How to install Lion from an SD card
After we linked to instructions for how to burn a Lion boot disc earlier this week, Nature's Eye Studios contacted MacStories to let them know they figured out how to get the new OS to boot off a SD card. After downloading Lion from the developer site, the video maker proceeds to wipe a SD card and use the repair option with the Lion disk image as the source to create the boot. Once you've created the backup, you can use the SD card as a Lion installer if needed, then pull a backup from Time Capsule.
Keep in mind that the final release of Lion will include a restore partition and Recovery Mode, meaning that you'll be able to boot your machine from a clean Lion installer at any point without the use of external media (assuming your hard drive's not wonky). While this means you're a lot less likely to need install media down the road, it's nice to know the option is there.
Check out the video below to see this process in action.
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While Lion's recovery mode means you're a lot less likely to need install media down the road, it's nice to know the option is there.
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and did I really have to watch some guy boot Lion of an SD card while sitting next to a F*%#@!& train. Seriously.Jokes on me for clicking.
June 08 2011 at 8:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe guy missed his train to bring you this video. Give him a break.
June 10 2011 at 11:01 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI really hope there's an option to turn off the recovery partition. I have enough trouble managing the space on the 128 GB on my MBA as it is. I'd rather just copy the recovery contents to a USB flash drive or SD Card (as above).
June 08 2011 at 5:49 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyFrom Josh's comment below:
"The 'Recovery Partition' is not so much a recovery disk but a mini OS that REQUIRES you to connect to the internet in order to download Lion for the Restore. That's right, Lion is NOT on the partition.
The Recovery Partition is a mere 650 megs."
All the more reason to not have the recovery partition, if you can't use it to recover without a network connection. I plan to burn a DVD or create a flash drive version of same.
June 09 2011 at 2:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate downdid i really need to watch a 2min video of a guy booting lion off his sd card?
June 08 2011 at 5:36 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyNo. Apparently you needed to learn how to read the title of the article instead of posting here.
June 08 2011 at 7:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWhat's interesting to me is the recovery partition. I believe HP and a few others were sued at one point because they would advertise a 500GB Hard Drive, and XGBs would be deovted to the recovery partiton (which meant they wouldn't give you a Windows Install disk). Not saying that same will happen to Apple, just interesting to watch.
June 08 2011 at 4:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyApple will probably skirt this issue by reporting the OS as taking up drive space equal to the main OS and the Backup OS.
Nonetheless, I firmly believe that physical media will be necessary for certain troubleshooting and reinstallations.
I envision calls to AppleCare (you DO have AppeCare, right?), where after going through all of the troubleshooting steps to determine a dead hard drive, they will be able to see your purchase of Lion from the App Store linked to your account and then mail you a physical DVD for a nominal fee.
Why even bother with DVDs? Anything capable of running Lion should have USB 2.0. Apple could send out a small form thumb-drive like those used for my MacBook Air. I would find this a much better fit for my workflow than optical media.
June 08 2011 at 5:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate downIf AppleCare determined you had a dead hard drive, how would sending you the OS help?
They would ask you to either visit an Apple Store, or send the computer in for a new HDD.. Either of those options would result in you receiving a new drive formatted with Lion already.
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