Create a USB key on Mac OSX

This page shows you how to create a new USB key on a Mac OSX system from an image file that has been downloaded from MNX.

• Insert your USB key into an available USB port. Note: All data on the USB key will be replaced. 

• Find the USB key's disk identifier using the diskutil(8) command:  

  $ diskutil list
  /dev/disk0
  #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
  0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0
  1:                        EFI                         209.7 MB   disk0s1
  2:                  Apple_HFS Macintosh HD            499.8 GB   disk0s2
  /dev/disk2
  #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
  0:     Apple_partition_scheme                        *998.1 GB   disk2
  1:        Apple_partition_map                         32.3 KB    disk2s1
  2:                 Apple_HFSX Time Machine Backups    998.1 GB   disk2s2
  /dev/disk3
  #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
  0:     FDisk_partition_scheme                        *4.0 GB     disk3
  1:             Windows_FAT_32 NONAME                  995.2 MB   disk3s1
  

• In this case, the USB key disk identifier is /dev/disk3. Your location may be different.

• Umount the USB key (do not disconnect it from the USB port):

  $ sudo diskutil umountDisk /dev/disk3

• Copy the image to the USB key using the dd command.

  $ tar -xvzf usb-*.tgz usb-*.img
  $ sudo dd if=usb-*.img of=/dev/rdisk3 bs=1m

  • Use /dev/rdiskX instead of /dev/diskX with the dd(1) command to speed the transfer. 

  • Note: Be sure to double check the disk identifier. The dd command will destroy any existing data on the target disk.

• This process takes between 5 to 20 min.

• Eject the USB key.

  $ sudo diskutil eject /dev/disk3

• Your USB key now contains the Triton boot image.