unable to install os x on 2009 mini via usb

[jchase2057]

I have a 2009 Mini with a bad disc drive. I used disc utility and made a bootable usb drive with os x 10.6. Everything went well and when I go to boot from the usb drive I select it and it starts to boot then after about a minute I just get the "no access" sign. I tried to boot from it on my macbook pro and it isnt even recognized when I hold down option. It is recognized and mountable once I boot into os x. I'm using a kingston dtse9 16gb drive.

[Omnius]

Originally Posted by jchase2057

I have a 2009 Mini with a bad disc drive. I used disc utility and made a bootable usb drive with os x 10.6. Everything went well and when I go to boot from the usb drive I select it and it starts to boot then after about a minute I just get the "no access" sign. I tried to boot from it on my macbook pro and it isnt even recognized when I hold down option. It is recognized and mountable once I boot into os x. I'm using a kingston dtse9 16gb drive.

I'm not sure you can boot from USB 2.0 on a 2009 mac mini. I know you can boot from firewire though.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by jchase2057

I have a 2009 Mini with a bad disc drive. I used disc utility and made a bootable usb drive with os x 10.6. Everything went well and when I go to boot from the usb drive I select it and it starts to boot then after about a minute I just get the "no access" sign. I tried to boot from it on my macbook pro and it isnt even recognized when I hold down option. It is recognized and mountable once I boot into os x. I'm using a kingston dtse9 16gb drive.

As I do not know, how you did the USB restoration, maybe tell us, what source you used to make the USB installer, if your optical disk drive (ODD) is in bad shape.

You could also use CarbonCopyCloner (3.4.7 is still free) and clone the DMG or what you have to a properly formatted* USB flash memory thumb drive and then use that USB flash memory thumb drive to install from.

* How to format a new HDD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)

Originally Posted by Omnius

I'm not sure you can boot from USB 2.0 on a 2009 mac mini. I know you can boot from firewire though.

You can boot from a 2006 Intel Mac via USB just fine, thus you can also boot from a 2009 Mac mini via USB just fine too.

[jchase2057]

Originally Posted by Omnius

I'm not sure you can boot from USB 2.0 on a 2009 mac mini. I know you can boot from firewire though.

I can on my 2007 mini. I'm pretty sure you can boot from usb on all intel machines. And I'm certain My mbp can so I'm pretty sure its the drive. I just don't know why it's not working.

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I created the dmg straight from the 10.6 disc using disk utility. I then used disk utility to create the usb drive. I'm certain I did it right but it's not working. Any reason for this?

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by jchase2057

I created the dmg straight from the 10.6 disc using disk utility. I then used disk utility to create the usb drive. I'm certain I did it right but it's not working. Any reason for this?

I do not know. Maybe try the method I recommended, it worked for me every time.

[jchase2057]

That's the same way I did it. It's worked for me countless times too. I guess I'll just keep messing with it.

[Consultant]

Was the source DVD gray? That's for a specific range of computers and won't work on other computers.

For example, your 10.6 MBP restore disk won't work on Mini.

[jchase2057]

Originally Posted by Consultant

Was the source DVD gray? That's for a specific range of computers and won't work on other computers.

For example, your 10.6 MBP restore disk won't work on Mini.

No it was a retail copy.