bootable usb mac os sierra from command line

Back Up Your Mac OS Sierra Data from Command Line to a Bootable USB Drive

When performing a clean install of macOS Sierra or updating your operating system, it's essential to back up your data to prevent losing important files. While you can use the built-in Backup feature in System Preferences, you may not always have access to that option. In this case, backing up your data from the command line can be a lifesaver.

Using Disk Utility to Back Up Your Data

To back up your data from the command line, you'll need to use the Disk Utility tool. This will allow you to create a bootable USB drive and copy all of your important files to it. To start, insert a blank USB drive with enough space to hold your backed-up data.

Next, open the Terminal app on your Mac and type the following command:

`sudo diskutil list`

This will display a list of all available disks connected to your Mac. Take note of the name of the startup disk (usually Macintosh HD) and the USB drive you inserted earlier.

Once you have the names of these disks, you can use the `diskutil` command to create a bootable copy of your startup disk on the USB drive:

`sudo diskutil duplicate /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/ /Volumes/USB\ Drive`

Replace `/Volumes/Macintosh HD` with the name of your startup disk and `/Volumes/USB Drive` with the name of your USB drive.

This command will take some time to complete, so be patient. Once it's finished, you'll have a bootable copy of your Mac OS Sierra installation on the USB drive.

Additional Steps to Consider

When choosing what to back up manually, it's essential to look at the Users folder, located by default at `Macintosh HD/Users/`. This folder contains all of your user account data, including desktop files, documents, downloads, videos, music, and pictures. Skipping this step can result in losing important files if something goes wrong.

Note that a clean install of macOS Sierra on the startup drive will completely erase all data on that drive, including all of your files (documents, music, movies, pictures, and even apps). Make sure to back up your data before performing a clean install or updating your operating system.

Backups are an essential part of maintaining your Mac's data safety. By using the Disk Utility tool from the command line, you can create a bootable USB drive that contains all of your important files. Remember to back up your Users folder and any other critical data to ensure that you can recover your files if something goes wrong.

Bootable usb mac os sierra from command line