Installing OS X remotely/target disk?

P

Papajohn56

macrumors 6502

Original poster

• Feb 15, 2008

• #1

I have an eMac I'd like to use as a backup computer that I got for free, but one problem. The person gave me an installer DVD for Mac OS X, but it has only a CD-ROM. Is there a way I can boot it into target disk mode and install?

or is it possible to just wipe, format, and drag/drop over firewire the OS?

 

TEG

macrumors 604

• Feb 15, 2008

• #2

Yes. Boot the eMac into TDM, connect another G4 to the eMac and install onto its HD.

TEG

 

P

Papajohn56

macrumors 6502

Original poster

• Feb 15, 2008

• #3

TEG said:

Yes. Boot the eMac into TDM, connect another G4 to the eMac and install onto its HD.

TEG

Click to expand...

Thank you for this. I was just thinking too, the main issue is that it has users with admin privileges that I don't know the accounts to. Since booting into TDM ignores user privs, what would trashing those users do? Probably ruin things, right?

 

TEG

macrumors 604

• Feb 15, 2008

• #4

It shouln't touch them. It will just update the OS, the users don't matter until you start up again.

TEG

 

P

Papajohn56

macrumors 6502

Original poster

• Feb 15, 2008

• #5

TEG said:

It shouln't touch them. It will just update the OS, the users don't matter until you start up again.

TEG

Click to expand...

In that case, if I delete the accounts that are marked as "admin", and leave the only one I had access to, it'd make it admin by being 'last man standing' I guess?

Kind of sounds like a security flaw, but would help me out if this is true 😉

 

TEG

macrumors 604

• Feb 15, 2008

• #6

You won't have access to account settings. When you install it will just install the OS. Then you log in to your account and call it a day. If you want to replace those users/remove them, either wipe the HD or do an Archive and Install, then you can start from scratch.

Security Flaw? Not really, Windows has no way to prevent you from upgrading or replacing the existing installation with a new one. Nor does Solaris or Linux.

TEG