Install OSX Lion on External Drive

Mac OS Portability and Booting Flexibility

A significant advantage of the macOS operating system is its bootability across various Mac computers, irrespective of the original installation machine.

Should a desktop Mac experience hardware failure, the internal drive can be seamlessly booted on a laptop Mac, eliminating the need for potentially costly data recovery services and minimizing workflow disruption.

Installing macOS on an External Drive

The inherent flexibility of macOS extends to its installation on external hard drives, creating a fully portable operating system environment.

This process allows users to carry their entire OS and associated data with them, accessible from any compatible Mac.

Currently, a demonstration will be conducted using macOS Lion to evaluate this functionality, but the principles remain consistent across all earlier versions of the macOS platform.

The ability to create a portable OS offers a convenient solution for users requiring on-the-go access to their familiar macOS environment.

This method provides a robust alternative to cloud-based solutions, offering complete control over data and system configuration.

Understanding the Scope

This guide does not cover creating a Hackintosh or running OSX within a Windows environment. It also doesn't address installing OSX from an external drive as a workaround for optical drive issues.

Instead, the focus is on establishing a fully functional OSX installation on an external drive, enabling portability and easy transfer between compatible computers.

Compatibility Considerations

A key requirement is architectural consistency. You cannot, for example, install an OSX version compiled for Intel processors on a PowerPC-based machine.

However, transferring an installation between different Intel processors – such as from an Intel i5 to an Intel Core2Duo system – is perfectly viable.

Potential Use Cases

While this method could be used for testing new applications or software, its primary benefit lies in the ability to boot a portable OSX environment on various machines.

This allows for testing OSX Lion without altering the configuration of your main system. Furthermore, OSX Lion itself supports running two additional instances of the OS within virtual machines for dedicated testing scenarios.

The portability aspect is central; you gain a readily movable and bootable OS.

Reasons for a Beta OS Installation

As a software developer, access to pre-release, or beta, operating system versions is frequently granted. Alternatively, these versions may be obtained through other channels. However, installing potentially unstable beta software directly onto your main computer is generally not advisable.

A more prudent approach involves creating a testing environment on an external hard drive. This allows for experimentation without risking the stability of your primary system.

Testing Compatibility

Furthermore, it’s possible to migrate your existing settings and files from your current installation to this test environment. This enables a comprehensive evaluation of your applications’ compatibility with the new operating system.

By performing this process, you can proactively identify and address any potential issues before upgrading your primary machine. This minimizes disruption and ensures a smoother transition.

Benefit: Avoids instability on your main system.
Benefit: Allows for thorough application testing.
Benefit: Facilitates a seamless upgrade process.

Therefore, utilizing an external drive for beta OS testing is a recommended practice for developers and enthusiasts alike. It provides a safe and controlled environment for exploration and compatibility assessment.

Get Your External Drive Ready

First, connect your USB drive or any other external storage device to your computer. Then, launch Disk Utility. Carefully select the correct drive from the left-hand sidebar, as all data on it will be erased during the following steps.

Navigate to the Partition tab and choose 1 Partition from the available options. For the drive to become bootable, it must be formatted using the GUID Partition Table scheme. Ensure this is selected by accessing Options.

If the Options button appears inactive, you haven’t yet configured the drive for a single partition. Review the preceding paragraph and repeat the process.

You can also assign a name to your drive at this stage, if desired. Finally, click Apply to initiate the formatting process. This operation should complete relatively quickly.

Installation Process

Begin by mounting the installation image, launching the installer application, or inserting the installation disc. Acknowledge the license agreement without detailed review, and carefully select the destination drive for the installation.

It is crucial to avoid choosing your primary computer drive during this step. Utilize the show all disks option to specifically identify and select the external drive that has been previously formatted.

Drive Selection

Proceed with the installation once the correct external drive is designated. This ensures the operating system is installed on the intended device, separate from your main system.

Booting Up

Following the installation process, your system will automatically boot into the newly installed OSX Lion. However, when you wish to revert to your primary operating system, you can select the desired boot drive through the Start Up Disk preference pane within System Preferences.

This allows for convenient switching between operating systems. Alternatively, a boot selection menu can be accessed during system startup.

Selecting a Boot Drive at Startup

To access this menu, simply hold down the Option/Alt key on your keyboard as the system initializes. It's worth noting that this method may not function reliably with wireless keyboards.

This is because the Bluetooth functionality isn't fully activated until later in the boot sequence. If you possess an Apple Remote, holding the Menu key during startup will achieve the same result.

OSX's Hardware Independence is a significant benefit. Unlike Windows installations, which are typically tied to specific hardware configurations, OSX can be booted on a variety of machines.

This hardware independence simplifies data recovery in the event of hardware failure. A broken Windows machine often necessitates a complex and time-consuming data extraction process.

Initial Impressions of Lion

Have you had the opportunity to experience OSX Lion? What are your thoughts? The updated scrolling mechanism has proven somewhat controversial.

While adaptation on the trackpad seems plausible, its implementation with the mouse scrollwheel feels unusual to some users. However, the enhanced Mission Control feature is proving to be quite valuable.

This is particularly true for users who frequently work with a large number of open applications – often 20 to 30 simultaneously – and previously found Spaces less intuitive. The integration of these features provides a more cohesive workflow.

Support and Resources

Should you encounter any issues or have questions, I will do my best to provide assistance. For hardware-specific technical inquiries, our active technical support community is an excellent resource.

Furthermore, we maintain a comprehensive archive of Mac-related articles for those new to the platform. These resources can provide valuable insights and guidance.