Snow Leopard onto USB flash drive boot problem

[SpawnHappyJake]

It's really not that hard. All you have to do is copy all the files (even the hidden ones) from the DVD onto a partition formatted as HFS+, or some other filesystem that can do symlinks (symbolic links, which are shortcuts that look like the actual file rather than a shortcut).
The reason why it's so easy (just copy & paste) is because you don't have to install a bootloader to the disk in the traditional sense, which would have to be "raw-written" to certain sectors (or one sector). Here we have EFI which looks for a file containing a bootloader in /System/Library/CoreServices/boot.efi . That's right, the system firmware can actually load a bootloader out of a file!
When you hold down "option" it scans all partitions for /System/Library/CoreServices/boot.efi . Any partition that has that file shows up and you can chose to boot from it.

A Mac OS X install DVD, to my knowledge, doesn't even use the El Torito boot specification. It just has a file at /System/Libray/CoreServices/boot.efi which can be detected and listed as an option to boot into when you hold down "option" during startup and have the DVD inserted.

So EFI in this situation makes life very easy. Just copy and paste the files. No bootloader installing.
It doesn't matter whether the drive is structured as MBR structuring or if it is structured with the GPT structuring. It could even be an "MBR/GPT hybrid". The partition that the files are on can be either a primary partition or a secondary partition. Remember, EFI is just loading a bootloader out of a file so we aren't limited to only booting primary partitions. The partition does not have to be marked as active either because Mac's EFI simply scans ALL partitions and displays the ones that have /System/Library/CoreServices/boot.efi if you hold down "option" during startup.

I suggest that the OP simplify life and copy all the files off the DVD onto a clean partition on a thumb drive or external hard drive or whatever formatted as HFS+. You have to make sure that you get the hidden files and folders, too though.

Here's the full scoop: Bootable Thumb Drive on Mac - Pastebin.com

Cheers,
Jake

[jpasopa]

Did you ever find a solution? I'm having the exact same problem.

[cwa107]

Did you ever find a solution? I'm having the exact same problem.

See post #16 (just one above yours).

[jpasopa]

Yes, I saw it, but it didn't solve my problem, I've seen the boot.efi file on that same place (/System/Library/CoreServices/boot.efi)

I've also copied all the files from the DVD onto the USB flash drive (Including hidden ones). I can see it on the system preferences/startup disk, select it, restart the computer, but still it doesn't boot from it. Also when restarted and hold down option (alt), the only thing that appears is my mac hdd.

I've pretty much tried everything more than once, follow the instrucions for the disk utility way (Mac OS Extended (Journaled), GUID partition...) changed the usb port, tried with a different usb flash drive, external hdd... no luck. All I want to do is update from OS X 10.5.8 to OS X 10.6.8, any other solutions? Considering that I have a dvd drive or another mac around town (i live in a small town in the middle of the desert in mexico).

Thanks

[jpasopa]

See post #16 (just one above yours).

Yes, I saw it, but it didn't solve my problem, I've seen the boot.efi file on that same place (/System/Library/CoreServices/boot.efi)

I've also copied all the files from the DVD onto the USB flash drive (Including hidden ones). I can see it on the system preferences/startup disk, select it, restart the computer, but still it doesn't boot from it. Also when restarted and hold down option (alt), the only thing that appears is my mac hdd.

I've pretty much tried everything more than once, follow the instrucions for the disk utility way (Mac OS Extended (Journaled), GUID partition...) changed the usb port, tried with a different usb flash drive, external hdd... no luck. All I want to do is update from OS X 10.5.8 to OS X 10.6.8, any other solutions? Considering that I have a dvd drive or another mac around town (i live in a small town in the middle of the desert in mexico).

Thanks

[harryb2448]

Is the optical drive working at all? if so use the install disc. If not consider an external optical drive.

[chas_m]

All I want to do is update from OS X 10.5.8 to OS X 10.6.8, any other solutions?

Yes, a very easy one: boot from the disc, and install from there.

If your Mac doesn't have a disc drive, it can't run Snow Leopard. So there's that problem fixed.

If you DO have a disc drive and its broken for some reason, buy a cheap USB replacement for $20-25.

If you don't have a legal copy of Snow Leopard on DVD, buy one. It's $20 from Apple (you have to call and order it).

That's it. No need to make a USB boot drive, which you'll certainly lose, wash or otherwise overwrite far sooner than you would a DVD that is put away when not in use.