Installing Mac OS X

All new Macintosh computers come with Mac OS X preinstalled and most also come with Mac OS X on CD or DVD, in case the operating system needs to be reinstalled. This book assumes you are using Apple's Mac OS X 10.4 retail package that contains a single DVD with a simple Installer to guide you through the installation. If you are using the model-specific discs that came with your Macintosh, you may notice minor differences in the screens and examples used here.

Verifying Requirements

The first step to take before attempting to install Mac OS X is to verify that the intended computer meets the minimum system requirements. If you don't know your computer's specifications, use System Profiler (/Applications/Utilities) to determine its specifications.

Mac OS X 10.4 requires the following:

• Macintosh computer with a PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor

• Built-in FireWire

• At least 256 MB of RAM

• DVD drive

• Built-in display or a display connected to an Apple-supplied video card supported by your computer

• At least 3 GB of available disk space, or 4 GB if you install the Xcode 2 developer tools

Preparing for Installation

Although you can certainly dive right in and install Mac OS X without any forethought, you'll be better served in the long run if you prepare for installation by taking some precautionary steps.

• Back Up Important Information

  Before upgrading any operating system, you should back up all important data for protection in case an error occurs during installation.

• Read the "Read Before You Install" Document

  Before beginning the installation of Mac OS X, review the PDF document "Read Before You Install" on the Mac OS X Install DVD. This document contains important information about the disc and the Installer program.

• Collect Information

  If you are upgrading a computer from Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X, collect your current network settings from the TCP/IP, Internet, Remote Access, and Modem control panels. You can run Apple System Profiler to generate a report with information that may prove useful during the upgrade process. Also, if you have a .Mac account, have your member name and password available.

• Update Firmware

  If your computer's firmware is out-of-date, the Mac OS X Installer will alert you when you attempt to install the new OS. You can use System Profiler to find the current version number of the firmware. (It's listed as the Boot ROM Version in the Hardware Overview.) You can also get the version number by restarting the computer and pressing Command-Option-O-F, which places the computer in Open Firmware mode. The firmware version will be listed at the top of the screen.

  Before installing Mac OS X, you must update your computer's firmware if an update is available. For a list of the firmware versions required by Mac OS X, and links to the necessary updates, refer to Knowledge Base document 86117, "Mac OS X: Chart of Available Firmware Updates."

  NOTE

  Older firmware updates do not run in Mac OS X; they run only in Mac OS 9. Firmware updates must be done from a writable partition. Review the update instructions for system requirements.

  
  

• Update Third-Party Products

  Updating your computer's firmware does not ensure that all of your existing peripherals and software will be compatible with Mac OS X. Therefore you should also check with the manufacturers of any devices you use with your computer to find the latest software updates for those devices. Likewise, you should check with the publishers of any third-party software you use to determine if updates are necessary for compatibility with the version of Mac OS X you intend to install. Some updates must be performed prior to upgrading to Mac OS X, and others require that Mac OS X be installed first.

Upgrade to Mac OS 9.2 or Later

It is not necessary to have Mac OS 9 installed when upgrading to Mac OS X; Mac OS 9 is required only if you wish to run Classic applications in Mac OS X. In that case, you must install Mac OS 9.2 or later, either before or after installing Mac OS X.

If you are using a Macintosh that will boot Mac OS 9, you should first install Mac OS 9 and then install any print drivers and fonts that you will use in the Classic environment in that System Folder. Use the Software Update control panel to make sure you have updated to the latest version (9.2.2 as of this writing). On newer computers that cannot boot Mac OS 9, you will need to copy over a licensed Mac OS 9.2 or later System Folder from another machine.

After you install Mac OS X, you will use Classic preferences to configure your computer to run your Mac OS 9 applications. For more information on Classic, see Appendix D, "The Classic Environment."

If you are upgrading from one version of Mac OS X to another, it is likely that your hardware and software will simply continue working as they always have. However, if you are upgrading from Mac OS 9, you must run your existing programs in Classic mode (which runs Mac OS 9 within Mac OS X), or switch to native Mac OS X alternatives (Safari for browsing, Mail for email, iCal for appointments, etc.), many of which are included with the new operating system.

Choosing a Partition Method

Partitioning divides a disk into sections, or volumes, each of which works like a separate disk. However, because you must erase a drive to split it into partitions, you should make the decision to partition early in the configuration process to avoid the laborious process of backing up data, partitioning, and then restoring.

You can install different versions of Mac OS X on separate partitions of the same volume. Furthermore, Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 can inhabit the same volume without any problems, and you can switch between them as needed, provided your computer is capable of booting Mac OS 9. The following table discusses the pros and cons of keeping the two together on a single volume (or partition) versus on separate partitions.

Partition Method Issues

One of the advantages of having two separate partitions is that if the operating system on the main partition becomes corrupted and unbootable, you can use the Startup Manager to boot from the operating system on the second partition. If you press the Option key while the computer boots, the Startup Manager will scan each partition on any connected drive and display an icon representing the operating system last used on that partition, if one exists. Select an icon, and the computer will boot using the selected System folder.

If you install Mac OS X and Mac OS 9 on the same partition, the hard disk must be formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If you are installing Mac OS X on its own partition, Mac OS Extended is the recommended hard disk format, but you can also use UNIX File System (UFS) if, for example, you want to develop UNIX-based applications within Mac OS X.

Based on the preceding information, determine if you want to install Mac OS X on its own partition, or if installing it alongside Mac OS 9 is acceptable. If you need to partition the drive, you can use Disk Utility (included on the Mac OS X Install DVD), but you should know that partitioning a drive is a time-consuming process that necessitates a full backup before starting if you want to retain your files.

Performing the Mac OS X Installation

You can start the Mac OS X installation process by booting from the Mac OS X Install DVD (with the disc in the drive, press the C key during startup) or by launching the Install Mac OS X application in the Finder, which will restart the computer and boot the computer from the disc.

The Installer is largely self-explanatory. When in doubt, let the onscreen instructions guide you. After selecting your language, continue through several screens that welcome you, explain the requirements, and then request your agreement to the software license terms. It's only when you select where and how Mac OS X is installed that you need to think carefully about your choices.

Selecting the Destination

In the Select Destination window, you select which volume will receive the operating system installation. Mac OS X can only be installed onto Mac OS Extended or UFS volumes. If you have multiple volumes from which to choose, keep in mind the pros and cons discussed previously in "Choosing a Partition Method."

Choosing the Installation Type

If you wish to perform the default installation method, click Continue after selecting the destination. Otherwise, click Options to see your installation options. (The Options button appears only after a destination volume is selected.) The following table discusses the pros and cons of the three installation methods.

Installation Type

The Archive and Install option is similar to the Clean Install option in Mac OS 9the existing System folder is archived into a Previous System folder, and a fresh version of the operating system is installed. If Mac OS X is not already present and configured, Archive and Install is not available as an option.

Even though you won't be using the Previous System folder, you can retain many of your user and network settings. In the Installation Options sheet, select the "Preserve Users and Network Settings" checkbox to automatically import existing users, home folders, and network settings during installation. (If you select this option, the Setup Assistant will not appear after the installation.)

The following settings are not preserved after an Archive and Install:

• Whether or not a network time server is used

• The computer's time zone (stored in the file /etc/localtime)

• The list of configured printers (stored in the file /etc/printers.conf)

• The resolution of your display(s) andif more than one display is connectedsettings such as arrangement (stored in the com.apple.windowserver.plist in /Library/Preferences and in ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost)

• Sharing preferences (stored in /etc/hostconfig)

If you choose the Erase and Install option, you must specify whether to reformat the destination volume as either Mac OS Extended or UNIX File System.

• Mac OS Extended, which is considered the "native" Macintosh volume format, has been used by Macintosh computers since Mac OS 8.1, and provides support for forked files. (Forked files are explained in Lesson 4, "File Systems.") If the drive will be accessed by a computer running Mac OS 9 or earlier, or by applications running in the Classic environment, you will need to use Mac OS Extended as the volume format and ensure that you install the Mac OS 9 drivers. Mac OS X 10.3 and later support Mac OS Extended (Journaled), which helps protect the file system against power outages or other cases in which the system is restarted or shut down prematurely.

• UNIX File System (UFS) is the volume format frequently used by other UNIX-based operating systems. You might consider using the UFS volume format in the following instances:

  • If you are installing Mac OS X on an external drive that will be later connected to another computer running UNIX

  • If you will be compiling and running UNIX applications that rely upon UFS features such as case-sensitivity

Customizing the Packages

By default, after selecting the destination and choosing the installation type, the installation proceeds with the Easy Install configuration, which installs the following packages:

• Essential System Software The base system software

• Printer Drivers Drivers for some third-party printers

• Additional Fonts Additional fonts that expand the choices when writing in languages other than English

• Language Translations Base Mac OS X support in languages in addition to your primary language

This additional package is not installed by default:

• X11 Software to enable X11 applications to run on Mac OS X

If you click the Customize button, the Installer shows you a list of packages to be installed. Some packages are optional, such as Printer Drivers and Additional Fonts, but are selected for installation by default. If a checkbox contains a minus sign (), the package is made up of smaller packages, and not all subpackages will be installed. Click the disclosure triangle next to the package to list the subpackages.

Once installation has begun, the Installer shows the percentage completed. The time required to complete the installation depends upon the options chosen, the speed of your computer, and the speed of its optical drive. It is not uncommon for the Installer to require over an hour to complete the entire process. If the screen goes blank during the installation process, press any key. Do not interrupt the process, or the computer may be left inoperable with only a partially installed operating system.