OSX on an external USB CD Drive

[Alexander Smith]

Someone please clarify something for me, is it possible to boot OSX from an external USB CD or DVD drive? If it's possible, then is it for all versions, or just some, and please name them.

Thanks.

[DeltaMac]

Originally Posted by Alexander Smith

Someone please clarify something for me, is it possible to boot OSX from an external USB CD or DVD drive? If it's possible, then is it for all versions, or just some, and please name them.

Thanks.

No, you can't boot to OS X from a USB drive.
Except, it is possible to boot to OS X from a USB drive, if booting to an Intel Mac, so that would make it at least OS X 10.4.4 or higher.
Anything older and not an Intel Mac, then 'no' is the answer.

[Alexander Smith]

Great, then what external media CAN I boot from?

[ElDiabloConCaca]

A FireWire drive, or an external SATA drive. Anything but a USB drive.

[Alexander Smith]

Cool! Thanks, I'll go get me an external DVD drive right now.

[tomax7]

Came up with an idea of using my USB 200BG backup drive to recover the original drive.

Boot system up with CD in drive. Hold "C" key after the 'tada' sound till you see the spinning wheel comes on. That will enable you to boot up with the DVD drive.

(Of course the system isn't set to boot off DVD drive in case you get a brain fart thinking that route...)

Install, after the language screen, go to Disk Utilities and pick the DVD drive. Click on OPTIONS button near the bottom right.

Select format using GUDI, not APM.

Click OK

Then partition the drive.

Then exit Disk Utility and you should see an Orange Circle around the drive and begin installing OSX Tiger to it.

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From reading other blogs, this can only be done on Intel systems, not sure if just duo or solo, but my wife's is a duo.

Once Tiger is installed, buy Disk Warrior and recover the information from the original HD inside the unit.

Found this over at: http://www.macobserver.com/tip/2006/08/16.1.shtml