New RevB Air, need help with OS

[billgatesceo]

Hi All,

I just scooped up a refurb Rev B for a steal on Ebay. It isn't coming with any OS loaded. The previous owner had Linux installed on it and I wanted it shipped right away, so I told him to wipe the drive and ship as is.

I do not have a superdrive, nor do I plan on buying one. What is the easiest way to get snow leopard loaded up on a virgin hard disk? I have a brand new 64GB SSD just waiting to be installed. Is there a network install option? Will any usb dvd drive work?

Excited about finally getting a mac, just need a bit of help getting started.

Cheers!

I found a couple of tutorials about install from USB drive. The issues are:

1) I only have easy access to windows xp and 7 boxes
2) I only have a 4GB USB drive. Can I use this method on a USB attached external hard drive assuming that I can find a method to prep it in windows?

nevermind on my SSD in waiting. It's a 2.5 and not a 1.8. Man do I have a lot to learn.

[pvmacguy]

Any USB dvd drive should work.

[gerabbi]

I have a generic Asus dvd/cd usb drive and it works with my MBA. I installed SL and everything went according to plan. It should work with yours also. There is a way to restore a dmg and have a usb thumb drive act as a dvd but I believe you need a Mac already to do that. Good luck.:)

[still in school]

out of curiosity, how much is cheap

[billgatesceo]

$650. missing magsafe adapter. comes with best buy 1 year warranty.

[ayeying]

If you have another computer, copy snow leopard or leopard, the dvd onto an USB flash drive or a partition on a USB external hard drive, then boot off of it. OSX allows USB booting.

[billgatesceo]

Thanks. However, in the past, I have always come across convoluted steps to get a USB drive to be bootable. does anyone know of specific steps to format the usb drive or hdd in a format (master boot record, etc) so that the air can read?

[ayeying]

Thanks. However, in the past, I have always come across convoluted steps to get a USB drive to be bootable. does anyone know of specific steps to format the usb drive or hdd in a format (master boot record, etc) so that the air can read?

If you have a 2nd mac to do this, just "Restore" in Disk Utility. Drag the DVD Drive to the source and destination is the Flash or USB HDD.

If you have a PC, I'm not sure how this would work.

[billgatesceo]

Yep. Thats the issue. No mac

[gerabbi]

Probably the best workaround without access to another Mac is purchase SL $25+/- , purchase a usb dvd player $50 +/- and you'll be good to go. Then you have a dvd player, burner, ripper as well a legal copy of the OS and a back up should something go wrong. :)

[billgatesceo]

Cool. I have a spare USB dvd rom laying around. I was planning on running to Best Buy to pick up a copy of SL. Seems like this will be the most pain free way to go.

Thanks for all the help!

[billgatesceo]

Hi Guys,

this forum has been great thus far. I started another thread in the windows on mac forum to ask about the best process for install.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=799295

I have the process down now. My last question....would you guys put 64-bit win 7 on the rev b or 32-bit (assuming that 64 bit is even an option)?

Cheers!

[Scottsdale]

Hi Guys,

this forum has been great thus far. I started another thread in the windows on mac forum to ask about the best process for install.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=799295

I have the process down now. My last question....would you guys put 64-bit win 7 on the rev b or 32-bit (assuming that 64 bit is even an option)?

Cheers!

Put 64-bit in there for sure. Whenever possible, take advantage of 64-bit. Unless you're Apple, then you don't even allow 64-bit kernel on 64-bit capable machines like the MBA...

[ayeying]

Hi Guys,

this forum has been great thus far. I started another thread in the windows on mac forum to ask about the best process for install.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=799295

I have the process down now. My last question....would you guys put 64-bit win 7 on the rev b or 32-bit (assuming that 64 bit is even an option)?

Cheers!

Actually with the air, it really doesn't matter. 32-bit you'll save some space and memory, 64-bit you'll have slightly better performance, but not by much. If you ask is it gonna slow down, no, it won't.

[Scottsdale]

Funny thing is that you get a truer 64-bit experience with Windows than with OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Cause Snow Leopard isn't truly 64-bit on the MBA as it's a 32-bit kernel. It really ticks me off.