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Trying to install Ventura to new SSD - APFS disks may not be used as bootable install media

bhuether

bhuether

Joined
Apr 21, 2016
Messages
88
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z170X UD5
CPU
i7 6700K
Graphics
RX480
Hi,

I have a Catalina system. I am now trying to install Ventura separately on a new SSD. I am following steps here

www.tonymacx86.com

How to Create a macOS Ventura Installation USB

Here's a quick guide to create a macOS 13 Ventura Public Beta Installation USB. Please note, this guide is not universal, and may not work for all systems. STEP 1: Download macOS Ventura Public Beta 1. Enroll in the Free Apple Beta Software Program 2. Download Public Beta Access Utility 3. Run...
www.tonymacx86.com www.tonymacx86.com

I have downloaded Ventura. In my Applications folder on my Catalina drive I see "Install macOS Ventura". 12.24 GB

When I run - per instructions -

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app --nointeraction

I get error

"APFS disks may not be used as bootable install media"

In my case, I of course don't want my Catalina drive altered, don't want to disrupt that system, I just want to try and install Ventura to a new SSD that I haven't formatted yet. My Catalina drive is APFS, hence the error. So how do I modify the command above so that I can use another drive as the install media? That said, I thought the USB drive itself is the install media?

Seems I am not quite understanding the process.

As an aside - I have Skylake i7-6700k. I understand that I need to spoof to KabyLake. Tips/Guide on that somewhere?

thanks
 
bhuether said:
Hi,

I have a Catalina system. I am now trying to install Ventura separately on a new SSD. I am following steps here

www.tonymacx86.com

How to Create a macOS Ventura Installation USB

Here's a quick guide to create a macOS 13 Ventura Public Beta Installation USB. Please note, this guide is not universal, and may not work for all systems. STEP 1: Download macOS Ventura Public Beta 1. Enroll in the Free Apple Beta Software Program 2. Download Public Beta Access Utility 3. Run...
www.tonymacx86.com www.tonymacx86.com

I have downloaded Ventura. In my Applications folder on my Catalina drive I see "Install macOS Ventura". 12.24 GB

When I run - per instructions -

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app --nointeraction

I get error

"APFS disks may not be used as bootable install media"

In my case, I of course don't want my Catalina drive altered, don't want to disrupt that system, I just want to try and install Ventura to a new SSD that I haven't formatted yet. My Catalina drive is APFS, hence the error. So how do I modify the command above so that I can use another drive as the install media? That said, I thought the USB drive itself is the install media?

Seems I am not quite understanding the process.

As an aside - I have Skylake i7-6700k. I understand that I need to spoof to KabyLake. Tips/Guide on that somewhere?

thanks
Click to expand...

How did you partition/format your USB memory stick?
 
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I installed it in the usual way, with result attached. So it is MAC OS Extended Journaled. When I did the partition I chose GUID partition type.
 

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And this is readout from diskutil attached.
 

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bhuether said:
So how do I modify the command above so that I can use another drive as the install media? That said, I thought the USB drive itself is the install media?

Seems I am not quite understanding the process.
Click to expand...
In my case, I of course don't want my Catalina drive altered, don't want to disrupt that system, I just want to try and install Ventura to a new SSD that I haven't formatted yet. My Catalina drive is APFS, hence the error.
Click to expand...
Disconnect all other drives (Catalina) by unplugging their Sata data cables or remove any other NVMe drives.

There should only be one connected internal SSD drive in your system, the one you will install Ventura to.

Then of course boot from your USB installer and install Ventura. Then you won't mistakenly overwrite Catalina.

If the USB shows up as disk7s2 I have to wonder how many other drives are connected ???

Screen Shot 5.jpg
 
Last edited:
But in order to complete this command

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app --nointeraction

I need to have the Catalina drive connected. I can't get beyond above step.

I have these drives:

1. Sierra
2. Catalina
3. Data drive 1
4. Data drive 2
5. Backup Drive
6. USB drive that loads Catalina
7. USB drive that I am trying to set up for Ventura
8. New drive (not installed yet) for Ventura

Drive 1 is not APFS. Maybe I should retry above command but have it run from the Sierra drive? So I guess that would be?


sudo /Volumes/Sierra/Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB /Volumes/Sierra/Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app --nointeraction

Ok, tried that, but same error. So seems just the presence of my APFS Catalina drive is making this command fail...

The other thing worth mentioning, I downloaded the Ventura install file via gibMACOS
 
Last edited:
bhuether said:
But in order to complete this command

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/USB /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app --nointeraction

I need to have the Catalina drive connected. I can't get beyond above step.

I have these drives:

1. Sierra
2. Catalina
3. Data drive 1
4. Data drive 2
5. Backup Drive
6. USB drive that loads Catalina
7. USB drive that I am trying to set up for Ventura
8. New drive (not installed yet) for Ventura
Click to expand...

Try unmounting - 1, 3, 4, 5 & 6

The rest may be causing confusion.

:)
 
UtterDisbelief 2020
Z390 M GAMING |  i5 9600K |  Radeon Other
UtterDisbelief CL
Z370M-DS3H |  i3 8350K |  Radeon Other
UtterDisbelief KL
GA-Z270-Gaming K3 |  i3 7320 |  GeForce GTX 1050 OC
I unmounted those disks, but same error.
 
bhuether said:
Drive 1 is not APFS. Maybe I should retry above command but have it run from the Sierra drive? So I guess that would be?
Click to expand...
Have any other Mac or Hack you could make the installer on ?
 
Ok, I think it is ok now. I ran command as


sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MACVentura /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Ventura.app --nointeraction

Previously I was using /Volumes/USB as that is what I saw in the instructions, didn't realize I need to replace that with my actual USB drive name. Under /Volumes I see USB when I press ls, but maybe that is because the first time ran the above command it created some volume called USB? I guess I need to delete that volume now?

thanks
 
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