"What OS Disk Do I Need?" A Brief Overview

[RavingMac]

If you followed the directions to extract the OS from the installer DMG, then you have all you need to boot from and then install the OS.

EDIT: And probably wouldn't be a bad idea to update this Sticky since its now 2 versions behind.

[Fujitsu1522]

I'm presuming then, with the backup on Pen drive, that might be a licence??and then it downloads off the Net, cheers, feel free to correct me, i get lazy sometime, as i suffer from a pain condition, which sometimes will not allow me to sit hours in one spot reading, ouch! hence, i might ask questions that there are answers for, but i'm so grateful, being a newbie an all...Thank You always goes a long way, so thanks!

[RavingMac]

The installer contains the complete OS (around 6GB if I remember correctly). If you have that, you don't need to pull anything else down from the internet to install. Obviously, you will need internet connect for updates.

[wfor1pilot]

I recently purchase a MB Pro (2009) 2.8Ghz w/o the original (snow leopard) disks. I then up-graded (through apple store download) to Mountain Lion. My MB still shows files and folders of the previous owner (if I go to iTunes it still gives me his name as the primary d/l user). I'd like to do a complete re-install w/o his info in the notebook. Is there an easy way for me to do this w/o the original disks? Thanks, (Mac noob) -Davis

I just found a program that will let me migrate my "Mountain lion" install to a "thumb drive": C'est un peu court, Gète. » Lion DiskMaker (US)
Worked like a charm: I installed a 250Gb SSD and did a "clean install" of Mountain Lion on my MB Pro.
Thanks to all that "P.M." me w/ New to Mac ! -Davis

[davestates]

Great "clarifier"... thanks. I do have a question for "anyone"... Bought a used Imac for my daughter... wanted to simply "migrate" her stuff from her old Mac, esp. the music, etc. couldn't seem to make Migration Assistant work right, in desperation, I wiped out the content of the Imac.. planned to install from a OS X Leopard drop install disk. Discovered that what I thought was "start from scratch" install disk was actually an upgrade from OS X 4 disk... won't work of course. I then tried a Snow Leopard install disk. When I hold down the option key and start up, the screen shows two boxes... one with a 270° circle symbol, the other box shows only a right facing arrow... no words, no more action. I do have a cursor arrow, but it makes either box "blink" and no other action.
Help! Dave States

[RavingMac]

Assuming you have the Retail Snow Leopard Disk (White disk) and this is an older iMac 2010 model and older, then it is possible your install disk is scratched or dirty, or the DVD drive is dirty or failing (slot load drives have a high failure rate).

Try cleaning the disk and giving the drive a shot with some canned air (while it isn't running) and see if that helps.

EDIT: If you do post back for more help, please give us detailed specs on both Macs as that helps us help you

[Air]

Please update thread!!!!

[Dysfunction]

Please update thread!!!!

With what? Disks are dead.

[Raz0rEdge]

Closing thread to avoid confusion. Please start a new thread related to a particular issue with OS X discs.