How do I install Mountain Lion on a thumb drive?

How do I install Mountain Lion on a thumb drive when my computer is running Mavericks? I downloaded the Mountain Lion installer, but when I attempt to run it I get a message that says "You cannot install OS X 10.8 on this computer." I don't want to install it on the computer, I want to install it on the thumb drive—but it won't give me a choice of drives.
The reason I want to do this is I want to be able to boot my iMac into Mountain Lion in order to test a hardware/software combination I suspect might be incompatible with Mavericks.
(Note: there are plenty of instructions online for how to create a bootable thumb drive with the Mountain Lion installer, but that's not what I want. I want to install ML on the thumb drive itself.)

Sure you have a proper installer application. When I start it I get:
Clicking on Continue, then accepting the licensing stuff, gets me to:
If you click on Show All Disks, then all mounted disks will be presented including your flash drive.
Now the above is a Mavericks installer, but it's the same for Mountain Lion.

Similar Messages

  • Hi, I have a late 2008 iMac with a new hard drive. How do I install Mountain Lion from my bootable USB flash drive.

    How do I install Mountain Lion to a new hard drive without having the recovery partition on it.
    I have the USB flash drive with software on it but when I switch my Mac on all I have is a white screen & a flashing question mark.
    ATB,
    Steve.

    Did you use LionDiskMaker or DiskMaker X?
    Boot the machine with the option key down until you see your bootable USB stick.  Select the latter, and reboot.
    When the installer boots up, you will first need to choose Utilities and Disk Utility. Select the target HD device name and then the partition tab. Select 1 partition, name it Macintosh HD. Format is Mac OS Extended, and option is GUID. Apply. Exit Disk Utility and return to the installer, which will now show your newly partitioned HD as available for install.
    When OS X is installed and all updates applied, press shift+command+U and run disk utility again. Verify/repair permissions and verify the boot disk.

  • How do I install Mountain Lion on both my iMac Desktop and my wifes MacBook

    How do I install Mountain Lion on both my iMac Desktop and my wifes MacBook Pro?

    Open the app store, purchase ML. go to second computer open app store select purchases at the top and click download.  This is provided both computers use the same account. 
    http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/

  • HT1338 how do i install mountain lion

    how do i install mountain lion the system will not allow me to "app it" as the Mac OS is older than 10.6

    If your Mac is compatible, the upgrade path for you would be to purchase Snow Leopard from the Apple Store: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
    After installing that, you would run Software Update to bring it up to 10.6.8.
    Then, you'd access the App Store from Snow Leopard and purchase Mountain Lion.

  • How do I install mountain lion over maverick

    how do I install mountain lion over maverick

    Before the install
    Ensure your data (at least all Home folders) is backed up before you install. Hard disks can fail at any time so it is important to regularly backup to an external disk with Time Machine or a third party alternative. Inexperienced users should follow Apple's install advice but experienced users may prefer to do a clean install.
    OS numbers and names
    OS X 10.4.x - Tiger
    OS X 10.5.x - Leopard
    OS X 10.6.x - Snow Leopard
    OS X 10.7.x - Lion
    OS X 10.8.x - Mountain Lion
    More about Macs
    The Apple History site has specifications for every Mac ever produced: http://www.apple-history.com
    Upgrade to Leopard
    Those wishing to upgrade to Leopard should be aware that install disks can be expensive. Details: http://lowendmac.com/deals/best-os-x-leopard-prices.html Standard Leopard installers impose several hardware limitations including speed and RAM size but all these restrictions can be overcome. Google for details. Leopard works well at 500 MHz with 1 GB of RAM and many happy users have less than this.
    Upgrade beyond Leopard
    OSs beyond OS X 10.5.8 require an Intel processor. If in doubt click the apple at the top left of your screen and select 'About this Mac'. This will give you your OS number. Then click 'More Info' to see which processor you have. If it says PowerPC you cannot upgrade to Snow Leopard and above. If you have an Intel Mac it is well worth upgrading to Snow Leopard now and then considering other options after that. You can buy Snow Leopard here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A
    Upgrade to Lion
    Information about upgrading Snow Leopard to Lion: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD256Z/A
    Upgrade to Mountain Lion
    Information about upgrading Snow Leopard or Lion to Mountain Lion: http://www.apple.com/osx/specs/
    Important
    Check that your Mac complies with any requirements.
    If you are not in the US you should use the Change Country link at the bottom of Apple pages.

  • How do you install mountain lion on additional macs?

    How do you install Mountain Lion on additional Macs?

    Log in to App store on other computer with the apple ID that Mountain Lion was purchased with.
    Click on Purchases icon at top of page.
    Download and install.
    R

  • How do you install mountain lion on all your macs in the household using one 20 dollar license?

    how do you install mountain lion on all your macs in the houshold with the same license (you only pay 20 bucks for all your macs) is that right?

    As long as they're all logged into the Mac App store with the same Apple ID, you can re-download the installer to all the Macs.
    Or you can save a copy of the installer file before you run it and use that to update the other Macs. The ML installer file will appear in your Applications folder when it's done downloading. Copy it to another location (don't move it).
    If you don't copy it before you upgrade, it will disappear when ML is finished installing.

  • How How can i install Mountain Lion with faulty firewire ports??

    Basically the firewire ports are fried on my MBP 3.1  (2007). My mac used to take hang on blue screen and take 10 mins to boot but I solved this problem by installing an ssd and deleting the following kext file...
    /System/Library/Extensions/IOFireWireFamily.kext
    My MBP now boots in under 20 seconds so if anybody is having the same issue then there is the resolotion..
    Anyway these are the steps I have taken but failed to properly install ML.
    Dowloaded Mountain Lion at least 3 times from the App store to make sure the download wasn't corrupted.
    I even tried making a Lion Bootdisk so I can install Mountain Lion on a USB drive (Install ESD.dmg).
    I have even tried installing Lion first thinking I would take it one version at a time but gets stuck on boot screen too.
    I even changed my hard drive to a new blank SSD drive to see any difference.
    Each time I install Mountain Lion or Lion, everything is good until the installer has to restart the laptop.
    Laptop gets stuck at the grey boot screen with the Apple logo and the loading circle. Nothing ever happens after.
    I always had to use/boot to the Snow Leopard CD so I can restart the laptop back to the Snow Leopard OS and then update to 10.6.8.
    I am guessing it is the ML dmg reinstalling the above file ( /System/Library/Extensions/IOFireWireFamily.kext ) which is leading to the same issue because of the faulty firewire ports.
    Is there anyway I can resolve this because its doing my head in and Snow Leopard is old and doesnt support newer software that I would like to use.
    Any help would be kindly appreciated. Thanks

    Kurt Lang wrote:
    Just some thoughts.
    I presume you already partitioned the new SSD drive as GUID?
    Is there anything on the new drive at all yet, or anything that isn't already backed up? If not, you could try erasing the drive and then installing OS X from the bootable flash drive installer you made.
    Ive tried that and yes it is GUID. Im going to get grey hairs soon and Im not even 30 lol .... yet
    I am not going to buy a new logic board as its just not logical (sorry for the pun) I got the mac for free and I want to spend as little money as possible. Im running out of ideas though

  • How do I download mountain lion onto new hard drive

    My IMac 2.4  mid 2007 was starting to get very slow in opening applications. I rebooted the machine, it displayed the apple and then a circle with a line through it and would go no further. I have put it down to the hard drive, and have purchased a new one. My question is, how do I install mountain lion that I have already purchased to the new hard drive. I would appreciate any help on the matter

    You need to get your computer up to at least 10.6, using the original installer for your Mac, or a retail copy of 10.6.3. Then update to 10.6.8, and using the App Store, sign in with your AppleID, go to Purchases, and re-download and install 10.8.
    Matt

  • How to put mountain lion on a thumb drive?

    How to put mountain lion on a thumb drive?

    Make Your Own Mountain/Lion Installer
    1. After downloading Mountain/Lion you must first save the Install Mac OS X Mountain/
        Lion application. After Mountain/Lion downloads DO NOT click on the Install button.
        Go to your Applications folder and make a copy of the Mountain/Lion installer. Move
        the copy into your Downloads folder. Now you can click on the Install button. You
        must do this because the installer deletes itself automatically when it finishes
        installing.
    2. Get a USB flash drive that is at least 8 GBs. Prep this flash drive as follows:
      a. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
      b. After DU loads select your flash drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left
          side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
      c. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one.     
          Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the
          partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until
          the process has completed.
      d. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side
          list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
      e. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the
          button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
      f. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to an hour depending upon the flash
         drive size.
    3. Locate the saved Mountain/Lion installer in your Downloads folder. CTRL- or RIGHT-click on the installer and select Show Package Contents from the contextual menu. Double-click on the Contents folder to open it. Double-click on the SharedSupport folder. In this folder you will see a disc image named InstallESD.dmg.
    4. Plug in your freshly prepared USB flash drive. You are going to clone the content of the InstallESD.dmg disc image to the flash drive as follows:
      a. Double-click on the InstallESD.dmg file to mount it on your Desktop.
      b. Open Disk Utility.
      c. Select the USB flash drive from the left side list.
      d. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
      e. Select the USB flash drive volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
      f. Drag the mounted disc icon from the Desktop into the Source entry field.
      g. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.
    When the clone is completed you have a fully bootable installer that you can use without having to re-download Mountain/Lion.
    Note: The term Mountain/Lion used above means Lion or Mountain Lion.
    As an alternative to the above (you still have to do your own download of Lion/Mountain Lion) you can try using Lion DiskMaker 2.0 that automates the process of Steps 2 through 4.

  • Hard drive died... How do I reinstall Mountain Lion onto an external drive?

    I have Time Machine and two extra external drives but now I cannot boot from the Hard Drive to reinstall Mountain Lion. I have a recovery partition from TechTool but it does not include Time Machine or the App Store. My computer boots into the TechTool disk but my hard drive is not shown. Disk Utility does not see my hard drive either.
    Any suggestions?
    TIA

    Sorry, I'm confused.
    The recovery partition from Tech Tool, this is on the internal HD or on a CD/DVD?
    Is this the same thing as the TechTool disk that your computer can boot into?
    Where is the Disk Utility that cannot see your hard drive? Is it on the Apple recovery partition on your internal drive?  Are you saying that Disk Utility on your Apple recovery partition cannot see your boot partition?
    It sounds like your internal boot partition won't work, but the internal drive itself is OK (i.e., Disk Utility, on your Apple recovery partition, doesn't see the normal boot partition), or at least OK to the extent that the Apple Recovery partition can run.
    If you install Mountain Lion on your external drive and use it as the boot drive for your computer,  it will be very slow, and you won't be happy. I'd forget that idea.
    Assuming I am thinking correctly about your situation, I would try to repair your HD. Your options would be:
    a safe boot Mac OS X: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? and then disk utility
    boot into single user mode and see if you can repair your hard drive Repair Your Hard Disk in Single User Mode | Everything Macintosh
    internet recovery OS X: About OS X Recovery
    recovery disk assisant, if you have made one already OS X Recovery Disk Assistant v1.0
    If none of that works, then I'd try and wipe the entire drive and start over. I'd try to do that from internet recovery. Hopefully one of your external drives has backups on it.
    If that doesn't work, then I'd replace the drive.

  • Unable to install Mountain Lion on my hard drive

    I'm trying to upgrade my early 2008 mac pro from Leopard to Mountain Lion using a bootable usb drive but I'm having trouble doing so.  When I try installing mountain lion to my hard drive (Mac Drive 1) - The hard drive is greyed out and says 'you can't upgrade this version of OS X'.  Yet it looks like I can install mountain lion onto my second hard drive (Mac Drive 2) for some odd reason. 
    Here's the details for my mac drive 1 which I'm having trouble with (I noticed the volume format is greyed out on disk utility as well).....
    And here's the mac drive 2 info which I don't want to install mountain lion onto but looks like I can....
    Any help would be much appreciated!  Thanks a lot.

    I can't answer the bad hard drive question without some guessing. Not that smart.
    Do you have a bootable copy of the Mountain Lion installer?
    If not download the following. The site says it will work with 10.6:
    http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/
    That program will allow you to make a bootable DVD or USB with Mountain Lion on it.
    You can boot off of it, erase the disk, and then install Mountain Lion.
    I think you should be able to reinstall from carbon copy cloner, but I haven't used that program.  During the setup it will ask you if you want to import files, but I don't know if it can read carbon copy cloner. I know it can read a Time Machine backup.
    A clean install is generally better anyway.
    If you get Mountain Lion installed, not everything works like it did in 10.5/10.6. For an example, scrolling is reversed, but you can change it back to the way it is in 10.5/10.6 in System Preferences. After spending some time in System Preferences, my computer acts pretty much the way it always did.

  • How do I Install Mountain Lion on a Mac with 2 Drives

    Good day ALL,
    I am upgrading my Mac mini to add a second hard drive (solid state).  After the HD install is complete I plan to re-install Mountain Lion and transfer my Applications, Files, etc from my backup.  I am very comfortable with installing Mountian Lion on the solid state drive and making it the bootbale drive, my questions are:
    1.  It is a 120G soloid state hard drive, so I only plan to use it for the OSX system, Library and Applications.  Should I include other files?
    2.  I plan to use my 750G SATA drive for the Users.  How do I set up the User Folder archive on this drive?  Do I just move it?
    3.  Then how do I ensure the User Folder on my backup, gets retored on the right drive?
    Thanks

    GreyWullf wrote:
    Good day ALL,
    I am upgrading my Mac mini to add a second hard drive (solid state).  After the HD install is complete I plan to re-install Mountain Lion and transfer my Applications, Files, etc from my backup.  I am very comfortable with installing Mountian Lion on the solid state drive and making it the bootbale drive, my questions are:
    1.  It is a 120G soloid state hard drive, so I only plan to use it for the OSX system, Library and Applications.  Should I include other files?
    2.  I plan to use my 750G SATA drive for the Users.  How do I set up the User Folder archive on this drive?  Do I just move it?
    3.  Then how do I ensure the User Folder on my backup, gets retored on the right drive?
    Thanks
    Regarding 1:
    $ cd /Users. sudo ditto myname /Volumes/TimeMachine/myname  copies everything in $HOME to non-TM backup.
    Ensured latest SSD firmware up to date.
    Clean install of ML to SSD from 8GB USB stick created by Lion Diskmaker.
    $ cd /Users. sudo ditto /Volumes/TimeMachine/myname myname (see part 2 for /Users on another drive)
    Added latest Xcode and command-line tools. Added VirtualBox 4.1.20. Put the 65GB VirtualBoxVMs folder on the second drive. Edited the ~/Library/Virtualbox/VirtualBox.xml file for the new mount points. Beware that many SSD (including Vertex) warn not to exceed 50% drive capacity or they will invoke slower drive controller algorithm. After some clean-up and re-arrangement, I have 98GB free on this SSD. It sings.
    Files that are heavily accessed/shared by users would be consideration for the SSD
    Regarding 2:
    If you have sufficient external storage, back-up your pre-ML /Users either with ditto as I did, or with TM, somewhere other than the 750GB drive.
    Use DiskUtility and repartition the 750 as one (or more) GUID HFS+Journaled partitions depending on planned usage.
    Reverse the back-up to put your user(s) on the 750GB drive
    In System Preferences > Users & Groups, unlock, then right mouse button click on individual user names. Advanced options ... will appear. For Home directory, Choose ... the particular mount point for individual user accounts now on the 750GB drive. Done.
    Regarding 3:
    Because you have moved individual user accounts from the internal drive where your last TM backup occurred before ML installation, TimeMachine will not understand (as far as I know), the new /Volumes/750GB/User/you home directory location that you just changed in #2. Another reason I used ditto(1).
    If you do not want Spotlight to index that 750GB drive, you need to inform Spotlight Preferences > Privacy to exclude the drive.
    Hope this helps.
    PS: Darn advanced editor eating bullet formatting!!
    Message was edited by: VikingOSX

  • How do I install Mountain Lion AND format the hard drive?

    I want to do a completely clean install of Mountain Lion.
    I had Snow Leopard installed, upgraded to Mountain Lion (by buying it from the App Store) but how do I tell it to format the drive and then install Mountain Lion?

    pforkes wrote:
    I want to do a completely clean install of Mountain Lion.
    I had Snow Leopard installed, upgraded to Mountain Lion (by buying it from the App Store) but how do I tell it to format the drive and then install Mountain Lion?
    Snow Leopard would have needed to be installed on a properly formatted drive, so I don't understand why you would need to format it again to that same format.
    Cheers
    Pete

  • How do I install mountain lion but keep snow leopard as a bootable os

    I'm caught in a vicious circle.
    I need mountain Lion to be able to use iCloud and to be compatible with a couple of apps on my iPad. However some of my major apps on my mac Pro won't work under Lion or mountain lion.
    SO the answer is to have both Snow Leopard and Mountain Lion on my Mac Pro.
    Does anyone know of any instructions on installing Mountain Lion onto one SSD, whilst leaving Snow Leopard on another, allowing me to boot from either.
    Also - any advice on the cleanest way of installing my apps under Mountain Lion (those that are compatible). I'm confused to how I can install my apps twice, especially if I have all ready registered Unser Snow Leopard.
    Thanks

    I'm assuming that you currently have an SSD with Snow Leopard on it, and another SSD with no operating system. Is that correct?
    What I would do is use the Snow Leopard DVDs to install a fresh copy of Snow Leopard on the SSD that currently has no operating system, and "migrate" your data and applications from the other SSD. (alternatively, you could use something like Carbon Copy Cloner to duplicate one SSD onto the other - but that's probably only an option if one SSD is completely blank or you're willing to erase it).
    Then upgrade to Mountain Lion on the original SSD.
    When you're done, hold down the option key when you start up to select which OS to use.
    For many applications, it won't matter which SSD they're on - you'll be able to run them from either system without worrying about where the app is installed (each will have it's own preferences, stored on the current startup drive). But some applications are more complex, and rely on additional files that are scattered around the Library folders on the startup drive. Since you migrated your applications and data, you should have everything that's needed on both systems, including license keys, etc. I did this for a little while with Quicken, and I actually left the Quicken app on the Lion drive - it worked just fine even though I started up from an external Snow Leopard drive (I skipped the migration step entirely, and reentered my Quicken license code when starting up from Snow Leopard).
    How successful this will be depends on exactly which applications you're using. Most of them will be OK, but if you're using something that has some esoteric copy-protection mechanism, you might run into a little bit of trouble. Consider upgrading the "new" Snow Leopard install to Mountain Lion, if that's the case, so you're original system SSD will remain Snow Leopard, with no changes.

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