Make or create macOS Tahoe bootable usb on a Windows PC?

Using balenaEttcher to create a macOS Tahoe bootable USB on Windows is possible, but with some important caveats:

Key Points:

• balenaEttcher can flash ISO or DMG images onto USB drives.
• It does not inherently make a bootable macOS installer; it simply writes the image to the USB.
• You need a properly prepared macOS Tahoe .iso or .dmg image that is bootable.
• Creating a bootable macOS installer from scratch on Windows is complicated because macOS images are not typically designed for Windows tools.

Step-by-Step Guide for Creating macOS Tahoe bootable USB on Windows:

1. Obtain a macOS Tahoe .iso or .dmg image
You need a bootable image of macOS Tahoe.
These images are typically created on a Mac, but you might find .iso images online (be cautious about their source and legality).

2. Prepare the USB drive
Insert a USB drive with at least 16GB capacity.
Backup any important data from the USB drive, as it will be erased.

3. Convert
If you have a dmg file, you may need to convert it to iso, as balenaEttcher prefers ISO files.

4. Flash the image with balenaEttcher
Launch balenaEttcher.
Select the macOS Tahoe ISO image file.
Select the USB drive.
Click Flash and wait for the process to complete.

5. Boot from the USB on your Mac
Insert the USB into your MacBook Pro M3.
Power it on and hold Option (Alt) key to select the boot device.
If the image is properly prepared and bootable, your Mac should recognize it and allow you to boot into the installer.