creating a bootable usb partition on a flash key or hard drive

[Neville]

I would like to create a bootable usb partition on a flash key or hard drive for my apple macbook so that i can install my mac os as it doesnt have a firewire port.

I found the following link below but I am stuck at the first stage where he is talking about You have to create a bootable usb partition on a flash key or hard drive, for which you'll need the install disc and another mac.

Re-Installing Mac Os X when it won't accept your Install Disc - Use a USB boot drive!

[SYNACK]

What exactly is the issue, do yo have access to another Mac, does your mackbook have a busted dvd drive? Do you have access to another PC, does your macbook already have an OS on it and is it still functional?

[FN-GM]

Are you trying to install leopard on an old Mac that does not support it?

[keithu]

You'll have to make a bootable partition on the USB stick. Go into Disk Utility and repartition it to have a single partition of type 'Mac OS Extended' - I wouldn't select 'Journalled' as you probably won't have enough space. The trick is to go into 'Options' and make sure you select 'MBR (Master Boot Record)' before you apply the new partition. (Assuming you have an Intel mac).

Once you have the new partition you can restore the DVD (or disk image) to it using Disk Utility and it will be bootable.

This all assumes you have access to a working mac of course.

[mac_shinobi]

couldnt you get an external optical drive ?

[ZeroHour]

I know your asking for a Mac way to do it but if you happen to have bootcamp windows vista here is a guide to do it there:
Tips: How to boot/install Windows 7/Vista from USB Flash/Hard Drive | DotNETwizard.net
This assumes you need a fat partition though.

[HodgeHi]

IIRC if you boot from the installation CD and go to the tools menu and click Disk Utility. Erase the external drive. You should then be able to continue the installation as normal but click erase and install option for the installation. I think this creates the correct format option anyway.

If not then do as the previous poster suggested and format as a MBR partition. Then continue the installation as normal. As far as i am aware there are no other things you need to do to install onto an external. If you have a power PC mac then booting from USB ins't so easy, but apparently it CAN be done.

You will need to find links to do this.

Alternatively you could clone the internal HDD onto the external drive. Thats what i did for my Net-Restore drive.

[dkedinger]

HodgeHi is right. Just boot to your installation disk while having your USB disk plugged in. If it is already mac formatted then it should come up as an option to install to. Make sure not to over write your installation of the current operating system though. Also you can go to disk utility to erase it if you need to but the installation can do it as well.

Good luck.