[geeks] Install without DVD (was Re: DVD install of MacOS 10.5.3 or 10.5.4)

[Rick Hamell]

Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 26, 2008 at 02:18:22PM -0500, Brian Dunbar wrote:
> 
>> My DVD drive is acting up - it won't read the install DVD.
> 
> 1. Check the disk for fingerprints, scratches, etc.
> 
> 2. Try and clean it. Some people say cleaning disks ruin drives, here in
> the desert where everything gets covered with dust, it saves them. 
> 
>> I can get it fixed but I'll have to send the laptop away for that, so 
>> I've been putting it off.
>>
>> Is there any way to upgrade to MacOS 10.5.x without using the built-in 
>> DVD?
> 
> I think the G4 laptops will boot off of a firewire disk/DVD drive,
> and the Intel ones will boot off of USB too.

Do you happen to have another Mac that you can install it on? After that 
you should be able to boot the Bondi into Firewire Target mode then use 
something like Super Duper to clone the entire drive over. I do this at 
work all the time with no problems.

This assumes the Bondi has firewire, otherwise you'll need to pull the 
hard drive and either put in another machine or in to an external 
firewire case.

-- 
Rick Hamell
Tech Blog - http://www.1nova.com/blog
Pacific Northwest Photo Blog - http://www.1nova.com/photoblog