Welcome to our comprehensive guide on creating recovery media for macOS High Sierra. In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a bootable USB or external drive that can be used to recover your Mac in case of a system failure or other emergencies.
Having a recovery media is essential for every Mac user, as it provides a secure and reliable way to restore your system to a previous state. Whether you want to downgrade to an earlier version, reinstall the operating system, or troubleshoot issues, having a bootable recovery drive can save you time and frustration.
Creating recovery media for macOS High Sierra is a straightforward process that can be done using either the built-in Disk Utility or a third-party application. In this guide, we will cover both methods, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and preferences.
Before we begin, please note that creating a bootable recovery drive will erase all data on the destination device. Therefore, it is crucial to back up any important files or documents before proceeding. Additionally, make sure you have a USB or external drive with sufficient storage capacity, preferably at least 8GB or higher, to accommodate the recovery media.
Step 1: Prepare a USB Drive
Before you can create a recovery media for macOS High Sierra, you will need to prepare a USB drive. Follow these steps to ensure your USB drive is ready:
1. Choose a compatible USB drive that has a sufficient storage capacity. A minimum of 12 GB is recommended, but a larger capacity is better to accommodate future updates.
2. Connect the USB drive to your Mac using a USB cable or adapter, if necessary.
3. Open “Disk Utility” on your Mac. You can find it in the “Utilities” folder within the “Applications” folder.
4. Select the USB drive from the list of devices on the left side of the “Disk Utility” window.
5. Click on the “Erase” button at the top of the window.
6. In the “Format” drop-down menu, choose “Mac OS Extended (Journaled)” as the file system format.
7. Enter a name for your USB drive in the “Name” field.
8. Click on the “Erase” button to format the USB drive. This will erase all existing data on the drive, so make sure you’ve backed up any important files.
9. Once the formatting process is complete, close “Disk Utility.”
Your USB drive is now ready to be used as a recovery media for macOS High Sierra. Proceed to the next step to create the recovery media.
Step 2: Download macOS High Sierra
Before you can create recovery media for macOS High Sierra, you will need to download the operating system.
To download macOS High Sierra, follow these steps:
1. Go to the App Store
Launch the App Store application on your Mac.
2. Search for macOS High Sierra
In the search bar at the top right corner of the App Store window, type “macOS High Sierra” and press Enter. The macOS High Sierra page should appear.
3. Click on the Download button
On the macOS High Sierra page, click on the Download button. The download process will start, and you can monitor the progress in the Purchased section of the App Store.
Note: The download may take some time depending on your internet connection speed.
4. Wait for the download to complete
Once the download is complete, you will be able to find the macOS High Sierra installer in your Applications folder.
Make sure not to install macOS High Sierra on your Mac just yet. The installer will be used to create recovery media.
Now that you have downloaded macOS High Sierra, you can proceed to the next step to create a bootable USB or external drive for recovery.
Step 3: Create the Recovery Media
Once you have prepared your external drive and downloaded the macOS High Sierra recovery software, you are ready to create the recovery media. Follow these steps to create the recovery media:
- Connect your external drive to your Mac using a USB cable. Make sure the drive is formatted correctly and has enough free space to store the recovery media.
- Open the “Terminal” application on your Mac. You can find it by going to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
- In the Terminal window, type the following command:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/[EXTERNAL_DRIVE_NAME] --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app
. Replace [EXTERNAL_DRIVE_NAME] with the name of your external drive. - Press “Enter” and then enter your administrator password when prompted.
- The process will take some time to complete. Once it is finished, you will have a bootable recovery media for macOS High Sierra on your external drive.
It is important to note that creating the recovery media will erase all data on your external drive, so make sure to backup any important files before proceeding. Additionally, make sure to disconnect any other external drives or devices from your Mac during the creation process.
Now that you have created the recovery media, you can use it to reinstall macOS High Sierra or troubleshoot any issues you may encounter. Simply restart your Mac while holding the “Option” key and select the recovery drive from the list of available boot options.
What is recovery media for macOS High Sierra?
Recovery media for macOS High Sierra is a tool that allows you to restore your Mac to its original factory settings or reinstall the operating system in case of a critical error or data loss.
How can I create recovery media for macOS High Sierra?
To create recovery media for macOS High Sierra, you can use the built-in utility called “Disk Utility”. This utility allows you to create a bootable USB drive or an external hard drive that can be used for system recovery.
Why is it important to create recovery media for macOS High Sierra?
Creating recovery media for macOS High Sierra is important because it provides a backup option in case of system failure. It allows you to restore your Mac to its original state or reinstall the operating system, saving you time and avoiding the need to take your Mac to a service center.