HOW install without booting from DVD ?

[mitch_de]

Hi,

is it possible to run the OS X Install from an already working (installed) HD , using the OSX86 ready DVD , on an USB HD.

Means i start the install on the DVD but want not boot from it.

Cloning would not work, because my working OS X86 System (25 GB) would not fit on 8 GB USB STick.

 

How can i install an clear OS X(10.5) from my OSX86 DVD to the USB-Stick. I think 8 GB must be OK.

[MacUser2525]

Hi,

is it possible to run the OS X Install from an already working (installed) HD , using the OSX86 ready DVD , on an USB HD.

Means i start the install on the DVD but want not boot from it.

Cloning would not work, because my working OS X86 System (25 GB) would not fit on 8 GB USB STick.

 

How can i install an clear OS X(10.5) from my OSX86 DVD to the USB-Stick. I think 8 GB must be OK.

 

Put the DVD in the drive when the screen comes up asking you if you want to install quit from it leaving the disk mounted then in a terminal.

 

 cd /Volumes/Mac\ OS\ X\ Install\ DVD/System/Installation/Packages
open OSInstall.mpkg

 

This will open the installer again allowing you to select where you want it installed to. Once done installing to make changes on the USB stick then you need to.

 

 /usr/sbin/vsdbutil -a /Volumes/whatever_you_named_your_install_partition

 

To take back ownership of the drive then make your changes, all above commands issued as root user to have full permission to do anything you want to the system.

[mcolinp]

All of the given info above likely works, though I may suggest a simpler way that does not involve any scripts or terminal commands.

 

I personally run my install disk from a hard drive which I find is faster and more stable than from a DVD. My prefered method is to make a 8Gig Partition at the beginning of my 2nd hard drive, (The rest is used as a time machine backup). I do this for a couple reasons;

 

1) Mac OSX works best if it is installed in the first sectro of the drive (It used to be required in the early versions).

2) I want to make sure that no other data can intermingle or corrupt the Installer data.

3) I can also make an Automator workflow that un-mounts this partition upon login, so that I don't even normally see it, let alon get temped to accidentally write to it.

 

When setting up your partitions in Disk Utility, click the options button to make sure that it is formatted as GUID. Drag the DMG or DVD to the lower section of Disk Utility, then click on the "Restore" tab at the top section of the window. Here you see two file path entry boxes. The first is the Source (which is your DMG or DVD), drag whichever you are using to the file path box. The second is the "destination", this will be the drive or partition you just formatted. You can drag it from the left column as well.

 

Click "Restore", upon successful completion you will now have a functioning installer directly from your hard drive. This is not to be confused with a second install of Leopard, it is only the files needed to boot up and install like the DVD. (Not to say that you could not boot from this for diagnostic purposes, in fact it works well since it is running at 7200 rpm if your drive is that fast.)

It does not however have any specific drivers or optimizations for your hardware.

 

When you want to install from this drive, just pop in your configured Boot132 cd and get your Bios to boot from it. Once it is loaded it will ask you which drive you want to boot from. Choose the backup drive, then it will as which partition to boot from. I named my partition "10.5.4 Leopard Install" so that it would be obvious what it was in the BIOS. Once you choose the correct partition you can begin a fresh install.

 

This method works for first time installs as well, as long as you have a BOOT132 configured for your motherboard.

 

I realize that this is a somewhat old post, but I know that many noobies or people that do not have much previous experience specifically with OSX, might find this information useful.

 

-I can't write a lick of code, but I have had a few years of deeper than most use of the OSX system. Sometimes I think the simplicity of certain things gets lost in translation, so this is my attempt to give back what I can from my humble experiences.