NetbookInstaller 3: Installation via External DVD Drive using NetbookCD

Due to the nature of CD/DVD burning, it is impossible to make a step-by-step guide for all aspects covered. To the best of my ability I have tried to compile as much detail about any aspects I can.

NetbookCD is a boot CD based on the NetbookInstaller/BootMaker apps. It works similar to a USB drive that has been prepped with NetbookBootMaker, but with some key differences. First, the Mac OS X Installer *will most likely fail* at the end of the installation process. This is quite normal, but some users panic at this point so don't worry about it. Second, NetbookInstaller is not ran nor installed with with during installation, so NetbookCD has to be used for the first boot into the installed OS. Third, the NetbookInstaller app has been included on the CD so that the end user does not need Internet access on the first boot in order to complete the installation process.

Please remember that not all DVD drives are compatible with this process! There is no definitive way to determine if your model will work, but there are some models that work for most people, such as the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive. You can also try the Disconnect Trick since some drives just have a hard time swapping discs.

This guide and the NBI 2 guide are the best options for those without an Apple Mac.

NetbookCD is a joint project between me and meklort, who actually develops NetbookInstaller/BootMaker. In most cases you should use my Contact page for any comments, suggestions or troubleshooting.

Minimum Requirements

Pre-Install Checklist

Burning NetbookCD

  1. Download NetbookCD. If you downloaded the compressed zip file you will need to decompress or "unzip" it. If necessary, download and install your choice of CD burning program (it needs to be capable of burning ISO files.)
  2. Open the NetbookCD ISO in the burning application, insert a blank CD or DVD into the drive, and begin the burn process. When it is finished, you can eject the disc or keep it in the DVD drive if it is the same as the one you will be booting from.

Booting NetbookCD

  1. With NetbookCD in your drive, boot your netbook from the external DVD drive. You can do this either by changing your BIOS settings to set the CD/DVD as your first boot device or use the one-time boot key ("0" (zero) on the Mini 9, "F12" on the Mini 10v) to select the CD/DVD as the boot device.
  2. Some characters will appear to be spinning, press and hold Shift until you come to the bootloader. You will likely see some white text that flashes quickly. If you somehow see the message "no ramdisk config..." don't worry, it's normal. Eventually you should see NetbookCD's Chameleon bootloader:

    Screenshot from the NetbookCD 0.8.3 Boot Screen
    Screenshot from NetbookCD 0.8.3 Boot Screen

  3. Eject NetbookCD, insert you Mac OS X Install DVD, then press F5. (You may need to press the Function (Fn) key as well depending on your netbook model.)
    If you get an EBIOS error, wait for your drive to scan the disc. This is normal when the drive is still trying to read the disc.
  4. The Disconnect Trick: If your netbook becomes unrepsonsive after pressing F5 or there continue to be EBIOS errors for more than two minutes, restart the netbook and boot from NetbookCD again. After you insert the Mac OS X Install DVD but before you press F5, turn off and unplug all cables from the DVD drive (both power and USB) then plug them back in and turn it on. This can help some finicky drives, but is not guaranteed to work.
  5. If necessary, highlight the Mac OS X Install DVD and press Enter to begin the Mac OS X Installer.

Installing Mac OS X

  1. The Apple logo, then a spinning wheel, will appear. (If the spinning wheel does not appear after two minutes, try power cycling the netbook and booting again. Otherwise, check the Troubleshooting guide.)
  2. Once loaded, select your language and press Continue. (Press Enter on your keyboard if you can't see the Continue button.)
  3. Press Continue on the Welcome screen, then press Agree on the next screen.
  4. Go to Menu Bar>Utilities>Disk Utility....
  5. Select the icon for the internal drive.
  6. 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 Partition Table, press OK.
  7. Press Apply, then Partition. When it is finished, close Disk Utility.
  8. Select your newly-formatted drive as the installation destination. (On 10.5 Leopard, you need to press Continue to get to the next screen.)
  9. Press the Customize button, deselect any feature(s) you do not need:
    • Additional Fonts - These are only needed for specific languages with special characters.
    • Language Translations - These are to translate the OS into different languages.
    • Printer Drivers (Printer Support on 10.6) - Usually you can find an updated driver for your printer on the Internet, but this can be helpful if you use multiple printers besides your own.
    • X11 - You need this if you are going to use GIMP or CrossOver.
    • Rosetta (10.6-only) - Rosetta allows you to run applications that were only designed to work on PowerPC-baed Macs (pre-10.4), it's small so it won't hurt to install just in case.
    • QuickTime 7 (10.6-only) - Useful if you need to watch QuickTime movies that are encoded in older formats.
  10. Press Done (10.5) or OK (10.6), then press Install. Installation can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours depending on the condition of the DVD disc, speed of the DVD drive and the amount of items you selected.
  11. Installation will probably get to the end and report that it has failed (although sometimes it says it is successful, your results may vary.) Again, this is normal, just press Restart.

First Boot and NetbookInstaller

  1. Since there is no bootloader currently on the HDD/SSD, we need to boot back into the NetbookCD, following the same steps as before. Instead of swapping out the disc, simply highlight the HDD/SSD that you just installed Mac OS X to and press Enter.
  2. The Apple logo, then a spinning wheel, will appear. (If the spinning wheel does not appear after two minutes, try power cycling the netbook and booting again. Otherwise, check the Troubleshooting guide.)
  3. The first-time setup video should play, this lasts about a minute. An account creation process should begin shortly thereafter. Fill in any information you want (you don't need to register) to complete the setup.
    (If instead you get an error message that says, "The Mac OS X Setup Assistant cannot be used with this monitor," you can still setup your account in System Preferences afterward. This usually happens on netbooks with resolutions less than 1024x600.)
  4. Once you get to the Finder Desktop, you should double-click the NetbookCD icon and then open the Tools folder. Inside you will find the NetbookInstaller 0.8.3 application. If a warning prompt shows up asking, "Are you sure you want to open it?" click Open. Select the following options:
    • Volume: <your internal drive>
    • Install Chameleon 2 NBI bootloader
    • Install <your model name> Extensions
    • Generate a system specific DSDT.aml file
    • <Any other options you would like, the above are necessary.>
  5. Press Install, enter your password and press OK.
  6. When installation is complete, close NetbookInstaller and any other programs you may have open and save all work (if necessary).

Updating the OS

  1. Install the OS Update:
    • 10.5 Leopard: You need to open the 10.5.8 Combo Update package from a USB drive or downloaded it directly to your netbook, DO NOT use Software Update.
    • Press Continue three times, and then press Agree.
    • Press Install, enter your password, and then press "Continue Installion.
    • 10.6 Snow Leopard: Try using Software Update (accessible from the Apple icon in the Menu Bar) first to update to 10.6.2. If that does not work correctly you should use the 10.6.2 Combo Update linked at the top of the guide.
    • Press any agree button and Install buttons necessary. You will probably be warned that a Restart is necessary, that is just fine.
    After installation is finished, press the Restart button (if necessary.)
  2. You should now let your netbook startup from the internal HDD/SSD. Leopard only: At the grey screen with the progress bar, press any key before the progress bar 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. Do not do this for 10.6 Snow Leopard.
    Getting a mach_kernel error after restart?
  3. Run NetbookInstaller 0.8.3 again with the same settings:
    • Volume: <your internal drive>
    • Install Chameleon 2 NBI bootloader
    • Install <your model name> Extensions
    • Regenerate a system specific DSDT.aml file
    • <Any other options you would like, the above are necessary.>
  4. Press Install, enter your password and press OK.
  5. When installation is complete, press OK and 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 about NetbookInstaller can be found on Meklort's Blog and on the NetbookInstaller Google Code page. Please check the MyDellMini forum (or a similar site for non-Dell netbooks) for more information on drivers and troubleshooting.

Make sure to check the Tips section for more post-install or troubleshooting help.

mechdrew NetbookInstaller 3 Version 3.20