How to Create El Capitan Bootable USB from Windows PC with DMG File?

Sometimes, the macOS image might not play nice with non-Mac file systems, especially if the USB isn’t formatted correctly. If you're not careful with formats, you might find that your Mac doesn’t recognize the USB stick at all. Balena Etchar is super user-friendly, but it doesn't always give you detailed error messages if something goes wrong. You might end up staring at a generic "Failed to flash" message, which doesn’t help much when you’re troubleshooting.

Depending on your USB drive and the amount of data being transferred, it can take a while to create EI Capitan bootable USB on Windows. If you’re in a rush, this can be a bit frustrating as you tap your fingers, waiting for it to finish.

While you’re working with the Windows operating system, keep in mind some of the nuances: for instance, certain formats (like HFS+) are not natively supported by Windows, so if you need to make additional tweaks or formats, you might have to use more tools.

If you’re not using a reliable USB stick or if something goes weird during the flashing process, you might end up with a corrupted USB. This means you’ll need to start all over again, which can be a hassle. Always be cautious about where you’re downloading your macOS images. If you’re not downloading from the Apple App Store or a trusted source, you could be running into licensing issues or getting a corrupted file that won’t work.

Ensure that you have the latest version of Balena Etchar and everything is up to date on your Windows machine. Sometimes, bugs can be fixed in newer versions, which can save you from unexpected errors. After some trial and error, I found that newer and branded USB drives tend to have fewer issues than older, off-brand ones. It’s worth investing a few bucks if you’re going to be creating multiple bootable drives. If you have access to a Mac, it can be useful to test the USB stick after creating it on your Windows PC to confirm that it's bootable and works before heading to the installation.