Make an ISO copy of Mac OS X DVD

Hi,

I have just got (yesterday) my MacBook Air and it obviously came with the two DVDs (Mac OS X and Applications). Now, I like to keep an ISO copy of all the operating systems that I use. You never know with DVDs while I know that I can always burn a new DVD if I have an ISO of the original.

Anyway, I don't have a SuperDrive, 'only' a PC (with a DVD drive) running Windows. Both my MBA and PC are on a wireless network (in case that matters).

My question is: how can I make an ISO copy of the the two DVDs that came with my MBA? I imagine that, if anything, I would have to do that from my PC, but obviously if I insert the Mac OS X DVD, I only see the Windows part of it, not the Mac part, hence I can't (currently) create an ISO version of the two DVDs. So, any idea? I would just hate having to rely only on one physical copy of what is a very important piece of software.

Cheers

PS: I am completely new to Macs, so please bear with me...

You can make a backup ISO using a PC or an external writer from your MacBook Air. When making a backup disk you would need a burner and media capable of doing 2X (double layer). Any good burning package used in Windows (Nero, Ashampoo) is capable of burning an ISO of your OS X install media. And so is Disk Utility from Snow Leopard. (Data recorded on your Snow Leopard DVDs can be "seen" from Windows. Give it a try...)

Having said all that, why do you think you need a backup ISO of all your operating systems? How often do you install them and how often does media fail? I've got copies of operating systems on original disks (how about Window for Workgroups 3.11 on eight 3.5" floppies) that still work after 10 or more years.

Regards.

Hello, hope you find your new Mac enjoyable.

You can actually remotely use the DVD drive that's on your PC. Here's the link for the instructions. On your actual question, put in the disc into the drive, download and run IMGBurn which does a great job of creating images and burning them.

However, I must want warn you, both the discs are dual-layer discs so you must have a dual-layer burner in order to burn them.

andr3wkim said:

Hello, hope you find your new Mac enjoyable.

You can actually remotely use the DVD drive that's on your PC. Here's the link for the instructions.

Click to expand...

Yes, I did find out about that and that's exactly the reason I didn't get a SuperDrive.

andr3wkim said:

On your actual question, put in the disc into the drive, download and run IMGBurn which does a great job of creating images and burning them.

Click to expand...

Yes, I have that program (well, I installed yesterday!), but it can only see the Windows part of the DVD. I had a look around ImgBurn in search of possible settings that would allow me to see the HFS+ part of the DVD, but no luck. Am I missing something?

Edit: I am trying to create the ISO and I can see a size of more than 7 GB, so it might actually be OK... will see...

andr3wkim said:

However, I must want warn you, both the discs are dual-layer discs so you must have a dual-layer burner in order to burn them.

Click to expand...

Oh, thanks a lot for that! I definitely didn't know about that and actually have no idea whether my DVD drive can create dual-layer discs. Hmm, I will have to check.