Video: How to Make a Bootable Lion Install DVD or USB Drive

If you’re upgrading your Mac to OS X Tiger it’s a good idea to make a bootable USB drive or DVD install disc to keep you covered in case of  problems, and to save time downloading when upgrading multiple Macs. Click the image below to watch the video lesson where I show you exact steps for how to make a bootable Tiger disk. More advanced users can read a summary of the steps below the video: The full video above is intended to be easily understood by more basic Apple Mac users. If you’re impatient you can skip the introduction by going to 1:07. Instructions on how to make a bootable DVD begin at 2:45. The steps if you want to make a bootable USB flash drive (I suggest 8GB or larger) or any USB or Firewire external hard drive begin at 4:03 More advanced users might find this quick summary of the steps helpful:
  1. Download Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion” in the Apple App Store
  2. Once downloaded, before you install, double-click the Macintosh HD icon (or click the Finder face icon on your Dock) then double-click your Applications folder.
  3. Locate “Install Mac OS X Lion” & right-click (Control click) the icon.
  4. Click the “Show Package Contents” menu item
  5. Double-click the Contents folder in the new window, followed by the SharedSupport folder
  6. You should see file called  – this is the disk image you’ll make the boot disk from
  7. Open Disk Utility (using the Spotlight search box in the upper right corner of the screen is the quickest way to do this)
  8. Drag the InstallESD.dmg file into the column on the left side of the Disk Utility window

scroll down for either the bootable Tiger DVD instructions, or the bootable USB/external drive instructions…

To make a bootable Tiger DVD disc after completing numbered steps above:

  • In the Disk Utility window, right-click (Control click) on where it says “InstallESD.dmg” and then click “BurnInstallESD.dmg”
  • Put in a blank DVD when the new window drops down and click the blue Burn button
  • Wait a few minutes and you’re done
To make a bootable Lion disk using a USB flash drive, or an external drive (USB, Firewire, etc.)
  • In the Disk Utility window, right-click (Control click) on where it says “InstallESD.dmg” and then click Restore
  • A new window will open. From the column on the left in Disk Utility, drag InstallESD.dmg into the top “source” box in the new window
  • From your desktop, drag the icon for the external drive you want to back up to (drive recommended to have 4.7GB free at a minimum)
  • Click the Restore button, followed by the Erase button (do NOT use a drive with important files or you will lose them at this point!)
  • The drive icon will vanish from your desktop and then reappear once the process is completed. May take a few minutes or longer.
  By making a bootable Mac OS X Lion disk, you’re protecting yourself and making your life easier.  Please comment below, and feel free to share this video lesson on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites.    

2 Comments

  1. avatar phong says:
    July 22, 2011 at 6:48 am

    It does not work for me. Up to the 2:50 min. mark in the video, where you right click on the “InstallESD.dmg”, I don’t have all those option. I don’t have the option to burn. And it won’t let me select a destination drive.

    My computer is already running the Lion. I had to go back to the apple store and re-download the Lion, trying to make a boot disc using your instructions.

  2. avatar Worth Godwin Computer Training says:
    July 24, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    Phong,
    I don’t currently have a copy of the installESD.dmg file to test with, but I tried opening Disk Utility, dragging a .dmg file into the sources column on the left, then right-clicking on it (all of this in Lion) and I get a burn option, so I’m not sure why you don’t see one. I’m noticing the Restore option is grayed out, but that seems to be because Apple has now made it so the restore options appear on the right as soon as you click on the .dmg file on the left.
    I suppose it’s possible that Apple deliberately disabled burning a disc from that specific .dmg file (maybe try renaming it?) but I’m not sure why they would.
    It wouldn’t be bootable, but there’s nothing preventing you from simply putting a blank DVD into your drive, waiting for it to show up on the desktop, then dragging the .DMG file into the icon and dragging the CD icon to the Trash to burn it. That should at least allow you to carry the installer to a Snow Leopard Mac and upgrade it, or possibly allow you to drag the dmg file to the desktop of that other Mac and then follow the instructions in the video to make a bootable DVD there.

    Hope that helps,

    Worth

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