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installing leopard without a DVD?

D

DarthTreydor

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 25, 2007
292
0
Richmond, VA
hi, i recently purchased an intel imac off craigslist. i want to do a fresh install of leopard on it (it already has leopard installed, i just want to get all the old info and programs off of it). the problem is that it didn't include any of the original discs. i know that technically i should buy a retail version of it but i don't feel morally obligated to since it already had leopard legally installed (flame if you must). i don't want to go to the time and effort to download a copy of the dvd from various unsavory sources so what i'm wondering is if it's possible to make a bootable partition on an external drive from one of my other macs then copy it onto the imac. and if so, how?

thanks in advance
 
Just to add to the oh so helpful posts, technically, if you bought the machine without the OEM backup disks, you do not have a legal copy of leopard. You might be able to contact Apple, give them the serial no. for the machine and buy a set of the grey OEM disks. I was able to get a replacement set of the OEM Windoze disks for my Dell for free by just getting ahold of Dell with all of the pertinant info for the machine.

Of course, you could contact the seller and demand the disks (which have long been sold on E-Bay......)

Good luck with your quest. :cool:

Edit: I assumed you bought a machine that had Leopard installed on it from the factory. If your machine was upgraded to Leopard from Tiger, the OEM backup disks won't do you a whit of good........................ sorry
 
Contact Apple and pay for the reissue of the system disks that came with the machine. Not sure of the cost.
 
Clone the operating system as it stands on one of your other Macs on to an external hard drive using SuperDuper.

Attach the hard drive to your craigslist Mac.

Start up craigslist Mac.

Go to Sytsem Preferences 'Startup Disc'.

Click on this.

You will then have the option to boot your craigslist Mac from the operating system on your external hard drive.

Do this.

Then, go to disc utility.

Choose the hard drive on your craigslist Mac and erase it.

Then, using SuperDuper, copy the operating system from your external hard drive on to your craigslist mac.

One finished, go to System Utilities and start up disc only this time reboot from the new operating system on the craigslist mac.

PS: Shame on you....
 
yes. i know that i can get the backup discs from apple and i may very well do just that. i have no problem paying for them. but i want to get it up and running now and not have to wait for apple to ship them. is that so wrong? geez. get off your high horse people.
 
Poncho said:
Clone the operating system as it stands on one of your other Macs on to an external hard drive using SuperDuper.

Attach the hard drive to your craigslist Mac.

Start up craigslist Mac.

Go to Sytsem Preferences 'Startup Disc'.

Click on this.

You will then have the option to boot your craigslist Mac from the operating system on your external hard drive.

Do this.

Then, go to disc utility.

Choose the hard drive on your craigslist Mac and erase it.

Then, using SuperDuper, copy the operating system from your external hard drive on to your craigslist mac.

One finished, go to System Utilities and start up disc only this time reboot from the new operating system on the craigslist mac.

PS: Shame on you....
Click to expand...

thank you
 
DarthTreydor said:
yes. i know that i can get the backup discs from apple and i may very well do just that. i have no problem paying for them. but i want to get it up and running now and not have to wait for apple to ship them. is that so wrong? geez. get off your high horse people.
Click to expand...

"hi, i recently purchased an intel imac off craigslist. i want to do a fresh install of leopard on it (it already has leopard installed, i just want to get all the old info and programs off of it)"

It seems you already have Leopard installed. Why not just remove the apps and info manually while waiting for the replacement disks ?
 
DarthTreydor said:
i have no problem paying for them. but i want to get it up and running now and not have to wait for apple to ship them. is that so wrong? geez. get off your high horse people.
Click to expand...

The horse isn't actually that high, It just looks that way from where you're standing.
 
Peace said:
"hi, i recently purchased an intel imac off craigslist. i want to do a fresh install of leopard on it (it already has leopard installed, i just want to get all the old info and programs off of it)"

It seems you already have Leopard installed. Why not just remove the apps and info manually while waiting for the replacement disks ?
Click to expand...

because i want to get to work with my computer so it would be a hassle to start doing things and installing apps if i'm just going to reformat in a week. that doesn't make sense.

i wish i had just lied and said the superdrive was broken or something rather than listen to people's bs morality lectures. imo, i'm not doing anything wrong. it's an alu imac; it always had leopard on it so its not like i'm getting a free upgrade. i'm just expediting the process of getting my legally acquired computer up and running. a process that would otherwise take exponentially longer if i decided to wait for apple to ship me some discs that i dont really even need.
 
DarthTreydor said:
because i want to get to work with my computer so it would be a hassle to start doing things and installing apps if i'm just going to reformat in a week. that doesn't make sense.

i wish i had just lied and said the superdrive was broken or something rather than listen to people's bs morality lectures. imo, i'm not doing anything wrong. it's an alu imac; it always had leopard on it so its not like i'm getting a free upgrade. i'm just expediting the process of getting my legally acquired computer up and running. a process that would otherwise take exponentially longer if i decided to wait for apple to ship me some discs that i dont really even need.
Click to expand...

Why would you reformat if you can wipe off the apps and data without reformatting? Seems like you're just going about this wrong. BTW, I don't think you're doing anything wrong, so go ahead, but all you have to do is delete the apps you don't want to have on there, using AppDelete if you want to be sure you get everything, and create a new user account on the machine, deleting the old one when you're up and running with the new. No trace of the original owner will be left (change their name in the Sharing pane of System Preferences, btw), and you'll be up and running without needing to get the disks, though they'll be good in case something goes wrong later.

jW
 
Mal said:
Why would you reformat if you can wipe off the apps and data without reformatting? Seems like you're just going about this wrong. BTW, I don't think you're doing anything wrong, so go ahead, but all you have to do is delete the apps you don't want to have on there, using AppDelete if you want to be sure you get everything, and create a new user account on the machine, deleting the old one when you're up and running with the new. No trace of the original owner will be left (change their name in the Sharing pane of System Preferences, btw), and you'll be up and running without needing to get the disks, though they'll be good in case something goes wrong later.

jW
Click to expand...

you could be right but i prefer the peace of mind that comes from a wiped hdd. that way i know there's everything i want on it and nothing i don't.
 
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