OSX Lion Upgrade Guide & Installation Disk Creation
Addressing Concerns About Upgrading to OSX Lion
Now that OSX Lion is available within the App Store, many users are likely considering the upgrade. This transition can understandably raise some questions and anxieties.
This guide aims to address common concerns surrounding the upgrade process. We will also provide essential warnings and demonstrate how to create both a USB and DVD installer for convenient access.
Potential Issues and Warnings
Before initiating the upgrade, it’s crucial to be aware of potential challenges. Proper preparation can significantly mitigate risks and ensure a smoother experience.
One key consideration is ensuring sufficient free disk space. The installer requires a considerable amount of space to download and install the operating system.
Creating a Bootable USB Installer
For those preferring a USB-based installation, the process is relatively straightforward. The download-only installer can be easily copied to a USB drive.
This allows for installation on multiple machines or recovery in case of unforeseen issues during the primary upgrade.
Creating a Bootable DVD Installer
Alternatively, a bootable DVD installer can be created. This provides another reliable method for installing or reinstalling OSX Lion.
Burning the installer to a DVD offers a physical backup and an alternative installation option.
By following these steps, users can confidently navigate the upgrade to OSX Lion, armed with the knowledge and tools necessary for a successful transition.
Important Considerations Before Upgrading
It's crucial to acknowledge certain limitations upfront. Applications designed for PowerPC processors will be entirely incompatible with macOS Lion. Long-standing support for older, legacy software – exceeding ten years in age – has been discontinued. A notable instance of this is the Quicken financial management program.
Failure to export your data prior to upgrading could result in permanent loss of access. Retrieval would then necessitate booting from a previously created backup, as will be discussed shortly.
Identifying Incompatible Software
To determine which of your installed programs will cease to function, navigate to About This Mac, then select More Info. Within the sidebar, click on Applications.
Examine the sidebar for any applications listed with a Kind designation of Power PC. These programs will not operate under Lion. While some level of incompatibility is likely, users without any listed PowerPC applications can proceed with less concern.
Important: Adobe software, specifically, is currently experiencing a number of documented compatibility issues and errors. It is hoped that Adobe will address these problems promptly (though the delay is perplexing). Heavy users of Adobe’s graphic design tools may wish to postpone upgrading for several weeks.You can now safely download Lion through the Mac App Store. Currently, this is the only legitimate method for obtaining the operating system. While pre-loaded USB drives will become available in the future, they will be offered at a significantly higher cost.
Data Backup Before OS X Upgrade
Initiating a new OSX installation without a comprehensive, bootable backup is a risky undertaking. Fortunately, SuperDuper offers a free solution for fundamental backups and can accomplish this task rapidly. Ensure you have an external disk with a capacity equal to or exceeding your internal drive’s size, and proceed to format it using Disk Utility.
Within Disk Utility, select the drive, then navigate to Volume Scheme and choose 1 partition. Assign a name to the drive and confirm that Mac OS Extended (journaled) is selected as the format. Subsequently, click Options and designate GUID as the partition map scheme.
Performing the Backup
Launch Super Duper and configure it to copy data from your Mac HD to the designated backup drive. A complete backup of several hundred gigabytes will require a significant amount of time.
This presents an ideal opportunity to engage in a lengthy activity, such as donating blood. For approximately 800GB of data, a full backup process can take around 7 hours to complete.
Creating Additional Installers
It is likely you will want to install macOS Lion on other compatible Mac computers (Intel Core2Duo processors and newer are required). The software license permits installation on multiple personal devices. To circumvent repeated 3.5GB downloads, creating a bootable USB drive or installation DVD is a viable option.
USB Installation Process
A USB drive with a capacity of 8GB or greater is necessary for this procedure. After downloading the Lion installer, locate the application within your Applications folder – it will be named Install Mac OSX Lion. Right-click on the application and choose Show Package Contents.
Within the Shared Support directory, double-click to mount the InstallESD.dmg image file.
While the image is mounting, prepare your USB drive for formatting. Be aware that all data on the drive will be erased during this process. Open Disk Utility, select the drive from the list, and navigate to the Partition tab.
Configure a single partition, formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Before applying the changes, click the Options button and confirm that the boot table is set to GUID. The formatting process should take approximately 30 seconds to complete.
Following formatting, right-click on the newly created partition and select the Restore option.
In the subsequent dialog box, drag the Mac OS X Install ESD image from the sidebar into the source field. Then, drag your new USB partition into the destination field. Click Restore to authenticate the operation and initiate the process. Upon completion, you will have a bootable installer.
Creating a DVD
The DVD creation process is simpler. Follow the steps outlined for USB installation up to the point of formatting the USB drive. Instead, insert a blank DVD into your drive.
Right-click on the InstallESD.dmg image and select the Burn option. To ensure a reliable burn, consider reducing the burning speed to 4x.
Recovery Doesn't Require Physical Media
A key point to understand is that physical storage devices, such as USB drives or DVDs, are no longer essential for recovering your computer or performing a fresh installation following a hard drive malfunction. Upon installation, Lion automatically generates a dedicated recovery partition.
This partition allows you to boot your system in a manner similar to using a DVD, granting access to disk utilities and various recovery applications. Furthermore, even web browsing is possible through Safari, enabling you to search for solutions online – eliminating the need to rely on a separate device like an iPhone for troubleshooting.
However, what happens if your hard drive is brand new or has been replaced, resulting in the loss of the recovery partition? Fortunately, Macs now incorporate a foundational level recovery tool, akin to a BIOS (technically EFI), capable of restoring your computer from a Time Machine backup.
Alternatively, it can reinstall OSX Lion directly from the Internet. Should the recovery partition not be found, the system will automatically initiate internet restore mode.
Within this mode, you can select your Wifi or Internet connection, authenticate using your Apple ID, and execute a complete re-installation over the Internet. The significance of this capability is substantial, and warrants careful consideration.
This feature effectively renders physical installation media obsolete.
With that in mind, now is an opportune moment to install Lion. Over the next few weeks, more detailed coverage of the new OS will be provided by myself and other contributors to MUO. Please share any issues you encounter in the comments section.
