Mac OS X Host

This section show how to prepare a bootable USB stick. ***

  • Step 1: Prepare USB stick
  • Step 2: Find USB stick device name
  • Step 3: Recall Download Location
  • Step 4: Go to directory with USB Stick Install Image folder using Terminal
  • Step 5: Install image onto USB stick

Step 1: Prepare MicroSD card

  • Ensure data from USB stick is backed up
  • Everything on USB stick will be lost by the end of this procedure.

Step 2: Find USB stick device name

  • On the host computer, open “Terminal” application (Press Command+Space bar and type “Terminal”)
  • Remove USB stick from host computer and run the following command: 
    diskutil list
  • Note all recognized disk names (example: /dev/disk1)
  • Insert USB stick and run the following command (again): 
    diskutil list
  • Note the newly recognized disk. This will be your USB stick.
  • Remember your USB stick device name, it will be needed in Step 5.

Step 3: Recall Download Location

  • Locate USB stick install file from Downloads page.
  • This file will be needed for the next step.

Step 4: Go to directory with USB Stick Install Image folder using Terminal

  • On the host computer, open the “Terminal” application (Press Command+Space bar and type “Terminal”)
  • cd to the directory containing your install image**
cd <directory>

#Example:
#<directory> = /Users/YourUserName/Downloads
#For this example we assume the "USB Stick Install Image" is in the Downloads folder.
cd /Users/YourUserName/Downloads

Step 5: Install image onto USB stick

Checklist:

  • USB stick inserted into host computer
  • Recall USB stick device name from Step 2
  • From within the installer folder, using the Terminal execute the following commands:

Execute:

$ sudo dd if=YourInstallerImage.iso of=/dev/XXX bs=4m
$ sudo sync

Note:

  • if=YourInstallerImage.iso: should match the name of the image that was downloaded.
  • of=/dev/XXX: XXX should match the name of the USB stick device name from Step 2. Be sure to use the device name without the partition name. For example, ‘of=/dev/disk1’
  • If you get an error message “Resource Busy”, you will need to unmount the SD card without removing it from the host computer.
    • Option 1:
    • In the Applications folder, find and click on the Utilities folder.
    • Click on the Disk Utility program to run it
    • Select the device that represents the USB stick
    • Click on unmount and leave the USB stick in the computer
    • Retry the ‘$ sudo dd if=YourInstallerImage.iso of=/dev/XXX bs=4m’
    • Option 2:
    • In the terminal window, enter this command: 
      $ sudo umount /dev/<device name>
  • This command will take some time to execute. Be patient and avoid tampering with the terminal until process has ended.
  • Once SD card is done flashing, remove from host computer and set aside.

Congratulations! Your USB stick is ready. Switch back to the Installation Guide to boot into the installer!