macbook software reinstallation thumb drive?

[Xgm541]

So with my macbook I got the usb stick with the reinstallation software for my macbook. Is it possible to format that and use it as a regular thumb drive? Its 8gb so its pretty large for my needs and has a keychain hole for me to put on my keychain.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

uh the regular 'books come with usb reinstall disks? Isn't it only the MBA? And if so how would you reinstall your software if you don't have the disks or a disk drive?

Either way i'm pretty sure it's read only.
Some are saying you can modify it...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

It is not possible right now. Btw, in the case of a system failure and you need to reinstall the OS or repair the Mac via that USB flash memory thumb drive, what will you do then? To you have a copy of the installer on some other bootable storage device?

 

[Intell]

The Apple Reinstallation USB drive is set to read only via its hardware. It is also only included with the Macbook Air and will not install Mac OS X on to any other Mac.

 

[ulbador]

That's really too bad. I don't have a MacBook Air, but those things are so sexy as USB drives. It's so sad that you can't repurpose it.

You can easily image any Snow Leopard DVD/restore image onto any >8GB USB drive to make a restore disc. I keep an install DVD imaged on my 8GB stick just because it's at least 5 times faster than installing off the DVD itself.

Unfortunately, there is only one way to get one of these as a USB drive.

 

[Ladybug]

That's really too bad. I don't have a MacBook Air, but those things are so sexy as USB drives. It's so sad that you can't repurpose it.

You can easily image any Snow Leopard DVD/restore image onto any >8GB USB drive to make a restore disc. I keep an install DVD imaged on my 8GB stick just because it's at least 5 times faster than installing off the DVD itself.

Unfortunately, there is only one way to get one of these as a USB drive.

I tried creating an install image for my 8GB USB stick and it kept telling me there was not enough room on my USB stick. If you would, could you please tell me how you did this? Thanks

 

[ulbador]

I tried creating an install image for my 8GB USB stick and it kept telling me there was not enough room on my USB stick. If you would, could you please tell me how you did this? Thanks

I just used my real DVD as a source. You open Disk Utility, click restore, and then select the DVD as the source and USB stick as the destination.

I have to restore Macs quite often and it is at least two or three times faster to just keep an 8GB stick than to try restoring from the optical media.