Comment buried. Show
1. manleycreative

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Sep 2005

   0
   02/20, 03:19pm | report spam | close reply

   still no answer

   How do you reinstall the OS after a reformat if you don't have another Mac?
   
   I got another Mac but seems a pain to have to reinstall the OS that way.
   
   Come on, how about a thumbdrive with the OS on it or a direct download.
   
   Does Apple offer a direct download that I'm not seeing?
   
   Even then you'd have to back it up on a DVD.

Comment buried. Show
1. dliup

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Jan 2006

   0
   02/20, 03:46pm | report spam | close reply

   install disk

   hey manleycreative,
   
   You can put OS X install on a USB drive. All intel macs can boot from USB.

Comment buried. Show
1. hezekiahb

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Jun 2006

   0
   02/20, 04:27pm | report spam | close reply

   leopard 10.5.2

   Leopard 5.2 also included a sharing preference built in for remote disk, so anyone with Latest leopard can share their drive to you for a re-install.
   
   Not certain about target mode working through USB on other intel Macs (might be firewire only) but I know that in Target mode you can see any CD/DVDs in the Mac you have attached or any other drives besides the main volume.

Comment buried. Show
1. chas_m

   Moderator
   

   Joined: Aug 2001

   0
   02/20, 05:10pm | report spam | close reply

   pah

   manleycreative's question is fairly bogus, since the need to reinstall the OS is absolutely minimal (most people would say "nil") in the course of the life of the machine under typical use. Plus it seems obvious now that a future version of 10.5 will be introducing USB target mode to complement FW target mode.
   
   The tech-savvy can (and already have) thought of at least three ways to do this (image on an external USB drive, bootable thumb drive, Apple's own Remote Disc feature, Time Machine). The MacBook Air has some other issues that might keep some people from buying it, but this ain't one of them.

Comment buried. Show
1. testudo

   Forum Regular

   Joined: Aug 2001

   0
   02/21, 08:02am | report spam | close reply

   Re: pah

   manleycreative's question is fairly bogus, since the need to reinstall the OS is absolutely minimal (most people would say "nil") in the course of the life of the machine under typical use.
   
   Right....it's a question with a tough answer, so let's discount the question. I guess you've never installed an OS update and said "s***! This screws up x, y, and z. Need to roll back to the previous version!" which, in OS X parlance, means re-installing the OS and then installing the updates up to but not including the one that failed.
   
   And, if most people wouldn't need to do it, why would Apple so elaborately make sure you could do it in so many ways? Why not just say "h***, you won't need to do that, but if you do, get the DVD drive".
   
   Plus it seems obvious now that a future version of 10.5 will be introducing USB target mode to complement FW target mode.
   
   Really? When is that? Do you have a time frame? Inside information? Or is it so obvious that we all know it's going to happen (like resolution independence)?
   
   And is this before or after they allow time machine on a AEBS drive?
   
   And how much will it cost? Since it allows for enhanced use of your hardware that did not exist when you bought it, it won't be part of Leopard. It would have to be a separate purchase.
   
   Oh, and in case you didn't notice, the original poster specifically said "What if you DON'T have another mac?" What is Target USB mode going to do for anyone in this case? "Wow, look, I can see a USB drive symbol on my monitor! Woohoo! Now what?!"

Comment buried. Show
1. mrrwthird

   Banned

   Joined: Feb 2008

   0
   02/21, 10:11am | report spam | close reply

   we love you, testudo

   "Right....it's a question with a tough answer, so let's discount the question."
   
   nobody's trying to discount the question, and it doesn't have a tough answer- i count four different answers in the previous posts alone, and i'm sure we could think of a couple more if we *really* tried. you're attacking the poster's choice of words because you know his point's valid, but you want to find a way to piss on his parade anyway.
   
   "And, if most people wouldn't need to do it, why would Apple so elaborately make sure you could do it in so many ways? Why not just say "h***, you won't need to do that, but if you do, get the DVD drive"."
   
   computers- *all* computers, not just macs- are remarkably flexible tools, which means there are usually several different ways to do pretty much everything. you suggested that apple simply tell people to buy a dvd drive- not only did apple do this, but they also took the time to write a piece of software which lets you use *existing* dvd drives. sounds like they one-upped you.
   
   "s***! This screws up x, y, and z. Need to roll back to the previous version!"
   
   two words, dude: "time machine".

Comment buried. Show
1. Hobeaux

   Junior Member

   Joined: Mar 2002

   0
   02/21, 12:06pm | report spam | close reply

   remote install

   the Air comes with that Remote Installer software that works on PCs as well as Macs (this allows you to put a DVD into another machine on the wireless network and then install software over AirPort). I wonder if that would work for the OS?
   
   I think that the initial question is a good one, even if framed in hostility.
   
   Many folk were angry with Apple when they removed the floppy drive because they couldn't see a world without one. I believe that Apple sees a world in the near future where DVDs (and Blu Ray?) is obsolete and everything is installed wirelessly. Or, they just hedged that if people really wanted to have a drive they'd buy one separately and shove it into a closet when they don't need it.
   
   personally: I use my DVD drive maybe once a year or two -- when a new OS comes out or when a major software package is upgraded.

Comment buried. Show
1. Hobeaux

   Junior Member

   Joined: Mar 2002

   0
   02/21, 12:07pm | report spam | close reply

   *even if

   sorry, after re-reading your initial post i don't see the hostility. my bad.

Comment buried. Show
1. deanmcg

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Feb 2001

   0
   02/21, 02:09pm | report spam | close reply

   Time Machine

   two words, dude: "time machine".
   
   Except that time machine full restores require the machine to be booted from the DVD that is supplied with the Macbook Air as any other will not work.

Comment buried. Show
1. Norrin Radd

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Nov 2006

   0
   02/21, 02:59pm | report spam | close reply

   OSX

   Since I moved to OSX when it was released, I can count the number of times I've had to re-install system software on zero hands. Yeah - I use my computer everyday - not for heavy processing stuff, like video editing - but 4-5 hours a day is probably right. It just doesn't crash. I can find a computer with a drive for updates and new software installs (and even those are diminishing with wireless downloads), who can't?

Comment buried. Show
1. Deal

   Mac Enthusiast

   Joined: Apr 2001

   0
   02/22, 10:52am | report spam | close reply

   Thy most obvious answer..

   If a user is going to fret about this, they should know what kind of person they are and what their limits are...
   
   ...AND BUY THE DAMN EXTERNAL OPTICAL DRIVE!!!
   
   The other solutions are just as good. This reminds me of the guy here who just bought one, knew the limit of the hard drive's size... and still complains about it being too small.
   
   Other brilliant afterthoughts...
   
   "What do you mean I have to put gas in it?"
   
   "Ah, you mean if I water it, it won't die?"
   
   "I shouldn't clean it when it's loaded?"
   
   "I'm supposed to wear these under my clothes, ahhh, that's why they call them that!"
   
   :)

Comment buried. Show
1. manleycreative

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Sep 2005

   0
   02/22, 01:14pm | report spam | close reply

   immaturity

   Wow, ask a mature valid question that does concern me according to how I use a Mac and you can bet on the Web you'll get maybe one mature answer and the rest will be kiddiespeak.
   
   I ALWAYS reformat my drive and partition it into a main and emergency drive when I buy a new mac. So, yeah the question is valid.
   
   Also, I buy a Mac for the option of being able to back out of a bad install etc.
   
   After all the answers presented here I am still at square one. With the Macbook Air you still have your hands tied behind your back unless you fork over money for an external option. Defeats the purpose of having something so thin.
   
   But thanks for the verbal abuse too. MacNN can only get worse without it.

Comment buried. Show
1. Loren

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Mar 2001

   0
   02/22, 01:14pm | report spam | close reply

   why include a drive?

   All the reasons indicated, plus that pesky occurence of forgetting your user password... the only way to reset your password is to access the OS Install disc.
   
   IMHO, this iteration of AirBook is a museum stunt, little more. Fond in all the best first class cabins.

Comment buried. Show
1. manleycreative

   Fresh-Faced Recruit

   Joined: Sep 2005

   0
   02/22, 05:23pm | report spam | close reply

   I love

   I love the idea of a USB thumb drive that comes with your Mac. I'm not a fan of big download installs.
   
   But for the size of the thumb drive needed to hold the OS I guess the market price for the drive would be a little too much.
   
   However, remember when Apple used to include an extra battery with the Powerbook? Wow, to get a free thumb drive along with your purchase would be nothing.
   
   Or even better, how about tying in the Air book with the iPhone and make it where you can only reinstall from an iPhone connection!