New macbook air/usb OS load ?

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Hi all, this is my first post on this awsome looking forum ... I have recently aquired a macbook air from my little sister and want to reload SL BUT i have no dvd drive...so i have been messing around with the usb install but am having problems . I have been using an Iomega 500 gb external drive , after i format it on the macbook (journled) and try to "restore" it fails to recognize my image. It is an install disc image (.dmg) ....could it be because when i put the image on the macbook desktop i used the iomega formated to NTFS (just to transfer)...maybe it didn't see all of the file ??? I can not figure this out, doesn't help that i'm a comlete mac newbie either . I tried to use fat 32 but the .dmg wouldn't fit onto the drive in that format.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019) 3GHz 6-Core Intel Core i5 16GB, Sonoma 14.2.1
If you have access to another Mac with DVD drive you can do this. Connect both systems to a LAN, insert the DVD into the drive, run "Remote Install Mac OS X" (in Applications/Utilities) on the Mac with DVD drive and power on your Mac while holding the Alt key down. Otherwise you need to get hold of a USB DVD drive.
 
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J
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I have a set of ide sata hot swap cables to connect any dvd burner via usb, was gonna try it but haven't found a way to get install disc on a dvd5 . Might have to get a dual layer disc . I hooked the usb drive up briefly to the macbook air and nothing happened, i'm use to windows installing drivers with new hardware i guess ..hmmmm , these mac's ...lol
 

chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
The MacBook Air needs a special external optical drive. (sold by Apple) An ordinary external USB optical drive will not work. The best suggestion was from Smudger - that is, doing a remote install from another machine.
 
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The other machine i have is intel quad core with win7 ...will this work, i have a dlink router on the system.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019) 3GHz 6-Core Intel Core i5 16GB, Sonoma 14.2.1
I didn't know about the MB Air's restriction. So you're lumbered with borrowing another Mac from somewhere 'cos your other Win7 system won't cut the mustard. Unless someone knows of an application which runs on Windows and serves Mac disks?

Sorry.
 

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