How to convert .pkg to .app for copying into Applications Folder

[Raddles]

Hi,

 

I've got a hackintosh running Os High Sierra with a HFS+ file system working with the unsolid.kext in my EFI bootloader. Trouble is I can't get OS update .pkg files to install to my system drive directly from within Os High Sierra because it only likes the APFS filesystem. So I want to try taking those .pkg installer files or the DMG folders they mount from and manually creating the .app files to copy into Apllications folder then use the createinstallmedia terminal command to mount that .app to a OS journalled with GUID partition bootable USB with a clover boot loader to try to install the updater that way, the same as I did with the original OS High Sierra Installation.

 

Can it be done or am I crazy and there is a better way?

 

Many thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions.

[dhicks]

Many thanks in advance for any helpful suggestions.

 

Sorry, I'm working from home at the moment and not from my Mac at school, so I can't picture / test exactly what you're trying to do, but my guess is that the (confusingly-named, and rather hard to Google for) "Packages" application might help:

 

WhiteBox - Packages

 

Some more useful documentation from Jamf, who recomend using Packages to create packages for distribution:

 

https://support.jamfschool.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002300893-How-to-build-packages-for-macOS

[Raddles]

Sorry, I'm working from home at the moment and not from my Mac at school, so I can't picture / test exactly what you're trying to do, but my guess is that the (confusingly-named, and rather hard to Google for) "Packages" application might help:

 

WhiteBox - Packages

 

Some more useful documentation from Jamf, who recomend using Packages to create packages for distribution:

 

https://support.jamfschool.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002300893-How-to-build-packages-for-macOS

 

 

Thanks Dhicks for your suggestions. Unfortunately all roads leading to s.sudre.free.fr who made that packages app seem to be currently broken links and the other Jamf app, besides wanting all your contacts, seems to just create .pkg files. I've been searching a lot too and it seems that it is much more common to create .pgk files than .app files but surely there must be a series of terminal commands for the operation? Anyway maybe that freeware website will open up again.

Cheers[h=1][/h]

[Arthur]

it seems that it is much more common to create .pkg files than .app files

You can view and extract whatever is inside a .pkg by using Suspicious Package. This app will also show you if the PKG is installing additional files and running pre/post-install scripts.

[Raddles]

You can view and extract whatever is inside a .pkg by using Suspicious Package. This app will also show you if the PKG is installing additional files and running pre/post-install scripts.

 

Thanks Arthur,

 

I just tried this app and indeed it shows you everything that's inside. Unfortunately I'm not a programmer so couldn't make sense of all the scripts other than to see that it basically replaces all the .app files in OS High Sierra with updated ones as an 'update' installer should. Still no luck in actually just converting this .pkg file or the original .dmg where it came from into a usable .app file I can load onto a USB with createinstallmedia terminal command.

 

Any other suggestions?

[Raddles]

I would really love to see if, with the help of this great community, I could find a way to successfully convert these Os High Sierra update .pkg files or their original DMG bundles into useful .app installers that could be mounted to flash USB with the terminal createinstallmedia command from applications like we are doing with the main OS installers for Hackintoshes as I could then share this with so many other people running a HFS+ file system on OS Sierra to keep integration with other internal HFS+ disks.

I appreciate any continued suggestions or support. Cheers

[Arthur]

Trouble is I can't get OS update .pkg files to install to my system drive directly from within OS High Sierra because it only likes the APFS filesystem.

Would it be worth rebuilding your hackintosh with OpenCore and a newer OS like Mojave so that you can use APFS? It will probably be easier in the long run.

[Raddles]

For sure, logically speaking that would be the obvious sensible thing to do but unfortunately from Mojave they are discontinuing support for Nvidia graphics acceleration so basically those of us who have these cards need to stay with High Sierra

or sell the card for something more compatible . It's mega bucks to swap an Invidia GXT1080ti card for something comparable.