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Step 1:

Insert the OS X installation DVD and plugin the USB Drive.

Step 2:

Open Disk Utility, under /Applications/Utilities.

Step 3:

Drag the “Mac OS X Install DVD” to the “Source” field

and the formated partition on your USB drive to “Destination”.

Do not drag the volumes or devices that state the size of the disk, it won’t work.

Step 4:

Click “Restore”.

You’re done.

I’m not sure if this speeds up the installation but it sure should. Whether it does or does this process still helps.

Steve

Yep, this rocks--I keep a partition on my portable drive with a clone of the Mac OS X Server install DVD. The installation flies (as well it should since you're not tied to the speed limitations of DVD-ROM), and that's an advantage when you've got a crashed server and VP's standing over your shoulder asking when it's going to be back up.

And Windows cannot read any Mac filesystems natively, although I think there are 3rd-party apps you can install to do it.

cab

I tried this method and I installed it on my macbook and it worked perfectly. Then i tried on my macbook pro and everytime somewhere during installation it freezes, the bar stops moving and I cant click on any of the menu bars. Anyone ever experienced something like this?

Dennis

Good idea for keeping the files somewhere safe... im about to install but im not sure if it will see my usb drive :(.... well ill soon find out

Kristoffer Nolgren

I can't get it to work, it says I have to use the orginial installation method...

Richard J

An easy way to do screen captures (without having the background)

Command + Shift + 4, then press the space bar, click on the window you want. You should have Picture #.png on your desktop. I love OS X :)

Daniel

Any chance I can do this from windows since my Mac is out of commission?

Marc

I followed this to the T, but when I boot from the Leopard partition, the only available disks to install on are other partitions on the same drive. How can I install from the usb drive to my MacBook's internal drive?

alex

i'm having the same problem.
were you able to fix this?
I hypothesize that it has to to with USB vs. FireWire.

neomac

If I partition it into two and restore the image to the first partition, it fails.

usb drives

Your USB drive is now bootable.
Insert your newly formatted drive into any USB-bootable mainboard, reboot, and select the USB drive as the first boot device. You will be brought to a Windows 98 MS-DOS prompt. From here you can update your BIOS, make system disk fixes, etc.

dell mini9 guy

I keep getting a read/write error during the "restore" process... Any suggestions?