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Can I install MAC OS X onto a usb hard disk to be booted on my PC? If possible, what tools do I need for installation? How do I go about doing it?


GonGong
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Hi,

 

I've just got the "JaS.10.4.8.AMD.Intel.SSE2.SSE3" image file and I wish to install it onto my usb drive to be booted on my PC. I've found my way here after reading some of the guides on installation that were posted online. I've read one of the guide on installing the OS onto the USB drive at http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/964/install..._drives_windows. But I'm not sure whether does it work for my system and also if the guide is applicable for the JaS.10.4.8.AMD.Intel.SSE2.SSE3" image file.

 

Therefore, I would like to consult the pros first before I proceed.

 

My PC have the following specs.

Gigabyte Intel GA-965P-DS3 --> "My mainboard"

160 GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 2 (8MB Cache) IDE Hard Disk (7200rpm)--> "My master HD with Windows XP SP2 on it."

400 GB Seagate Barracuda SATA 2 (16MB Cache) IDE Hard Disk (7200rpm)--> "My slave HD for data"

80 GB 2.5" Seagate USB External Hard Disk (5400rpm)--> "This is where I plan to install the MAC OS X"

Intel® Core™2 Duo E6600 2.40Ghz (1066 MHz FSB) 4MB Cache

Kingston 2GB (PC 5300) 667Mhz DDR2 SDRAM (2 X 1GB)

Xpert Vision 256 MB GDDR3 SDRAM NVIDIA Geforce 7600 GT 2D/3D Video/Graphics Accelerator Card PCI-X (DVI)

 

(Other Specs of my PC--> Do not know whether if its relevant at all)

"SAMURAI Z" 2 Heat Pipes CPU Cooler

16X LG DVD-ROM Drive (Black)

18X LG DVD Multi-Format Rewriter Drive (Black)

LG 17" Wide-Screen LCD Monitor (Black)

Logitech® G1 Gaming Desktop (2 In 1 Keyboard & Mouse Package)

Razer eXact Mat X Gaming Mouse Pad (Control/Speed)

Cooler Master Centurion 534 Casing (Black)

Cooler Master RP-650-PCAP eXtreme Power 650W Power Supply

 

(The above specs list are from my purchase checklist for building the PC)

 

 

Is it possible to boot MAC OS X from the USB drive using my system?

 

What tools do I need for installing the OS onto USB drive?

 

How do I go about doing it?

 

 

I will be grateful if there's any expert users that could guide me on how do I actually proceed.

 

Many Many Thanks.

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After being unable to boot any distribution of Mac OS X 10.4.8 onto my ECS P965T-A system -- either from IDE or SATA hard drive -- I finally succeeded in installing and running Mac OS X natively by installing it onto a USB hard drive. Personally, I downloaded VMWare Workstation 6 from (http://register.vmware.com/content/beta/ws/registration.html), set up a virtual environment, and then installed Mac OS X 10.4.8 to the USB hard drive. After installing Mac OS X, I rebooted the computer, and booted into the Mac OS X hard drive.

 

However, each system is different and the personal experience may vary.

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I have managed to install to a usb HD, but when rebooting for the first time or any other time it wont boot from the usb HD, even though i have it set in the bios to boot from usb devices before anything else. Do i have somthing missing on the usb HD like a boot laoder or whatever?

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I had the 10.4.8 AMD Intel SSE2 SSE3 iso installed and booted fine on my Dell Inspiron 9300 laptop. The only thing missing is QE/CI support for my NVidia Go 6800.

 

In order to boot from USB HD, you need to highlight the USB disk in DiskUtil and then click the Partition button to partition it. If you just use the Erase button, it won't boot after installation.

 

Also do not install the Titan packages for NVidia or ATI because it hung my OSX on boot up after install.

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;) I install mine on a USB device too, I have both of my Laptop and Desktop OS X on the USB External and it boot ok every time. The reson why it on a USB is so that I still could use my Microsoft Windows. But there a problem trying to created an image of the OS X drive to another hard drive, so I have a backup that would boot right of from it. The image created ok and restore to another Drive ok! it just that would not boot at all, but it would boot if I were to have a OSX DVD install disc in my DvD drive, first it would boot to the DVD and I just wait until the 8 second timer to run out and then it start to loads my spare drive that I made!!!

 

Any help at all guys and girls! :) I search everywhere on the internet for help, I found alot of help, but I just can not get it to work. I try net restore, carbon cloner, superduper,and the utility disc, But I end up nothing at all.!!!! :P

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After being unable to boot any distribution of Mac OS X 10.4.8 onto my ECS P965T-A system -- either from IDE or SATA hard drive -- I finally succeeded in installing and running Mac OS X natively by installing it onto a USB hard drive. Personally, I downloaded VMWare Workstation 6 from (http://register.vmware.com/content/beta/ws/registration.html), set up a virtual environment, and then installed Mac OS X 10.4.8 to the USB hard drive. After installing Mac OS X, I rebooted the computer, and booted into the Mac OS X hard drive.

 

However, each system is different and the personal experience may vary.

 

 

I started the virtual machine...under the "Select a destination volume to install the JaS OS 10.4.8 AMD Intel SSe2 SSe3 software" I do not see anything there....I also went under disk ultility but I do not see the USB HD there either? By the way, I've formmated the USB HD via Windows in NTFS.....is it ok?

 

Please help.

post-95551-1175713197_thumb.jpg

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:( I don't know what kind a problem you have for the OSX to see your USB External Drive? My USB external Drive the OSX able to see it right away when I go to Disk Utility!!! All I have to do created a partition, and install OS X!!! :(
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I tried to boot from my LaCie USB HD too but it doesn't work :)

I booted with the Install DVD, there I got format the drive and install the system on it but when I reboot neither the PC boots up with X (even when the install DVD is in the drive) and when the Installer from the DVD is loaded again and I launch the program "startvolume" the USB HD is not listed :)

 

Any ideas?

 

cu

 

EDIT: Never mind, in my BIOS my USB device was listed as HD and not as an external USB device.

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