10.7 install to external drive results in only "user" account

There is a problem which I have had couple of times when installing OS X Lion onto an external drive while running 10.7 off of the internal drive. The problem is that the OS install on the external drive gets created with only one user account, the same user account as what's running on the internal drive during install, except on the external drive the user account does not have admin privileges. So when booted off the external drive, there's no way to act as administrator, including upping the only account's privileges you have access to!
The only way to get an admin account on the OS instance on the external drive is to delete the hidden AppleSetupDone file on the external drive and then boot and let the OS go through its first run procedure.
Obviously the design team for OS X Lion one of the install as streamlined with the user being presented with the fewest choices and questions during the install is possible. However, not being presented with choices about the number and types of user accounts that will be set up during such an install clearly has its downside.
If the install on the external drive is going to duplicate the account that's currently running during the install, then it should at least copy those privileges as well. Ending up with an OS instance with no account with admin privileges is obviously not acceptable.

takoateli wrote:
Wrong again.
Have you ever installed to an external drive while booted 10.7 from the internal? I have, multiple times, and always the same result. I end up with the same account I was booted into on the internal at the time of install, duplicated on the external drive. Same account name, same password, and it's a *user* account. Not admin.
Here's what I do:
While booted on my MBP 13" internal hard drive, I open and run the 10.7 installer contained in "InstallESD", with the installation target being my external USB drive. The install finishes, the computer reboots off the external drive. No "Bienvenue, Welcome, Aloha etc.", no catchy music, no setup steps or installation completion. Just a login screen. I put in the login info for my account on the internal hard drive, and there I am, booted into the external drive, as *user*.
Greg
Right YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!!!!!
Sorry but I am not wrong.
Boot the system from either the Recovery HD partition or if you have a Lion Install USB thumb drive boot from that. Then select Re-Install OS X and point it to the external drive. Do not start the Install from inside the OS installed on the internal drive.
I thought that would be apparent, but I guess not.
If you have not made a Lion install USB thumb drive I suggest you do that using LionDiskMaker.
Serial Serveur » Lion DiskMaker (US)

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