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Creating an "OS X install DVD" from a mid-2012 MBP

macstatic

macstatic

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 21, 2005
2,057
175
Norway
I've owned several Macs and I always like to keep backups of the original software and OSX that came with it (up to now that's been an installation DVD which I've also backed up to an external hard drive as a disc-image file created with Disk Utility).
I would like to have the same type of reinstallation option with my newly bought mid-2012 MacBook Pro (MacBook Pro 9,2/2.4GHz i5, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD) which is my first Mac without this option. I know about using CMD-R (restore) and reinstalling everything from an online connection, but wouldn't that reinstall the current OSX version and bundled software versions at that specific time? In other words, Apple decides what is to be reinstalled instead of me deciding to reinstall everything back to how the machine came shipped (I might for instance prefer the OSX version that came with the machine instead of a newer one, or the factory installed versions of the bundled software).

So how do I download and create the equivalent of an "OSX installation DVD" (or disc image file on a hard drive or USB thumb drive) including all the bundled software?
 
macstatic said:
I've owned several Macs and I always like to keep backups of the original software and OSX that came with it (up to now that's been an installation DVD which I've also backed up to an external hard drive as a disc-image file created with Disk Utility).
I would like to have the same type of reinstallation option with my newly bought mid-2012 MacBook Pro (MacBook Pro 9,2/2.4GHz i5, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD) which is my first Mac without this option. I know about using CMD-R (restore) and reinstalling everything from an online connection, but wouldn't that reinstall the current OSX version and bundled software versions at that specific time? In other words, Apple decides what is to be reinstalled instead of me deciding to reinstall everything back to how the machine came shipped (I might for instance prefer the OSX version that came with the machine instead of a newer one, or the factory installed versions of the bundled software).

So how do I download and create the equivalent of an "OSX installation DVD" (or disc image file on a hard drive or USB thumb drive) including all the bundled software?
Click to expand...

Download OS X Mavericks from the Mac App Store and use DiskMaker X to create a bootable installer out of it.

As for the bundled iLife and iWork software, you can only get them off the Mac App Store. Note that reinstalling OS X from the bootable installer does not install iLife and iWork. You'll have to download it manually post clean-install.
 
yjchua95 said:
Download OS X Mavericks from the Mac App Store and use DiskMaker X to create a bootable installer out of it.

As for the bundled iLife and iWork software, you can only get them off the Mac App Store. Note that reinstalling OS X from the bootable installer does not install iLife and iWork. You'll have to download it manually post clean-install.
Click to expand...

You would still have to pay for iLife though if I am not mistaken.
 
OK, thanks. So the purpose of Diskmaker X is to create an installer out of the Mavericks OSX download, just like previous OSX versions (Snow Leopard etc.) whereas without it you would only be able to install it directly to the Mac right after downloading it?

So how do I download OSX Mavericks from the App store and end up with the actual downloaded file?

Yes, those Apple apps (Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iMovie, iTunes etc.) all came bundled with my Mac. Since I already have them on the computer, is it just a matter of copying the apps from the /Applications/ folder on to my backup hard drive, or are there support files (i.e. in the ~/Library/Application Support/ and other folders) scattered all around the hard drive which demand installers?
 
Bruno09 said:
iLife does come for free when you buy a new machine : you just have to "Accept" and download the applications from the Mac App Store.
Click to expand...

Strangely enough not on my cMPR 2012 model. It was originally bought in April 2013 and App Store wants me to pay for iLife.
 
Bruno09 said:
The apps where "To Accept" in the "Purchases" tab.

Or should have been.

http://hpics.li/5c56cb7
Click to expand...

As said, unfortunately (?) not on this machine. I have in the meantime also bought an Air with iLife installed (for free - there it was a question of 'accepting') and so far I am less than impressed. 'Numbers' is really a joke for somebody who uses excel extensively and I am extremely disappointed with iMovie. I tried to edit a movie taken with a camera phone (Note3) and it is really struggling with it - from what I am reading in the reviews to this app the latest version seems to be very poor which unfortunately I have to confirm. Not tried the other iLife apps yet.
 
MarvinHC said:
'Numbers' is really a joke for somebody who uses excel extensively and I am extremely disappointed with iMovie. I tried to edit a movie taken with a camera phone (Note3) and it is really struggling with it - from what I am reading in the reviews to this app the latest version seems to be very poor which unfortunately I have to confirm. Not tried the other iLife apps yet.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have to agree about iMovie. It used to be very intuitive, quick and a joy to use, alas that changed with versions after iMovie HD 6. Fortunately I found a way to reinstall that good old version alongside newer iMovie versions. I don't know if it works with the current OSX, but I have it running in OSX 10.6.8. Snow Leopard on another Mac so it might be worth a try.
Here's Apple's download page for iMovie HD 6, and here's a page describing how to install it without first having the iLife '08.

I was hoping Numbers would be a nice and more user-friendly version of Excel, but apparently not. Perhaps I need to look into Microsoft Office for Mac if I end up with the same experience as yours (I am however an Excel novice).
 
Gjwilly said:
Download it and when the installation begins, cancel it.
The downloaded file will remain in your Launchpad.

And you don't need Diskmaker X.
Just follow the instructions here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/18081307/
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up.
I had some issues downloading OSX as it simply didn't work with the Macbook Pro, so I tried downloading with another Mac (running OSX 10.6.8) and after a couple of attempts it finally worked there (a file named "Install OS X Mavericks" appeared within the "Applications" folder). I assume it refused downloading to the Macbook Pro as it detected 10.9.4 to be installed there already. I guess if I booted it from an external drive, erased its internal drive, rebooted with CMD-R and chose to reinstall OSX then it would work, but then again I probably wouldn't be keeping an OSX installation file for backup purposes... beats me how I should have done it without a different Mac.

As for the Pages, Numbers, Keynote etc. I also got that "Accept" request (in the Purchases section of App Store) as well as several update requests for the same apps. I've only updated OSX itself but was never asked for an Apple ID/password.

What is the correct way to make a backup of those apps? Can I just copy the apps themselves (i.e. "Garageband" found in the /Applications/ folder) by dragging them over to an external hard drive? Or are there preferences and other support files to remember keeping as well which keep track of legitimate Appstore downloads etc.? I'd like to make backups of what I already got when I purchased the machine and not just updated versions (knowing that several of the so-called "improvements" Apple makes are in fact the opposite, as with iMovie discussed earlier).
 
macstatic said:
I've owned several Macs and I always like to keep backups of the original software and OSX that came with it (up to now that's been an installation DVD which I've also backed up to an external hard drive as a disc-image file created with Disk Utility).
I would like to have the same type of reinstallation option with my newly bought mid-2012 MacBook Pro (MacBook Pro 9,2/2.4GHz i5, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD) which is my first Mac without this option. I know about using CMD-R (restore) and reinstalling everything from an online connection, but wouldn't that reinstall the current OSX version and bundled software versions at that specific time? In other words, Apple decides what is to be reinstalled instead of me deciding to reinstall everything back to how the machine came shipped (I might for instance prefer the OSX version that came with the machine instead of a newer one, or the factory installed versions of the bundled software).

So how do I download and create the equivalent of an "OSX installation DVD" (or disc image file on a hard drive or USB thumb drive) including all the bundled software?
Click to expand...
AFAIK, recovery will install the OS the computer came with, not the current version.

I installed a SSD in my 2012 about 4-5 months ago and had to go through installing Mountain Lion then upgrading to Mavericks, even though I had Mavericks before the upgrade.
 
snaky69 said:
AFAIK, recovery will install the OS the computer came with, not the current version.
Click to expand...
Recovery (Cmd + r) installs the current version.

Internet recovery (Cmd + Alt + r) installs the OS the computer came with.

If the HD has been replaced and is blank, Cmd + r will launch Internet Recovery and install the OS the computer came with.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4718

Which version of OS X is installed by OS X Recovery?

If you use the Recovery System stored on your startup disk to reinstall OS X, it installs the most recent version of OS X previously installed on this computer.
If you use Internet Recovery to reinstall OS X, it installs the version of OS X that originally came with your computer. After installation is finished, use the Mac App Store to install related updates or later versions of OS X that you have previously purchased.
 
MarvinHC said:
Strangely enough not on my cMPR 2012 model. It was originally bought in April 2013 and App Store wants me to pay for iLife.
Click to expand...

I believe that you had to have bought/set up the Mac after October (?) of 2013.
 
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