How To Create a USB/Firewire Bootable OSX Leopard / Lion

USB / Firewire Bootable External Drive

Creating a Bootable Firewire or USB Flash or USB External HDD, and it can save one your life one day:  Don't wait for the day you crash to enter panic mode or cry misery.

If the steps are too techie, or if you don't feel like playing around, or do not want the hassle, We can do it for you:  Look at the bottom of the page to order a pre-configured, up and running, guaranteed to work, External Bootable OS (USB Stick, HDD, USB or FireWire)

The Example below are for OS X Leopard, Snow Leopard and Lion (10.5  10.6 & 10.7)
 
In order to create a bootable OS X  you'll need:

The Install Disc or the OS downloaded from the App Store
A USB Stick, with at least 8GB
Or
An External Hard Drive, either USB or FireWire. Or both

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Ready ?

• Your Mac is started, 

• Plug your USB HDD / Flash

Go to Applications >> Utilities >> Disk Utility





You will need to format and partition your disk/flash
The number of partitions is up to you.  If you want a full copy (clone), you'll need to leave enough space.
Name (or not) your Volume
Format: The volume must be "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" .  Bottom Right, you should see "GUID Partition Table" , if not, Click on "Options"

Options:
Select  "GUID"   It is imperative that the volume is formatted with GUID, otherwise it will NOT be bootable.

Once formatted,  insert the CD and let run for few seconds, the install screen will pop up.
Do NOT select your already existing Macintosh HD, look at the options below.

Select "Customize" if you wish NOT to install all languages, you probably need only one or two languages,  and you will save about 1.2 GB of unused languages.

Once your choice is made,  select "Show All Discs" and select the Volume where you want to install.  Here the Volume "Mr_Red" has been selected.

Click on "Install" and let run.  The full install takes about 35 min + updates.   Once installed, OSX will ask if you want to migrate your settings and Applications to the new Install.
Voila, you are 99.9% done

The last step will be to hit the "Software Update" to ensure that everything is up to date.
Go to the Apple icon and click Software Update.

Boot Selection:
You basically have two ways of selecting the boot.

 =>  At Start, hold the Option Key (or Alt). After few seconds, all the bootable drives will appear. Just make your choice.

left picture credits: Mactalk

 => If already started,  Go to System Preferences >> Startup Disk and select which volume you want to restart with.

Warning! 

The computer will use that setting by default for the next restart, hence you have to remember that and will need to restart with the Option key to select the right one.  If you unplug the USB bootable flash or disk, you'll see a blinking folder at boot. it signals you that OS X can not find the (previous) boot used, just use the Option Key...






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