Installation Considerations for Mac OS X


Now that we have reviewed the core technologies of Mac OS X, let’s focus on its installation process. Although Mac OS X has a very structured installation process, several variations of installation are available. The user’s needs dictate the appropriate installation strategy. However, before any Mac OS X implementation can take place, it is necessary to evaluate the target computer to see whether it meets Apple’s official hardware requirements.

Hardware requirements of OS 10.3

Apple’s minimum hardware requirements for Mac OS 10.3 include a factory-shipped NewWorld Architecture G3 Macintosh CPU with 128MB of RAM, 2GB of available hard disk space, and Apple-supplied video option. In Mac OS 10.3, Apple has dropped support for beige hardware and PowerBooks that do not have built-in USB ports. The Apple factory-shipped video display cards/options are IXMicro, ATI, and nVidia. As for third-party hardware, Apple states that OS X natively supports many third-party hardware devices, although some devices may require additional driver updates from their respective manufacturers to utilize a products full feature set. Also, if the Classic environment is used, Mac OS 9.2.x requires another 320MB hard drive space and another 64MB of RAM.

Note

A SCSI chain that works with Mac OS 9 may not work with Mac OS X. AppleCare Knowledge Base article 106147 states that OS X is less tolerant to improper SCSI termination than OS 9. Additionally, if a hard disk of greater capacity than 8GB is installed in a Revision A, B, C, or D iMac, Mac OS X must be installed within the first 8GB of the primary hard disk.

Qualified Mac models

Mac OS X can be installed on the following models if they have enough RAM and disk space:

  • Power Mac G5 (all)

  • Power Mac G4 (all)

  • Power Mac G4 cube

  • Power Mac G3 (Blue & White only)

  • PowerBook G4

  • PowerBook G3 (must include built-in USB port)

  • iMac (all)

  • iBook (all)

Preparing for the installation of OS X

After you have deemed that the target hardware meets OS X’s minimum hardware requirements, you need to verify that the target computer’s firmware is up to date. Firmware is programming that tells a computer’s hardware how to behave. Starting with the iMac, Macintosh computers have used a firmware-upgradeable hardware design. This design element is a component of what is referred to as NewWorld Architecture. The Power Mac’s firmware is inserted into a programmable (flashable) read-only memory (PROM). This programmable firmware approach enables Apple to fix technical issues via patches and upgrades like any other software. As a result, this innovation allows Apple to achieve greater hardware stability and overall improved system performance. Using a utility referred to as a Flash-ROM updater, firmware can be upgraded (sometimes referred to as revved). The Mac OS 10.3 installer alerts you if your systems firmware is out of date. You can also determine your systems firmware by running Apple System Profiler. Apple’s latest firmware may be included on the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 CD. It can also be obtained either through Mac OS 9’s built-in Software Update mechanism or the following Web address www.info.apple.com/support/downloads.html.

Note

All system firmware updaters released to date by Apple are available via Mac OS 9 applications only. It is not recommended to update a system’s firmware using the Classic application environment in lieu of booting directly from Mac OS 9.

Installation strategies for OS X

OS X has three installation strategies, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Common to all three strategies is the requirement that the install partition needs to be formatted as an Extended (HFS+) or a Unix File System (UFS) volume. An HFS+-formatted volume’s single biggest advantage is that it is case preserving. All Macintosh desktop OSs to date have used file systems that have been dependent on case-preserving formatted volumes (this includes the old HFS format as well).

The opposite of the case-preserving format is the case-sensitive format. With the case-sensitive format, it is possible to have multiple files named identically in the same location/folder/ directory. The only thing that would differentiate the files to the naked eye is the varied use of uppercase characters. For example, it is possible to have individual files named DOG, DoG, Dog, dOg, doG, dOG, and dog located in the same folder.

As mentioned previously, OS X also supports another format referred to as the Unix File System (UFS), although it isn’t the preferred format because it does not support AirPort networking and is case sensitive. In addition, UFS volumes do not show up when booted from Mac OS 9, their volume names cannot be customized, and, in order to run the Classic application environment, Mac OS 9 and its applications must be installed on a separate HFS+ formatted volume. Apple states that “a UFS format may be desired for developing Unix-based applications within OS X,” and you should not choose this format unless you specifically need

it. Apple also states that the UFS format should not be used if your Mac OS X installation destination is a G3 Blue & White. Finally, bootable UFS volumes can be made via the Mac OS X installer only, and not via Disk Utility.

Single partition

A single-partition installation combines OS X and OS 9 on the same partition/logical volume. Its primary advantage is that it is the quickest and easiest of the Mac OS X installation strategies. Another advantage of the single-partition installation is that Mac OS X can be installed on top of an existing Mac OS 9–prepared hard drive. Apple ships OS X–installed Macs in a single-partition installation.

Separate partitions

A separate-partition installation installs OS X and OS 9 on two separate partitions on the same hard drive or on two entirely separate hard disks. The main advantage of the separate partition strategy is that it provides a safety net in the event that the OS X portion becomes damaged. By separating OS 9 and OS X, you can easily erase and reinstall the OS X portion while preserving the OS 9 portion. This modular approach was initially Apple’s recommended strategy for OS X installation prior to shipping OS X–preinstalled Macs.

The separate-partitions strategy is the most cautious way to migrate from Mac OS 9 to OS X, although it does require the greatest effort. To set up a separate-partitions system, you need to back up all data on your existing hard disk and reformat it into two partitions using the Disk Utility application included on the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 CD.

An alternate way to build a separate-partitions system is to install a second hard drive, if your Mac has built-in support for it. If your Mac does not have built-in support for this, it may be possible to install a second hard drive by means of a third-party OS X–compatible SCSI or IDE PCI host adapter card. Never take for granted that you have the latest firmware for your third-party or Apple-supplied SCSI or IDE PCI host adapter card. You should always check with the manufacturer’s Web site. Lastly, installation of OS X on USB or FireWire hard drives and on removable media is unsupported.

Note

Article 106220 in the AppleCare Knowledge Base, states that if multiple versions of OS X are installed on the same Mac, the computer may be unable to select a desired startup system folder.

Mac OS X only

A Mac OS X–only installation is identical to a single-partition installation, with the exception that this install strategy does not include an OS 9 installation. Although you only have to deal with one operating system, you face some limitations. Not only is the Classic environment gone, but also some system functionality from OS 9 is still missing from OS X. In addition, some troubleshooting and administration tasks are better suited to OS 9 than to OS X.

Tip

You can install Mac OS 9 separately, after OS X has been installed. If, after you install OS X only, you change your mind and decide that you want to use the Classic application environment, you will need to do as follows. If your system can boot OS 9, first, run the Mac OS 9 Installer that came with your Macintosh, and select the Clean Installation option. This will not harm any existing data on you hard disk. After the installation is complete, you will want to boot your system selecting your newly installed Mac OS 9 System Folder and run the Software Update control panel in order to acquire any recent OS 9 updates. For those systems that can’t boot Mac OS 9, you will need to use the Software Restore CD that shipped with your computer. Any Mac OS 9 updates will need to be downloaded from Apple Software Updates Web site and installed manually.

Gather setup information

Regardless if you are upgrading from Mac OS 9 or Mac OS X, if you want your computer to use the same Internet and network settings before you install Mac OS X on it, you need to make a note of your system’s current preferences. Depending upon how you connect to the Internet, one or more of the following settings may need to be recorded. In Mac OS 9, the settings are located in the AppleTalk, File Sharing, TCP/IP, Remote Access, Modem, and Internet control panels. In Mac OS X, the settings are located in the Internet, Network, and Sharing Preference panes as well as in the Internet Connect application. Additionally, you may need to get the settings for your email account from your email reader application.

Hard drive backup

To back up today’s large hard drives, you need some type of storage device that can accommodate the capacity of your backup. These devices can include, but are not limited to, another internal IDE or SCSI hard drive, a FireWire or USB hard drive, a tape drive, or a recordable optical or magnetic media drive. It is possible to back up to a Finder-accessible volume by simply dragging the desired contents to the destination disk. But it’s more reliable to use a dedicated backup utility, such as Retrospect from Dantz Development, because it can verify the successful outcome of a backup. Another benefit of Retrospect is that it can compress the contents of a backup, increasing overall storage efficiency, requiring less backup media. Finally, depending upon the type of backup being implemented, Retrospect can also provide a search catalog that simplifies the task of locating and restoring specific contents from a backup.

Preparing the destination volume

After you’ve backed up, you are ready to prepare your intended destination volume for Mac OS X installation, employing one of the installation strategies previously described. To do so, you need to use the Disk Utility application located on the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 CD. Disk Utility is covered in Chapter 19. Otherwise, you simply need to update your hard disk’s existing driver.

A driver is a piece of software that enables an operating system to interface or control a hardware device. In general, the operation of driver software is requires no action from the end user. All hard drives use driver software. It is imperative that the hard disk driver is compatible with the Mac OS version in use or problems will result. Updating driver software is a quick process and generally doesn’t adversely affect drive contents. Though for safety’s sake remember to back up, before updating your hard disk’s driver.

If you elect to use the single partition strategy with a preexisting installation of Mac OS 9 on an Apple factory supplied hard drive, the Mac OS X Installer updates the driver for you. If you’re not installing on an Apple-branded hard disk, and third-party formatting software was used to prepare it, you need investigate if the formatting software is Mac OS X–compatible. If not, you need to use formatting software that is compatible. Typically, an initialization is required, but some third-party formatting software can update and overwrite an existing driver without the need of an initialization.

Mac OS X installation CDs

After the destination volume is prepared, you are ready to run the Mac OS X Installer application. The Mac OS X installer is comprised of three CDs. The first disk is the only disk that can install a bootable Mac OS X system. The first disk can install all available installation components. The subsequent other two disks can be run independently of the first disk on an existing installation of Mac OS X, but they only facilitate an installation on a subset of the

components available when using the first installer disk. Disk 2 provides facility to install Additional Applications, Print Drivers, Language Translations, Additional Asian Fonts, and the BSD Subsystem. Disk 3 provides facility to install Fonts for Additional Languages, Additional Speech Voices, and the X11 Window System that is used by some Unix applications.

Running the Mac OS X installer

To install OS X you are required to boot from the Mac OS X Install CD Disc 1. You can boot from the Mac OS X install CD in the following four ways:

  • Boot the Macintosh while holding down the C key.

  • Use the Startup Manager. To activate the Startup Manager, hold down the Option key at startup. You are then presented with a graphical interface that enables you to select it as a startup disk.

  • Select the Mac OS X Install CD Disc 1 by using either Mac OS 9’s Startup Disk control panel or Mac OS X’s Startup Disk Preference pane.

  • You can boot from a OS X install CD by inserting the CD while running either OS 9 or OS X and locating and double-clicking the Install Mac OS X application that requires the authorization of an administrator’s account.

Figure 1-2 shows the Restart button in the Install Mac OS X window. When the computer starts from the Mac OS X Install CD Disc 1, the Installer program starts automatically and presents a series of screens that ask you to make certain choices as described in the following text.

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Figure 1-2: The Restart button in the Install Mac OS X program restarts the computer with the Mac OS X Install CD to begin installation.

Select Language

The Mac OS X installer supports installations for many languages. Select the appropriate language for the remainder of the installation process and click the Continue button.

Introduction

The Introduction screen is a welcome screen that acts as a prelude to the rest of the installation process. No action is required except for clicking the Continue button.

Read Me

The Read Me screen presents the same contents that can be found in the Read Before You Install document on the Mac OS X install CD Disc 1. Skipping this document is tempting, but the information provided may be important, so you should at least skim it. After reading the information, click the Continue button.

License

The License screen presents you with OS X’s Software Licensing Agreement. The license agreement is filled with legalese, but you may want to look through it so that you know what you’re agreeing to. For example, one provision states that you may only install the software on one computer at a time. You must click the Continue button, and a second confirmation screen appears, requesting you to click Agree before you can continue forward with the installation process.

Tip

Apple’s lawyers think that the License Agreement is important, so they provide the convenience of a pop-up menu where you can choose to view it in a language other than English.

Select Destination

The Select Destination screen enables you to choose the destination volume for your Mac OS X installation. This screen also contains a button that says Options as shown in Figure 1-3. Click the Options button and a sheet appears, providing the choices to Upgrade Mac OS X, Archive and Install, and Erase and Install. Here’s what those options mean:

  • Upgrade Mac OS X: Upgrades an existing installation of Mac OS X, while preserving current applications, fonts, and preferences.

  • Archive and Install: Moves existing System files to a folder named Previous System and then installs a fresh copy of Mac OS X. On the surface, it looks similar to the Mac OS 9 Installer’s Clean Install option. Though similar to Mac OS 9, once a system folder has been designated as previous, it can’t be used as a valid startup OS. The Preserve Users and Network Settings is a suboption under Archive and Install, which facilitates the preservation of user accounts and home folders and network settings.

  • Erase and Install: Provides a clean slate. As with the Disk Utility, it erases your hard disk. Be warned, when installing OS X on a preexisting installation of OS 9, do not select the option to erase and format the disk from within the OS X installer. Doing this erases the existing Mac OS 9 installation as well as all your user’s applications and documents. The Erase and Install option also allows you to choose your disk format: MAC OS Extended (Journaled) or Unix File System. Selecting the journaling option may help protect the data on your hard disk from unforeseen failures such as system freezing or power outages. The downsides are that it slightly slows down hard disk performance and may be incompatible with some disk utilities. As of this writing to recover data that is on a hard disk that employs journaling, you will need to do so from the command line, which is covered in the Apple Knowledge Base Article 107248.

Tip

According to Apple Knowledge Base Article 106442, if there is a sole ATA/IDE hard drive in your Mac and the Select a Destination screen does not display an available hard disk to install to, you need to verify that the intended target ATA/IDE drive is configured as a master drive on the bus.

After making your selections, click the Continue button.

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Figure 1-3: Though the Options pane does not provide the partition customizing abilities of the Disk Utility, it is the only place that you can make a bootable volume.

Installation Types

The Installation Types screen provides two choices for installation types. The choices are Easy Install and Custom Install. By default, the Mac OS X installer starts with Easy Install that is comprised of the packages essential System Software, BSD Subsystem, Additional Applications, Print Drivers, Additional Asian Fonts, and Language Translations. After choosing your Install type, click the Continue button.

Note

Custom Install gives you the option of installing Essential System Software only. Remember that the BSD Subsystem option is a required component for proper network functionality in Mac OS X. If you do not install the BSD Subsystem initially, it can be installed from the Mac OS X Install Disc 2 CD as noted previously.

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Stopping the Mac OS X Installer

Until you click the Install button to get the installation process under way, you can stop installation by choosing Installer Quit Installer. If you do this, the installer displays a dialog that asks you to confirm that you really want to stop installation. Click the Restart button in this dialog to have installation stop and your computer restart. When you hear your computer’s startup chime, hold down the Option key to select a valid startup disk other than the Mac OS X Install CD Disk 1. To start up using the Mac OS X CD, hold down the C key as the computer starts up. You can also eject the Mac OS X Install CD Disk 1, by depressing the mouse button during restart.

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Caution

After the installation process has begun, terminating the Installer intentionally or unintentionally may leave your computer in an unstable state. The Installer displays an alert informing you of this danger and provides a chance to resume installation.

Installing

The OS X installer will now begin to verify the condition of the destination hard disk. This process can be skipped by clicking the Skip button. Once the disk has been verified or skipped, the installer will commence the actual OS install, which will last between fifteen minutes to an hour. For the most part, this is an automated process. Depending upon the installation type and what is being installed, the installer will prompt you when necessary for the insertion of the other two Mac OS X Install CDs.

Finish Up

At this point, the installer performs several optimization and cleanup tasks to complete the installation process.

Using the Setup Assistant

After the Mac OS X install process has been completed, the computer automatically reboots. Next, Mac OS X’s Setup Assistant automatically launches. A presented welcome screen appears to guide you through the process of procuring an Apple ID for purchasing Apple products and services online, registering your OS software, and connecting to the Internet.

Welcome

The Welcome screen is where you select the country or region in which the Macintosh will be used. After making your selection, click the Continue button.

Personalize your settings

The Personalize Your Settings screen is where you select the keyboard layout that is appropriate for the country or region in which the Macintosh will be used. You can change the preference later, after you are into the computer. Make your language selection and click the Continue button.

Your Apple ID

Eerily, reminiscent of Microsoft’s Passport, an Apple ID lets you make one-click purchases from the iTunes Music, iPhoto, and the Apple Stores. If you already possess a .Mac membership, use that as your Apple ID. Otherwise you can specify your own ID, have the Setup Assistant create one for you, or skip the process entirely. If you do elect to create an Apple ID,

you will also be provided a 60-day trial membership to .Mac. .Mac is a combination of software and online tools that can enhance your “Internet experience,” while using your Mac. After making your selections, click the Continue button.

Cross Reference

For more details on .Mac see Chapter 18.

Registration information

This is the product registration that is automatically sent to Apple when you connect the Mac to the Internet. You cannot leave anything blank except the email address and the company or school. You skip this screen by typing the -Q key combination, which takes you directly to the Create Your Account screen and automatically configures your network settings for DHCP. You are also reminded to register your product. Otherwise, after completing the Registration Information screen, click the Continue button.

A Few More Questions

The screen is comprised of a demographic survey, asking whether you use the computer at home, school, business, and so on; what you do; and whether you want Apple and other companies to contact you. After making your selections, click the Continue button.

Thank You

The Thank You screen apprises you that your registration information will be sent once you connect to the Internet. At this point, if you need to make any modifications to any of the information input in any previous Setup Assistant screen click the Go Back button and do so; otherwise, click the Continue button.

Create Your Account

After you have submitted the necessary registration information, you will need to set up your user account. Chapter 14 reviews user accounts in detail, but for now suffice it to say that the information you provide will be necessary to perform administrative functions within Mac OS X. When creating your account, you will need to specify both a Name and a Short Name. A Short Name is exactly what it sounds like — a short name. It alleviates the need for typing out your whole name. You will appreciate your short name when user authentication is requested by certain applications or during certain administrative functions within OS X.

A Short Name is automatically generated when you tab from the Name field to the Short Name field. But don’t worry; it can be changed. A short name is all lowercase, has a maximum of eight characters, and cannot contain any spaces or the following characters: < > ‘ “ * { } [ ] ( ) ^ ! \ # | & $ ? ~

Make sure to pick a Short Name you like, because it can’t be changed after the fact. Once you have chosen your short name, you will need to provide a password. Although OS X will accept more than eight characters for this field, it only checks the first eight. The entry last field allows you to provide yourself an optional password hint if desired. Finally, you will need to select a picture that serves as an iconic representation your user account. After making your selections, click the Continue button.

Get Internet Ready

The Get Internet Ready portion of the Setup Assistant provides the option to configure your Mac for Internet access. This screen gives you the choice of setting up trial Internet service with EarthLink, setting up Mac OS X to use your existing Internet service, or not setting up for the Internet at this time. If you choose to set up for your existing Internet service, the Assistant asks for the following information:

  • How you connect. Connect by telephone modem, local network, cable modem, DSL, or AirPort wireless.

  • Your Internet Selection. These details vary depending on your connection method. Use the information gathered earlier from before you installed Mac OS X to help you here.

Get .Mac

Next, the Assistant offers to set up a .Mac account for you. Some of the features a .Mac account provides include an email address, a personal Web site, and storage space on the Internet. You can create a .Mac trial account on the spot, enter a member name and password for an existing .Mac account, or skip the process entirely. After making your selection, click the Continue button.

Now you’re ready to connect

After dealing with .Mac, the Assistant advises that it’s ready to send your registration and configure your computer. Click Continue. The Assistant connects with Apple to send your registration information. You can cancel the connection and stop sending the registration information by quickly clicking the Cancel button.

Set Up Mail

By default, the Set Up Mail portion of the Setup Assistant uses your .Mac account information for email client configuration. If you do not want to use .Mac as your email service provider, you can manually enter the account information for an alternate email service, or you can skip the process altogether. Once configured, click the Continue button.

Select Time Zone

The Select Time Zone allows you to specify the time zone the computer will be operating in. Clicking your geographic location or typing the name of the closest city where the computer will be located accomplishes this. After making your selection, click the Continue button.

Set the Date and Time

The Set the Date and Time screen lets you to set your computer’s clock and calendar. Once completed, click the Continue button.

Thank You

Upon successful registration of the computer, you will be greeted with a screen informing you of such and urging you to enjoy your computer and the Internet.




Mac OS X Bible, Panther Edition
Mac OS X Bible, Panther Edition
ISBN: 0764543997
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 290

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