[mechdrew]

Current as of 30 October 2009

NetbookInstaller 1: USB Installation via Mac
This is a general installation guide for all netbooks that meet the minimum requirements. Specifically, the Dell Mini 9 and 10v should work almost perfectly with this guide. This specific guide is tailored specifically for Mac OS X Leopard 10.5, so Snow Leopard 10.6 may not install similarly. Snow Leopard instructions will come soon, but this guide should suffice for general instructions in the meantime.

This guide is copied nearly verbatim from my website, OS X | mechdrew. I am posting it here for the convenience of MyDellMini forum members. This replaces the DellEFI Method Guide.

And a special welcome to those who came here from Gizmodo!

Minimum Requirements

• Mac running 10.5 Leopard or 10.6 Snow Leopard (Intel or PPC) (This can be also be performed on a netbook running Mac OS X) (Tiger users look here.)

• Retail Mac OS X Install DVD, any version (What is Retail?)

• 8 GB External USB Drive (HDD, SSD, flash, etc.)

• Netbook with at least 8 GB HDD/SSD (6 GB usable), GMA 950 graphics and Intel Atom processor. (If you have an 8 GB drive and are having a hard time, click here.

• Software:
  • NetbookBootMaker 0.8.3 RC3 (mirror)
  • Mac OS X 10.5.8 Combo Update
  • 10.6.1 Update (for Snow Leopard)

Pre-Install Checklist

• Meet Minimum Requirements (above), the specifics DO matter.

• Download and unzip/decompress (when applicable) all listed software.

• If this is your first time installing, boot into default operating system on your netbook and check that all hardware, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and camera are functional and turned on (if present).

• Check your BIOS settings. (more info)

On the Mac

• Insert DVD and USB drive.

• Open Disk Utility (Applications/Utilities).

• Click on USB drive icon that states the capacity of the drive (i.e. 7.1 Gb, 7.6 GB, etc.).

• Open the Partition tab.

• Set:
  • Volume Scheme: 1 Partition
  • Name: OSXDVD
  • Format: Mac OS Extended
  • Options...: Master Boot Record, then click OK.

• Click Apply.

• Click Partition.

• When Partition is finished, open the Restore tab.

• Drag "Mac OS X Install DVD" from the left pane into the Source field in the right pane.

• Drag OSXDVD from the left pane into the Destination field in the right pane.

• Click Restore, then click Restore in the popup window.

• Enter your password, and then wait approximately 25 minutes to 2 hours.

• When restoration is finished, close Disk Utility and eject the DVD.

• Open the NetbookBootMaker application.

• If a warning prompt shows up asking, "Are you sure you want to open it?" click Open.

• For USB Partition, select OSXDVD.

• Press "Prepare Boot Drive".

• Enter your password, then click OK.

• On the popup window that says done, click OK, then exit the NetbookBootMaker app.

• Open the Combo Update disk image you downloaded, and copy the package inside to your USB drive. (If space is not available, download to another USB drive or wait until Mac OS X is installed and clear space on the drive.)

• Eject the Combo Update disk image.

• Eject the USB drive.

On the Netbook

• With the netbook off, insert the USB drive into an available port.

• Turn the netbook on.

• Depending on your BIOS settings:
  • If you have it set to boot from the HDD/SSD first, press the one-time boot key before the manufacturer logo disappears. (more info)
  • If you have it set to boot from USB first, then just let it boot normally.

• A grey screen with your USB drive name, icon, and a five second time will appear. Just let the timer run out.

• The Apple logo, then a spinning wheel, will appear. (If the spinning wheel does not appear, try power cycling the netbook and booting again. Otherwise, check the Troubleshooting guide.)

• Once loaded, select your language and press Continue.

• Press Continue on the Welcome screen.

• Press Agree.

• Go to Menu Bar>Utilities>Disk Utility....

• Select your internal drive.

• Go to the Partition tab.

• Configure:
  • Volume Scheme: 1 Partition
  • Name: <Any name without a space in it.>
  • Format: Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
  • Options...: GUID, press OK.

• Press Apply, then Partition.

• When finished, closed Disk Utility.

• Select your newly-formatted drive, press Continue.

• Press Customize, deselect (as necessary):
  • Additional Fonts
  • Language Translations
  • Printer Drivers
  • X11

• Press Done, then Install.

• When successful, machine will automatically restart when finished installing.

Post-Install

• Depending on your BIOS settings:
  • If you have it set to boot from HDD/SSD first, just let it boot normally.
  • If you have it set to boot from USB first, either change the BIOS setting to boot from HDD/SSD first or press the one-time boot key before the manufacturer logo disappears and select to boot from the internal HDD/SSD. (more info)

• A grey screen with your HDD/SSD name, icon, and a five second timer (blue progress bar) will appear. Just let the timer run out.

• The Apple logo, then a spinning wheel, will appear. (If the spinning wheel does not appear, try power cycling the netbook and booting again. Otherwise, check the Troubleshooting guide.)

• The first-time setup video will play, this lasts about a minute.

• Select your Country, then press Continue.

• Select you Keyboard Language/Nation, then press Continue.

• The Migration Assistant box will appear. Unless you are trying to transfer information from another Mac, select "Do not transfer my information now" and press Continue.

• Select your wireless network, enter any applicable passwords, and press Continue.

• If you have an Apple ID, you may enter your e-mail and password. Whether you have one or not, press Continue.

• You may enter your Registration Information, but it is not required. Press Continue if you entered your info, if you did not you will need to press Continue twice.

• Create Your Account: enter a name (usually your own), a short name (similar to a username). A password is not required but is suggested. If you decide to use a password, fill it in twice and create a password hint if desired. Press Continue. (If you did not create a password, you will also need to press OK.)

• You can either take a picture with the internal webcam or select from a library of pictures for your account. Once you hace selected one, press Continue.

• You will be given an offer to try out MobileMe, Apple's information syncing service. Choose one of the options (most choose "I don't want to try MobileMe for free right now.") and then press Continue.

• At the Thank You screen, press Go. This will take you to the Desktop.

Installing the Combo Update

• Close any other programs and save all work (if necessary).

• Open the Combo Update package on the USB drive.

• Press Continue three times, and then press Agree.

• Press Install, enter your password, and then press "Continue Installion.

• After installation is finished, press the Restart button.

• At the grey screen with the blue progress bar, press any key before the timer runs out.

• Type "-x" so that is looks like "boot: -x" in the bottom-left corner.

• If successful, it should boot into Mac OS X Safe Mode. Enter your password to login.

• Go to the Applications folder and run NetbookInstaller.

• Select the following settings:
  • Volume: <your internal drive>
  • Install Chameleon 2 RC3 bootloader
  • Install <your model name> Extensions
  • Generate a system specific dsdt.aml file
  • <Any other options you would like, the above are necessary.>

• Press Install.

• Enter your password and press OK.

• When installation is complete, press OK.

• Restart your computer.

Your netbook should now be updated and able to run Mac OS X normally. There may be some more tweaks to drivers necessary, depending on your netbook model.

News and information on NetbookInstaller can be found on Netputing

mechdrew NetbookInstaller 1 Version 3.15

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to send me a personal message (PM for short) or use my Contact page to send me an e-mail. Also, the members of the MyDellMini forums are more than capable of helping you solve any problems.