until a recent MacOS update fiasco. Couldn't do that so reinstalled Lion 10.8.5 with the intention of upgrading to Catalina with USB stick. Am trying to create this USB stick on another Mac with Big Sur 11.6.5. So downloaded the installer "Install macOS Catalina" and this time am leaving it in the Downloads folder and not placing it in the Applications folder so my Terminal command looks like this:

sudo /Downloads/install\ macOS\ catalina.app/contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /volumes/Samsung_USB

terminal msg:

sudo: /Downloads/install macOS catalina.app/contents/Resources/createinstallmedia: command not found

I can't find any typos in my terminal command--but maybe I'm blind! Any help would be appreciated.....as I just want to get Catalina installed once again. (Restoring via TImeMachine almost worked, but restart hung near the end). Ergo trying the USB stick approach.)

Posted on Apr 21, 2022 10:10 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Shubus23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 21, 2022 1:37 PM in response to Sharhari

Thanks you Sharhari! You got it right and Apple has it wrong. From Apple's Support Page:

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

For Catalina, Apple has this:

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

and there is no tilde in front of /Applications.

Putting the tilde in as suggested gives

sudo ~/Downloads/install\ macOS\ catalina.app/contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /volumes/MyVolume

and the Createinstallmedia app is found and creation on the USB stick proceedes as expected.

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Answer 2

Shubus23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 21, 2022 4:12 PM in response to Sharhari

The stated parameters for How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support are not correct for installing Catalina. There should be a tilde (~) in front of the source file

sudo ~/Downloads/install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

Or is this because I chose to put the source file in Downloads instead of Applications?

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Answer 3

Sharhari

Level 5

6,293 points

Apr 21, 2022 12:42 PM in response to Shubus23

As per the error the file maybe missing in the downloaded app.

In Mac Finder:

Navigate to the app file in the Finder.
Now right-click on the install macOS catalina.app file and select “Show Package Contents”.
Then navigate to Contents > Resources to find if the actual command file(createinstallmedia) exists in the path.

or

In Terminal

ls -l /Downloads/install\ macOS\ catalina.app/contents/Resources

to get a list of file in the above location and make sure you have a file named "createinstallmedia" with approx 100KB size.

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Answer 4

Shubus23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 21, 2022 12:54 PM in response to WheelieNick

I renamed my USB stick to MyVolume and ran this in Terminal:

sudo /Downloads/install\ macOS\ catalina.app/contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /volumes/MyVolume

and no joy...same error:

sudo: /Downloads/install macOS catalina.app/contents/Resources/createinstallmedia: command not found

It was worth a shot, I guess. Thanks for trying to help

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Answer 5

Sharhari

Level 5

6,293 points

Apr 21, 2022 1:15 PM in response to Shubus23

missed "~" at the beginning of location

sudo ~/Downloads/install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

or

sudo /Users/yourUserName/Downloads/install\ macOS\ Catalina.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume

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Answer 6

WheelieNick

Level 8

39,777 points

Apr 21, 2022 10:24 AM in response to Shubus23

Name your usb drive MyVolume and copy the command from this page How to create a bootable installer for macOS – Apple Support (UK)

and paste it in terminal. Worked like a Charm for me

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Answer 7

Sharhari

Level 5

6,293 points

Apr 21, 2022 4:05 PM in response to Shubus23

You may need to contact apple directly, if you have any issue/feedback/problem.

Contact Apple Support

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

or

Product Feedback - Apple

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Answer 8

Shubus23 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 21, 2022 12:58 PM in response to Sharhari

Looking at the Package Contents for Install macOS Catalina, I see "createinstallmedia" with size of 101k so the file is there all right. Just don't understand why macOS can't find it.

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