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Are USB sticks bootable on current MBAs?

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hkim1983

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2009
354
9
This might seem like a silly question, but I'm contemplating replacing my current MBP with a MBA, and one of the things that's preventing me from doing that is something I read awhile ago, were you couldn't boot up from USB sticks on MBAs. I don't know if this was actually true or not, but if so, it would be kind of annoying, as I would use that to install Windows and as a re-install disk incase I ever have to do a clean-install of OS X.

I appreciate the help and time.
 
T

tmagman

macrumors 6502
Nov 7, 2010
413
1
Calgary AB
you can most definitely boot a windows OS installer from an ISO file on a USB stick. Its designed that way for use with the boot camp assistant. As for reinstalling OS X, you likely wouldn't need to because the built in recovery partition that includes everything you need to reinstall os x
 
M

Mrbobb

macrumors 603
Aug 27, 2012
5,009
209
tmagman said:
the built in recovery partition that includes everything you need to reinstall os x
Click to expand...

The built-in recovery partition doesn't have a complete OS image and will download it from the web, assuming a working Internet. It's nicer to already have it on a stick, or external usb drive.
 
S

Saturn1217

macrumors 65816
Apr 28, 2008
1,271
847
I just got a macbook air and I reinstalled the OS using a usb flash drive so I can confirm that it works (with no problems and much faster than waiting to download the file which took forever!).
 
M

monkeybagel

macrumors 65816
Jul 24, 2011
1,141
61
United States
hkim1983 said:
This might seem like a silly question, but I'm contemplating replacing my current MBP with a MBA, and one of the things that's preventing me from doing that is something I read awhile ago, were you couldn't boot up from USB sticks on MBAs. I don't know if this was actually true or not, but if so, it would be kind of annoying, as I would use that to install Windows and as a re-install disk incase I ever have to do a clean-install of OS X.

I appreciate the help and time.
Click to expand...

Macintoshes have booted from USB for years but only recently have booted Windows. New MacBook Airs and Pros and minis will indeed boot Windows.
 
H

hkim1983

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 5, 2009
354
9
Thank you for the quick responses. Now when I do make the transition over to a MBA, I can do so without worries.
 
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