The notes below come from Lyn, KC8I
Note that misuse of the primitives as described below can result in catastrophic consequences...a simple typo can scramble your HDD. Be warned, and be careful!--------------------------------------------------
Root Password
The major preparation involved enabling the root user and setting up a root password (for sudo). This link offers some instructions.
support.apple.com/en-us/HT204012I set this up in my admin user account and used the same password for root as used for the usual admin account login. Unfortunately, when I try things out now, I don’t know if they work because I typed in the root password or because I typed in the (identical) admin account password. From the above link, it appears that I can change the root password, which may try.
My normal user account is not an administrative account, and the root password will not work from that account. I have to download or move the image files to my admin user directory and work from there to have success in burning the SD cards. I don’t know if I could also set up a root password to use from my non-admin account.
Locating the image file from Unix command line
Another issue is finding the image file you want to use once you have started a terminal session. I’m not too slick at maneuvering around in Unix to get myself to the right directory, so I use the following technique.
First I make sure the image file is directly on the Desktop of my admin user directory. then I use Finder to access the Desktop prior to opening Terminal. Once terminal is open you should be in the Desktop directory in Unix. You can check by using the command ls <enter> (Lima Sierra <enter>) which should list the same files shown on the desktop in Finder. (Now is a good time to highlight and Copy image filename so you can paste it into the Unix command string later, rather than trying to correctly type it in.)
Running the Unix “dd” command to burn the SD card.
I found instructions for burning the SD card on the ApplePi-Maker software web site, and they are as good or better than anything I could do myself. (Plus if they are wrong, it’s not my fault!) Here are some links.
ApplePi-Maker Home:
www.tweaking4all.com/hardware/raspberry-pi/macosx-apple-pi-baker/Find the subtle link on the first line of the first paragraph in the link above, which will take you to the instructions for use Terminal to burn an SD card. (“How to get an Operating System on a SD-Card“).
That link takes you to the instructions here:
www.tweaking4all.com/hardware/raspberry-pi/install-img-to-sd-card/Scroll way down the page, noting the Mac OS notes along the way, until you find this heading:
IMG to SD-Card under MacOS X
Especially note the WARNINGS along the way about reformatting your Mac hard disk with a simple typo (disk designation in the Unix dd command).
ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO PROCEED?
If you aren’t deterred yet, or you are just looking for an excuse to buy a new Mac, proceed, AT YOUR OWN RISK, with the instructions and burn an SD card. Here it the command that does the deed, assuming you have successfully completed all the appropriate instructions to get this far.
Please note that you must have the SD card volumes(s) "UnMounted", but the card must NOT have been “Ejected”. I use Mac OS Disk Utility to accomplish this, as well as repartitioning or erasing (formatting) the card if necessary.
I mentioned earlier that you might want to Copy the complete image file name from Finder. I you have it in the mac Paste buffer, you can paste insert if instead of “file.img” in the example command line above. Whatever you do, make sure the “of=/dev/…” information entered is correct for the SD Card you want to burn. This Is where one wrong digit or letter can format your Mac HD or other important storage device.
I haven’t tried the CTRL-T suggestion, yet. I just open Activity monitor and watch the Mac disk activity, which will drop off when the Unix command prompt comes back in Terminal, after the “dd” process completes.
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