Anyone able to confirm that by copying the Installation/Packages folder into the same location on an actual running system, you'd be able to have a fully functional, bootable system that simultaneously includes the necessary files for installation, but none of the files necessary to boot from the DVD?

I think if that is possible, then we'll be one step closer to a single bootable device (such as an old firewire iPod) that can boot, diagnose, and install Leopard on any recent Mac system.

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I would like to also point out that using this hint has the limitation of PPC and Intel Macs not getting along. If trying to run the OSInstall.mpkg from one type of machine for installation on another type of machine, it will complain about the target disc's partition format being incompatible with the computer the installer is being run from. For example: trying to use a PPC to install onto an Intel Mac, the installer will refuse to install because the disk needs to be formatted with the Apple Partition Map, rather than the GUID Partition Table. Although, I've heard reports that Intel Macs will boot from APM disks, its just that "officially" they won't.


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Intel macs can and do boot from APM disks. It's the installer that refuses to install if not GUID. This link shows how to make a partitioned bootable HD that can boot on either type of mac.

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I can verify that you CAN create a drive that will boot either PPC or Intel systems. You have to hook it up to a PPC machine, format it as Apple Partition Map (APM) format, and install Leopard onto the drive.

This has been a godsend, because with Tiger I had to maintain two separate master setup drives. I can do it with just one in Leopard. Thank you, Apple!!!



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