Converting Mac OS X Update CD to Full Install CD

fran441

From Mac Fix It:



[quote]Convert your Update CD to a full Install CD In the meantime, we found a work-around that may be even better than the one we were looking for. Instead of finding a file on the hard drive that we could modify to fool the Installer, we found a file on the Installer that we could delete and thereby bypass the checking process altogether!



We found the file by comparing a Mac OS X 10.1 "full" Install CD with an Update CD. Both CDs had the aforementioned VolumeCheck file. However, only the Update CD had the CheckforOSX file. Could this be the only critical difference between the two CDs? What if we made a bootable copy of the OS X Update CD, but with the CheckforOSX file missing? Would it act as a full install CD? We tried it. It worked! In brief, here is what to do:



Using instructions posted on this page, create a disk image of the Update CD.

Delete the CheckforOSX file from the Essentials.pkg file in System/Installation/Packages folder of the image file. [You need to use the Open Package Contents contextual menu item to access this file.]

Burn the image to a CD using Disk Copy.

You can now boot from this CD. When you do, it will list any volume - even one that has no version of Mac OS X at all - as eligible for an install of Mac OS X 10.1. We did not test to see if this actually correctly installed the OS, but we have no reason to believe it would not. This method thus apparently converts an Update CD into a full install CD! A neat trick (although we suspect Apple may not find this so wonderful). <hr></blockquote>



[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: Fran441 ]</p>

leonis

Yeap I sucessfully made a "full" install CD which is very cool <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />



So next time if I really have to reinstall the OS I don't need to do double install

michaelm8000

WOW! thanks I am going to do this. Not to get a free copy of OS X (I boght mine) but just to avoid a boring dubble install like I did today









BTW is there a way to do this with the OS 9.2 CD?

Thanks



<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/mikesicons/Menu3.html"; target="_blank"></a>



[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: Michaelm8000 ]</p>

leonis

[quote]Originally posted by Michaelm8000:

<strong>WOW! thanks I am going to do this. Not to get a free copy of OS X (I boght mine) but just to avoid a boring dubble install like I did today





</strong><hr></blockquote>



That's DOUBLE install. Not dubble install

tulkas

This is a great tip for those of us that have purchased both 10.0 and 10.1 Cd's (or got the 10.1 CD for free) but I can understand why Apple is pissed. This turns a $130 + upgrade OS in to a $20 OS. Apple is going to need to re-release the 10.1 CD as a non-full version and ensure that it is only an upgrade. Although since the OS is basically a loss leader anyway and Apple's profits come out of hardware, maybe it's not realy that big a deal.

fran441

Plus, you have to imagine all of the disks they gave out for FREE at the Apple Retail Stores.

zo

I copy and pasted this from MacNN forums... but things move so damn fast there, that its already on 2nd page with no reply



The MacNN thread, with a ton of other advice, is here: <a href="http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=46&t=001275&p=1"; target="_blank">http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=46&t=001275&p=1</a>;



PROBLEMS:

I have 10.1.1 installed already and have the 10.1 updater cd. I used it to update my system to 10.1 in the frst lace, so I know it works.



I just tried making a 10.1 Full install cd, and while creating a .dmg file with Disk Copy, at the end I got this error ( "disk3s1" failed to image due to error 5. Input/output error )



I looked at the CD and its perfect except a small scratch on the outer part of the CD which Im pretty sure was already there after getting the updater cd in the mail.



I attempted to create a read/wrtite image. No go



I then tried with Toast. I use Toast Preview 2 for OS X and you can just add or remove files from the window before burning. So, I just told it to copy the update CD and not include the "volumecheck" file. I started burining the image, and while it was caching, it said there was an error because the "master.passwd" file found in private / etc folder could not be modified.



I tried copying the file from the cd onto the desktop and I got the following error: The item "master.passwd" contains one or more items that you cannot read. Do you want to copy the items you can read?



when I click continue, I get the error that I do not have sufficeint priveldges for some of the items. And thats it.



I have not tried to burn the image by excluding this file seeing Im pretty sure it will not work.



If I drag the CD onto Toast to try and save it as an image file, it all goes well (verifies correctly) until it starts to copy data to the HD Cache. It says that it could not continue becuase "file 'master.passwd" could not be accessed (Data Fork, -5000).



I am logged in as admin... will I have to log in as root? How do I do that? Something with NetInfo or something, right?



Thanks



ZO

gordy

[quote]Originally posted by Fran441:

<strong>Plus, you have to imagine all of the disks they gave out for FREE at the Apple Retail Stores.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I needed to show proof of purchase before I got an upgrade CD. Nontheless, I wish this 'tip' hadn't received as much attention as it has.

zo

by the way, Apple has sent a "cease and dissist" letter to MacFixIt to remove this information from their forums. So, copy it somewhere because it could happen here too...

mediaman

[quote]Originally posted by Fran441:

<strong>From Mac Fix It:

Using instructions posted on this page, create a disk image of the Update CD

</strong><hr></blockquote>



I was about to do this. We are missing some info here. What's the link for the this page?

zo

I copied the core information and mailed it to myself so I have it handy. Here is what I have:



[quote]http://www.macfixit.com/archivesx/november.01.b.x.shtml#11-20-01



<a href="http://www.macosxhints.com/"; target="_blank">http://www.macosxhints.com/</a>;



<a href="http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=46&t=001275"; target="_blank">http://forums.macnn.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=46&t=001275</a>;





the update cd is a full install cd with one little file that prompts another

to search for a pre-install on X, this file is in:



system / installation / packages / essentials.package / contents / resources

/ volumecheck



this is the 2k file; don't worry about the 'checkforosx' file, it's rendered

useless once you remove the volumecheck file. you can now install 10.1 onto

any partition, maybe even without a 9.1 system folder, i dont know about

this one.



anyway, the way i burnt it was to make a read/write copy of the update CD

with diskcopy, then just remove the file from the mounted image, and select

the mounted image in toast and burn, slowly. make sure you verify it, as i

had to burn this a few times for some reason, maybe due to speed i dont

know.

<hr></blockquote>



I have also read many variations on the theme, that you can just burn with DiskCopy, etc etc.



Somewhere at MacFIxit and Macnn there are also instructions to make your own bootable OS X cd The problems with making it boiled down to the fact that you have to have a user directory.... I dont know the details, but anyway, people managed to make bootable OS X cds... cool.