Make a Boot Flash Drive from an .iso Mac file.

[rlm45]

I have a Mac OS X Tiger.iso disk image file on my desktop that when you open it creates a OS X install DVD image.

I want to use that .iso file to create a boot-able disk image on a USB flash drive.

Looking at some videos that are a little complicated and dangerous that use terminal to do this.

Wondering if there was an easier safer way to create this boot drive.

Thanks

 

[Rod]

There are a few reliable third party apps for creating bootable macOS installers on a flash drive (thumb drive). I use Instal Disk Creator free from MacDaddy for macOS but I cannot see if it is able to use a .dmg file as a source.
Obviously you could just download the software and try it. Instal Disk Creator will look for a Source as soon as you launch it so if the .dmg file is mounted on your desktop and it can be used it will appear in the Source options window. https://macdaddy.io/?utm_source=app_idc

 

[Rod]

I would be really interested to know if this works so get back to this forum with your results.

 

[rlm45]

I don't have a .dmg file on my desktop. I have an .iso file that expands into a Mac OS X Install DVD (10.4.11 PPC Mac). I want to make a flash drive installer from the .iso file. Disk Utility can make an install flash drive using .dmg files. Thanks

 

[Rod]

I think the DVD you see when you open the .iso file is a .dmg file. You can easily establish that by right clicking on the disk icon and select Get Info. The system sees it as a Disk with an installer on it. Will Instal Disk Creator recognise it as a source to create a bootable installer is the question?

 

[rlm45]

Here is a copy of what I have. Thanks

 

[rlm45]

How to Make a Bootable USB Stick from an ISO File on an Apple Mac OS X

This quick how-to will show you how to make a bootable USB stick from a downloaded ISO file using an Apple Mac OS X.

www.lewan.com

This seems complicated. I thought there should be an easier way.

 

[Rod]

It seems very complicated and mucking around with Terminal commands is always a little risky, requiring identical commands which can vary from version to version of macOS's.
rim45, what I see in your screen shot is basically what I would expect to be in an install disc so I would suggest for the small amount of time involved I would try the app I suggested. If it fails there is little loss but what it does is largely the process described in the article you have attached without having to enter it all manually.

 

[MacInWin]

rim45, what are you trying to do by going back to Tiger? You should be aware that Macs cannot have installed a version older than what they originally shipped with, so no Mac made after 2007 can have Tiger on them. Are you trying to restore an old machine?

 

[krs]

It seems very complicated and mucking around with Terminal commands is always a little risky, requiring identical commands which can vary from version to version of macOS's.
rim45, what I see in your screen shot is basically what I would expect to be in an install disc so I would suggest for the small amount of time involved I would try the app I suggested. If it fails there is little loss but what it does is largely the process described in the article you have attached without having to enter it all manually.

Out of interest I looked at this briefly yesterday.
There are two apps that I'm aware of to create a USB installer for the Mac, Disk Creator and DiskMaker X.
Disk Creator requires macOS 10.7 or later to run
Disk Maker X comes in many different versions, the first one was to createa USB installer for Lion

Downloads

diskmakerx.com

I really doubt either one will work for Tiger, but I do have a Tiger install disk and could try this out tomorrow unless somebody else will.

 

[ferrarr]

I believe @rlm45 is trying to create the USB installer to install Tiger to an old G5.

Did you see this, https://www.online-tech-tips.com/mac-os-x/burn-an-iso-file-using-mac-os-x/?

 

[chscag]

I believe @rlm45 is trying to create the USB installer to install Tiger to an old G5.

I don't believe you can create a USB installer for a PPC Mac. PPC Macs usually can not be booted from USB without some sort of work around. You can boot them from a Firewire drive though.

 

[krs]

I don't believe you can create a USB installer for a PPC Mac. PPC Macs usually can not be booted from USB without some sort of work around.

You are absolutely right.
I wrongly assumed it would be an Intel Mac the OP was trying to boot using a USB flash drive with Tiger.
And the only way to create a USB drive with the Tiger installer (for Intel Macs only) seems to be via the terminal.

 

[ferrarr]

G5 PPC Macs were capable of booting from USB. Certain conditions apply.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4670074

The USB needs to be formatted as APM.

 

[krs]

When I still use a G4 and then a G5, booting via USB was not officially supported by Apple - it seemed to work for some people but not others.
Basically what is also posted in the link ferrarr posted:

Firewire is the only externally bootable solution. PowerPC computers cannot boot from USB reliably, some can't boot it at all without altering OpenFirmware.

 

[Rod]

What about burning the .iso file to a disk? I assume the old G5 has a disk drive. Would it be bootable?

 

[ferrarr]

What about burning the .iso file to a disk? I assume the old G5 has a disk drive. Would it be bootable?

I think Tiger and Leopard were too big to fit on a normal DVD, needs to be a dual layer DVD.

 

[chscag]

I think Tiger and Leopard were too big to fit on a normal DVD, needs to be a dual layer DVD.

That is correct. Leopard for sure was provided on a 2X layer DVD set of two DVDs. The first DVD contained the system stuff and the second DVD contained apps and other things.

Tiger came in two versions, but I believe the Intel version was 2X layer.

 

[Rod]

Okay, thanks, I didn't realise installers were so big back then.

 

[chscag]

Also keep in mind that Apple charged a premium price for Tiger and Leopard. If I remember correctly both were around $79.95. It was only until Snow Leopard that Apple lowered the price to around $39.95. Lion and Mountain Lion were much less expensive. After Mountain Lion, macOS was free.