Need Apple ROM to boot from CD still?

[nmerriam]

I'm looking at getting a "cheap" dual G5 in january, and figuring out ways to reduce the cost as much as possible, but I've been away from the Mac world for a few years.

I already own a Panasonic A06 DVD+-R drive that I have on my windows system. Since eliminating that would save $200 from the G5, I'd like to, but since it can only have one optical drive I need to be able to boot from it for recovery. Apple used to have special ROM in CD drives that were necessary to boot but I don't know if that has changed -- will i be able to drop my existing A06 drive into a G5 and have it work exactly the same as if Apple shipped it to me with a 106?

Another possibility would be if a G5 can boot from flash media (with a USB2 or Firewire reader) since I have a few old 1Gig Microdrives lying around. I know you can boot from an iPod and would think that a firewire/USB2 drive should "look" the same to the system.

Thanks!
Nathaniel

[Counterfit]

You can boot from most optical drives, check out the compatibility database at www.xlr8yourmac.com just in case. As for booting off of flash media, it would have to be a Microdrive just to hold OS X, but even then, I doubt it would work.

[iJon]

sorry to burst your bubble but you cant drop the drive completly, you can only downgrade to a combo drive.

iJon

[nmerriam]

sorry to burst your bubble but you cant drop the drive completly, you can only downgrade to a combo drive.


Unbelievably enough, there is a $200 difference between the combo drive and the Superdrive.

Considering the A06 drive itself costs less than $200 at RETAIL, Apple is really making a killing/ripping people off (depending on your POV).

It sounds like there is no longer the special ROM necessary to boot, so I'll save myself a few bucks by downgrading my order -- thanks!

[phreaker57x]

Originally posted by nmerriam
Another possibility would be if a G5 can boot from flash media (with a USB2 or Firewire reader) since I have a few old 1Gig Microdrives lying around. I know you can boot from an iPod and would think that a firewire/USB2 drive should "look" the same to the system.

I'm sorry for going off topic, but I didn't know you can boot from an iPod. Is there anywhere I can look to find more information about this?

Thanks

[nmerriam]

Originally posted by phreaker57x
I'm sorry for going off topic, but I didn't know you can boot from an iPod. Is there anywhere I can look to find more information about this?

Thanks

Google is your friend :)

http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/archive/topic/1238-1.html

"Just download Carbon Copy Cloner, uncheck everything except the base system files (unless you want them and have space, of course, but I did this on a 5gb) and give it a GOOD long while to do that. It looks stuck at the end, but it just takes a long time.

Plug in the iPod, restart, holding down option. The screen comes up to select a boot disk. Choose your iPod, and it's over.

It doesn't affect any of the "iPod" functions....mine still works perfectly."

[phreaker57x]

Guess we learn something new everyday. :p

Thanks for the link.

[agdickinson]

Hi,

Where can I get Carbon Copy Cloner from?

Cheers

Andrew
:)

[crazzyeddie]

Carbon Copy Cloner (http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html)

[agdickinson]

Thanks for the info.
:)