Make a USB boot disk to restore OS AND files

I use Time Machine faithfully. I've installed OS 10.6 on a thumb drive for emergencies to restore files etc. when i've errantly thrown them away, and always thought I could somehow use it to restore my system in the event of a really big problem (never had to really test it out for real...until last night!)
I discovered that just having a boot disk isn't enough. I still needed to boot from the original CD, go to "Utilities", then "Restore from Backup". So much for all my planning.
Isn't there a way to include that essential feature on my USB boot disk?

All you need is a external powered USB drive and free Carbon Copy Cloner.
http://www.bombich.com/
You can hold option and boot from the clone, make a backup or reverse clone when you want, total access to the clone from another Mac.
You don't need TimeGizmo or a USB thumb drive or cd's that scratch. Your not a newbie that deletes files by accident.
And if you are there is free software for that here:
http://www.cleverfiles.com/pro.html
(no comp ever)

Similar Messages

How to make a USB bootable disk to boot up my macbook pro.

Macbook Pro has just fallen and HDD will not boot up.
Start up screen keep bringing up a folder with a question mark in it, and the hard drive keeps making a noise that doesnt sound good.
Need to know how to make a USB bootable disk in order to boot up my macbook and install my new SSD.
Or any other information that could help me.
I was running OS X Yosemite, so would prefer to have this reinstalled onto the boot up disk.
PLEASE HELP !!!!

Install or Reinstall Lion from Scratch
If possible backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Install button.

Can I Make a Leopard Boot disk with my Free Agent Desk 1.5TB External Hard Drive?

Can I Make a Leopard Boot disk with my Free Agent Desk 1.5TB External Hard Drive? Using my Power Mac G5 Dual 2.0Gig original computer?

Only if it is a FireWire interface. The G5's won't boot to a USB 2.0 drive.

Can't create Windows 7 USB boot disk

Hello, I searched but can't find a problem like mine:
My configuration:
iMax 24 early 2009
Lion 10.7.2
Boot Camp 4.0.1
Broken Superdrive
In Boot Camp Assistant there's the possibility to create a bootable usb disk from a Windows 7 ISO.
I plugged a 32gb usb disk formatted fat32 (but tried NTFS also) and have my Windows 7 iso ready in download folder, but when I start Boot Camp Assistant the first choice to create the usb boot disk is shaded. I can't select it.
Thanks for your help and hello from Italy!
Max

hii,
I've the same issue as Madarme79.
I've a Macbook pro 13,3" 2,8Ghz I7 with 4gb ram (oktober 2011)
I tried what you said but it still doesnt work for me.
i allready partitionated my usb in GUID and MBR and it still not works
i added 2 screens with the proof that i tried them both.
i really dont know what to try next.
if anyone has a solution please tell me.
thanks in advance.

Enyone know how to get USB stick back to normal after creating a USB boot disk for Mavericks?

Enyone know how to get USB stick back to normal after creating a USB boot disk for Mavericks? https://discussions.apple.com/message/23527458#23527458

You should just be able to erase it using Disk Utiilty. I did with my 8Gb.
If not I have a USB deep format tool, but it only works with Windows: http://tinyurl.com/mwor6s9
You can download that and unzip it, then run it on a PC to fully erase and format the flash drive. Format it in FAT, and then the Mac will read and mount it so you cna once again format it with HFS extended for Mac use.

I am purchasing a hard drive with OSX v 10.5 installed on it. can I make a usb or disk copy of 10.5 Leopard from this hard drive copy

I am purchasing a hard drive with OSX v 10.5 installed on it. can I make a usb or disk copy of 10.5 Leopard from this hard drive copy
Regards
Jay

If the Mac in your signature is what you desire to use 10.5 with, you can't do so, it is too new.
If PowerPC application compatibility is what you desire with that Mac, look at this solution:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2295#ROSETTALION
10.5 only was distributed by CD and updates to 10.5 from free online downloads. Why do you want 10.5, and what do you desire to put it on? Is the person sending 10.5 using 10.5 for anything? If he is, he can't sell the drive.

Unable to Log and Capture AND make FCP a boot disk

I am unable to go into Log and Capture mode in FCP 4. I can capture from firewire using I movie just fine so I know the sytem works. The minute I open Log and Capture from within FCP (with the JVC Mini-DV camera hooked up thru Firewire), it crashes. Help. I upgraded from FCP 3 to FCP 4 a couple years ago and it hasn't worked right since. Would re-installing the FCP 4 upgrade work? Also, my system works very sluggish. Please explain to me how I would make the veersion of FCP 4 my boot disk. I realize that I can't have the FCP 4 application and the media on the same drive but is there a way to partition one of my drives and make FCP one of the startup disks? Hope this isn't too confusing. Thanks.

First off, FCP 4 was darn unstable. FCP 4.5 is a free upgrade and is STILL the most stable version out there. FCP 5 is getting there.
Secondly, try:
Shane's Stock Tip Mantra: If the program was working fine, and now isn't, or just isn't working the way it should, the first things to do are:
1) Trash your FCP preferences. Download the appropriate version of FCP Rescue at http://fcprescue.andersholck.com/ and run it.
2) Open the Disk Utility and Repair Permissions.
As for partitioning the hard drive, that isn't necessary. Hasn't been since FCP 3.
Shane

Unable to redownload OS X Mavericks to make bootable USB flash disk

Hi,
I'm trying to redownload Mavericks from the App Store so I can make myself a bootable USB so I can do a clean install. The only problem is when I click on the download button for Mavericks from with Purchases, I get prompted with a message saying that "Mavericks is already installed, but if I wish to continue downloading the installer, click continue." But when I do, I just get a spinning loader up top, and nothing starts to download... I've tried pressing Atl or Command C (which was offered as a solution on another thread but just throws back an error ding sound at you when you do).
Does anyone have an idea of how to get around this or another way of downloading the installer?
I'm starting to feel like I'm banging my head against the wall here...

I ran into the same issue - downloaded and installed Mavericks yesterday, but forgot to save the download first so I could make a USB installer. When I went to re-download, I got the "Mavericks is already installed..." message, clicked Continue, the wheel at the top of the window started spinning, and then...nothing. I let the wheel spin for the better part of an hour several times without seeing any progress. Neither restarting App Store, nor Control-clicking the 'Download' button, nor attempting to download from the 'Purchases' tab succeeded in starting the download.
I decided to try temporarily spoofing my OS X version, and it worked! Here's a step-by-step:
1) If it's currently running, close App Store.
2) In a Finder window, navigate to System/Library/CoreServices (you must have Finder set to display hidden and system files as detailed here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4505509).
3) Copy 'SystemVersion.plist' to your Desktop, and then rename the copy to 'SystemVersionNEW.plist'.
4) Using TextEdit, open this copy of the file, and change the system version listed under the 'ProductUserVisibleVersion' and 'ProductVersion' fields to something lower than 10.9 (I used 10.7, but I suspect anything lower than 10.9 would work).
5) Save the file on the Desktop.
6) Copy your newly edited 'SystemVersionNEW.plist' into the System/Library/CoreServices directory.
7) At this point, run App Store. Leave it at its initial welcome screen, which today is showing the big 'OS X Mavericks' banner at the top.
8) Now go back to your Finder window(s), rename the original file to 'SystemVersionOLD.plist', and rename 'SystemVersionNEW.plist' to 'SystemVersion.plist', effectively replacing the original file with your edited version.
* Note here that in order to rename the original 'SystemVersion.plist' file, you will probably have to edit its Sharing and Permissions settings by Control-clicking on it, selecting 'Get Info', scrolling down to the bottom of the info window, clicking the lock icon, entering your password, and then changing all the entries in the 'Sharing and Permissions' window just above the lock icon from 'Read Only' to 'Read & Write'. (Once you finish the process and your download has started, you can go back and change permissions back to 'Read Only'.)
9) Go back to App Store and click on the OS X Mavericks banner (if you don't see the OS X Mavericks banner at the top of the window, just do a search for 'Mavericks' and click on 'OS X Mavericks' when it comes up in the search results). If everything has worked as it did for me, you'll now see a 'Free Download' button, instead of 'Download'. Click it, then click 'Install' and your download should begin.
10) As soon as the download appears on your Launchpad with a progress bar, you can go back to Finder, delete 'SystemVersion.plist", and rename 'SystemVersionOLD.plist' to 'SystemVersion.plist', replacing your edited version with the original.
As always, it's a good idea to be careful when editing system files, and make backups before changing anything.
Note that you must have App Store running already before renaming the original 'SystemVersion.plist' file; if you make the change in step 8 and then try to run App Store, it will throw an error and won't start.

Help creating a boot disk for ailing powerbook (and journalist!)

Hello, I'm a journalist with a desperate need to recover my Mac.
My Powerbook G4 (operating 10.4.8 I believe) was working fine until I did the latest suggested Mac software upgrade of Safari. Immediately Safari stopped responding hanging up or quitting. So I tried the next recommended update, thinking perhaps the two went together: Security 2008-009 I believe. It required a restart, which I did. (Note: I didn't do the recommended Java or Quicktime update at the same time because I'm currently working in Sierra Leone with terribly slow internet and figured I'd get to it later).
Now, however, the computer won't boot up. I hear the tone, I get the gray screen with the apple, I get the blue screen, I get the opening OS X screen and the blue progress bar, which then quits early on. Then I get a blue screen of alternating hues, which continues infinitely.
I tried all the Apple and web-suggested fixes. I cannot enter safe mode and can only perform functions with the single user mode. I've tried fsck and it said my HD is fine. The problem, I suspect, would be easy enough to fix if I could just reinstall OS X with my CD. However I am currently 7000 miles from home and CD, and in desperate need of my laptop in order to continue my volunteer work.
I do have access to a friend's MacBook Pro 10.4.9 and the internet. I have downloaded Carbon Copy Cloner... however I don't know which files I need to copy in order to create a boot disk. Nor do I know how to create a boot disk to actually put into my computer. I have also been scared by the CCC literature that says I need to erase the target volume... which in this case is my external hard drive containing all of our video footage from the last 8 months!
I use my computer every day, however I am a newbie at using things like Terminal and higher order functions that these occasions seem to require. CCC's Help manual, for me, might as well have been written in hieroglyphs (which, come to think of it, would have been easier as I seem to understand pictures well enough).
I would be eternally grateful for any simple or step-by-step advice which might help me get back to work. I'm training African journalists, and without my computer to edit, we cannot do a thing!
Thanks,
Kim

Here's some trouble shooting methods that I've copied from Apple KB articles:
Resetting PRAM and NVRAM
Shut down the computer.
Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously.
Turn on the computer.
Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears.
Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time. Release the keys.
If zapping the PRAM doesn't work, try resetting the PMU.
Warning: Resetting the power manager also resets date and time settings. Performing a PMU reset returns the iBook and PowerBook hardware, including NVRAM, to default settings and forces the computer to shut down.
PowerBook G4 (DVI) and PowerBook G4 (1 GHz/867 MHz)
If the computer is on, turn it off.
Disengage the two keyboard latches located between the Esc and F1 keys, and the F11 and
F12 keys. (You may also need to disengage the keyboard locking screw located between the
F5 and F6 keys.)
Lift the keyboard. To ensure no harmful static electricity is transferred to the computer,
properly ground yourself before performing this procedure.
Press and release the reset button located on the upper right side of the logic board near the power button, shown here. Wait 5 seconds.
Press the power button to restart the computer.
PowerBook G4 and PowerBook G4 (Gigabit Ethernet)
If the computer is on, turn it off.
Press and release the reset button located on the rear panel of the computer between the
external video and modem ports. Wait 5 seconds.
Press the Power button to restart the computer.
HTH!

Raid 0 (Stripe) for OS X boot disk? Best Performance and block size

Hi,
so this is a new thread to an older question I had and would like some feedback on;
I have a new Mac Pro with 4 matched 1TB caviar black drives. I WILL be doing Full Time-Machine Backups, as well as an independant full-system backup regularly.
That being said, I have 4 drives open and am looking for suggestions. I am leaning toward 2 sets or stripes (one for the OS and one for 'work space', the former with a 32k stripe block size, the latter with 64k (will hold video, audio, scratch, and, yes, Games).
Does this sound alright? Is there an issue with Striping the boot drive? Is the block size or 32 (or 64) optimal?
Thanks!
Dan

Hi D# Shooter, regarding your question,
D3 Shooter wrote:
You brought to mind something I did not take into consideration, Time Machine. I really like the simplicity of TM as it saved me once before. So, could you tell me, for photo files, some video, how much does the striping (% wise) improve the accessing and filing of such files compared to no striping but, using internal drives (7200/WD/1TB/Caviar)? I have not done striping before and want to weigh in because of the back up storage issues now. Thanks.
J_ust give it a try and see if it is worth it for you_.
Striping:
• just enhances (reduces the access/transfer) because in practice the access is distributed in parallel across several DDM's (Old school but it works great!). I think for video and file work the advantage is that you can access the whole object sooner (rather than faster).
• this distribuition also reduces a load of old style queing on the device ove rthe path. THis was resolved in the late 1980's so no reall rocket science here.
the issues with striping are few and basically over all the raid implementations (except JBOD which of course is not raid) when compared to a single spindle. The discussions are enormous and plentiful via google and experiences and opinions vary widely.
Fir the I.T. peole its the advantage they get for access using a smart disk controller that caches goosies like indexes and stuff so that they can sustain a zillion trivial transactions/sec (i.e. banking & internet stuff).. stuff that is of no interest to me
For the creative people and many applications that are BLOB's (like video, film and remote sensing objects) getting use of the objects sooner (not faster) is of prime importance for workflow efficiencies. If you have this need then striping stiff across disks is for you!
TIMEMACHINE.app works fine as it seems fairly agnostic to whats implemented under the disk file system. MY issue with time machine is that I don't want it looking after my production stuff, only to keep an eye on my admin I.T. type stuff such as ~/ and data data files.
As posted on ths thread:
• availability is the major concern with any file system (cloud or raid or other). RAID with parity schemes and double parity schemes (Raid1,,3,5,6) and implementations such as RAID6+ LSF (log structured file) are all wonderful for this business workflows that need it.
• timely access in a workflow is another
• cost benefits are another
However a *great benefit* for me of *consolidating small storage components under one huge file system is that you dont have to COPY any thing around*. THis is marvelous especially when you think you have to move 2TB's of stuff from one place to anther. THis a takes a lot of time with elcheapo didks that dont have fast interfaces such as SATA/SAS of FC for example.
As always and has been addressed by others on this thread (Hatter) if you lose a component storage device the whole file system is hosed or severely degraded unless you spend a lot of money on full ranks of DDMs with hot spares and a very good RAID controller card. Again its money.
YEah sure you can carry some PARITY RAID implementation around across 3 didks but the storage capacity usage is dreadful. THis is why more complex RAID implemntatiosn are in groups of 10+ dDMs.. (yep poepl can argue.. but this is the mainstream).
My external disk arrays are merely two LUNs (SAS DOMAINSA) that have two file systems implemented using 2 x 4TB 1TBs DDMS - all RAID0 - no parity (no availability) - I just want speed. I look after my own "availability" withm= my archive solution. If the operation dies, I stat again. I'm happy wi that. RAID 5 has write penalty performace hits (well known +update in place+), , RAID 6+ is lousy for huge objects but good for I.T. but ok if you lose two disks in a stripe (RANK).
They all have their flaws... and mirroring a RAID0 (RAID1/0) seems to be popular with storage vendors because they can see you more disk and thats proper business workflow depends on it.
However you can achieve this stuff if you change your workflow slightly.
Other than these the rest is tech specs and stuff under the cover.
So you what is right for you and your business.
I dont like spending money on nasty elcheapo FW800 LeCIE disk enclosures with the their junky components and their ilk having been done badly on several corrupted devices and lsing TB;s of content - this is why I invested in a high speed LTO4 ULtrium data tape archive solution.
sorry for long post..
w

Restore applications and files through SL TM vs. Leopard TM

I've been reading a lot about all the different options for installing SL. It seems to me like the way I'd like to go is be doing a clean install.
What concerns me about the clean install is, the reinstallation of applications. The main applications I run are Avid Media Composer & FCP 6. Which have a lot of files, and paths throughout the HD - (I don't know what the technical terms are, but it's just when FCP or Avid saves different data within different files throughout the entire HD).
So if I did a clean install for SL, my main questions would be.
1. How do I get those applications, and all the associated files back and running smoothly?
2. Would it work if I did a simple update of SL first, backup to a new TM, then finally do a clean install, and use the TM running off of SL rather than Leopard TM to restore my files and apps? (to avoid any clashing of old files associated w/ Leopard vs. SL)
So these are my main concerns, very specifically regarding the issues w/ my Video Editing applications, but I'm sure if I find an answer to approach these issues, it should apply as well to other applications and files. Thank You so much!

kta8 wrote:
I've been reading a lot about all the different options for installing SL. It seems to me like the way I'd like to go is be doing a clean install.
I don't understand why you want to do a clean install. regular install works well for most people.
What concerns me about the clean install is, the reinstallation of applications. The main applications I run are Avid Media Composer & FCP 6. Which have a lot of files, and paths throughout the HD - (I don't know what the technical terms are, but it's just when FCP or Avid saves different data within different files throughout the entire HD).
So if I did a clean install for SL, my main questions would be.
1. How do I get those applications, and all the associated files back and running smoothly?
the only way to do that after doing a clean install is to run migration assistant on a TM or clone backup. either that or reinstall all apps by hand.
2. Would it work if I did a simple update of SL first, backup to a new TM, then finally do a clean install, and use the TM running off of SL rather than Leopard TM to restore my files and apps? (to avoid any clashing of old files associated w/ Leopard vs. SL)
clashing of files?? there will be no clashing of files after doing a regular install. and what you propose is WAY too complicated and actually less safe than it should be. if you insist on an erase and install just make a backup of your leopard system first. TM or clone (preferably, clone). then do an erase and install and run migration assistant to migrate your apps from the backup. mind you, this will be pretty much equivalent to doing a regular install.

How you make an ssd boot disk?

I'm considering a 6 core MacPro. I'll want to replace the internal 1 tb drive with an SSD boot drive on an OWC Accelsior PCIe SSD card. It'll be a pretty minimal config. Apps, data files and Time Machine will live on mirrored internal 4 TB Hitach Sata drives.
Is it doable to move the O.S. etc over to SSD and then remove the internal drive to free up the drive slot? If so, what's the best way?
Thanks.

japamac's blog: Make Space for Performance -- Moving the Home Folder
http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-move-the-home-folder-in-os-x-and-why/

How do I make an OSX boot disk

I recently bought a Mid 2011 Mac Mini off my brother (because the new Late 2012 Mac Mini I bought has a quite a few bugs - see this thread) and would like to do a fresh install of Mountain Lion. Problem is there's no "Install OS X Mountain Lion.app" in the /Applications folder. He did pay for it to upgrade it on the Mac Mini, but when I go to the App Store to download it, it wants me to pay another $20.99 for it. He's now using a new 15" Retina Macbook Pro which already comes with Mountain Lion, so the license for it he bought for this Mac Mini isn't being used anywhere else, so there's no piracy going on.
How can I do a fresh install of OS X and make a backup USB stick so that I have it in case things go wrong again? It's crashing something shocking lately, even though my brother has already reinstalled OS X somehow.
Thanks.

Unlike the old days when possession of the installer DVD gave you right to the system copy, now with downloads the license remains with the purchaser of the software even if the computer is passed on. In other words, you will have to buy your own copy of Mountain Lion since to download it and install it you have to be logged onto an Apple account used to purchase the software.

I do I make a lion boot disk?

I want to install a fresh clean copy of lion on a new 750gb hard drive. But I don't have the recovery disks. Is there a way that I can backup the operating system only. I don't want no files, no previous data just the operating system & iLife.

Follow these steps to create a bootable Lion disk.

Problem in restore software and files from time machine to new hard disc

hello, recently im just change my macbook's hard disc, and i can't open any of my software and also the finder is keep no responding after i restore my files and software from time machine. Got any solution about it?

I see. Don't do that. I do not believe using Migration Assistant is a valid method of accomplishing what you intend.
Furthermore, unless you are using the "Enter Time Machine" feature, you really shouldn't pick and choose what you want to copy from a Time Machine backup... "no user serviceable parts inside". You can certainly find and individual files and folders in the Finder, but you will run into the permissions problems you describle. I would not attempt to circumvent those protections.
As I understand Time Machine, you must either restore a volume from a Time Machine backup, thereby erasing the volume first, or restore individual files and folders by using "Enter Time Machine" when the backup has already been properly designated for the source.
Since your replacement hard disk - the source, now - is technically new, the latter is not an option. It's as if you were trying to restore to a different computer. This can't be done.

Make a USB boot disk to restore OS AND files

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