Custom installations

[Tobias6]

Despite what I say in this guide, it is always a good idea to backup your content.

 

 

Install / upgrade a different volume

 

It is possible in Leopard to install OS X to a different volume to the active one without rebooting.

 

I keep a backup copy of my retail disk on an external drive. Booting and installing from this is lightening quick.

 

My disc image is on /volumes/OSX/Leopard/

So the installer OSinstall.mpkg is on /volumes/OSX/Leopard/System/Installation/Packages/

This is hidden, but can be opened with the terminal using

open /volumes/OSX/Leopard/System/Installtion/Packages/

You make an alias from this to wherever you want, mount the drive and away you go.

 

It IS also possible to UPGRADE a different volume. Using Pacifist, open a upgrade pkg then choose install to another volume.

 

Easy really...

 

This way you can keep, modify and restore OS X installations from within OS X itself without the need for space hogging backups and buggy time machine.

 

Modify your install disc

 

Also, if you want to modify your install disc to include updates and programs before you install, you can add them to your backed-up disc image /system/installation/packages/updates/.

This is especially useful for AMD installations that require modified packages to install safely.

 

For AMD users, I suggest using Zephyroth's ASU using the 'Modify only' option and then STORE your safely modified packages inside your Leopard installation disc image. This way, if anything goes wrong you can clean install KEEPING your apps and without the need to patch after.

 

-T