How to setup your bootable iPod Options

[HoLoCroN]

Just in case any of you don't know this, you can boot your mac from your iPod. This could be an awesome tool for those Mac Techs out there.

Just attach the iPod to your FireWire Mac. If iTunes 2 doesn't pop open on its own, launch it. In the iPod Preferences window, select the Enable FireWire Disk Use option.

Now restart your Mac. Once your iPod has mounted, insert an OS installation disc (either Mac OS 9.2 or OS X) and run the installer. When the installer asks where you'd like to install the operating system, navigate to the iPod and click on Continue to step through the rest of the installation. When you want to boot from your iPod, plug it into your Mac. Once it's mounted, select it as the start-up disk in OS 9's Startup Disk control panel or in OS X's Startup Disk system preference. Restart your Mac to boot from the iPod.

after installing a fresh OSX on your ipod... reboot and hold the <option> key down during the startup process, you should see two disc images - your main computer and ipod firewire drive.

select ipod


Just a quick note:
Macs without a built in firewire port do not support booting to a firewire device, so this will not work without a firmware update. (If available)

 

[RyansTech]

Excellent tip but just to add to Holocron's tip, Even if your mac has built-in firewire it may not support firewire booting. The models that I know of that DO NOT support firewire booting are any beige mac, tray-loading Imac's, Blue & White G3's and G4 towers (before sawtooth model). Also if you would like to copy your current system exactly how it is to the ipod instead of installing a fresh copy, this is a VERY useful app:

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html