Installer App for macOS High Sierra (10.13.6)

[ChrisCox]

Has anyone else noticed that the newest version of Install macOS High Sierra.app for 10.13.6 that is downloaded from the App Store is only 22.7MB and is missing the OS disk image? I make it a habit of creating an external bootable installer for each new OS version following the instructions Apple has documented here. Even though the installer is missing the OS image and since it does still have the createinstallmedia binary, I figured I would give it a shot, but it fails and gives the following error: /Applications/Install macOS High Sierra.app does not appear to be a valid OS installer application. However, this installer does work properly and upgrades the Sierra VM that was used to download it in the first place.

I am guessing that this may be just one more step towards Apple getting rid of imaging. Because if we cannot download an installer with the OS image built-in, we cannot use AutoDMG with ASR scripts and external bootable installers anymore.

[cbrewer]

This method still works to download a full installer.

https://github.com/munki/macadmin-scripts/blob/master/installinstallmacos.py

[emily]

@ChrisCox as @cbrewer mentioned, you can use the installinstallmacos.py to get the installer before the App Store people get around to updating the download. @rtrouton in his great wisdom has provided an overview of how that works on his blog.

[ChrisCox]

Thanks! This is working just fine. I've heard of this script before but never had a need for it. I guess I'm not usually so quick to download the new installer, but this time I beat the App Store folks to the punch.

[rfreeborn]

Thanks @Cbrewer! Can't believe we have to go this route sometimes to get full installer and that Apple would release an update at this time in summer when so many of us are doing upgrade refreshes. Was 1/4th way through 2600 MBAirs with upgrade in place policies and this 10.13.6 update hosed my workflow. Back to the script writing and policy creating board.

[rfreeborn]

Whoaa! hold that thought, when I ran the script it download the 10.13.5 installer app build we already have. Where is the 10.13.6 full installer?

[MikeF]

I ran it today an it pulled down the right app. I no you did have an option what to get but i was able to get a working copy of 10.13.6

[rfreeborn]

Thanks, MikeF, when I ran it this morning didn't see the choice, but just re-ran it and saw it.

[mark_mahabir]

I noticed this yesterday, I got the stub installer at around 22MB from multiple machines.

But when I tried this morning to download from the App Store, I got the full v10.13.6 installer which weighed in at just over 5GB.

Weird.

[tnielsen]

here, I just downloaded from a 10.12.6 machine and zipped it. enjoy (for 5 days from now link will expire)
https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/txVd0fsU8T/dGltb3RoeWFuZHJld25pZWxzZW5AZ21haWwuY29t