Make a Bootable Backup Snow Leopard Install Disc
I always keep a copy of my Mac OS X install disc with me in case of emergency when I’m traveling. I noticed recently the lack of documentation on how to make a backup disc copy (other than several of forum posts that range from useful to useless).
Here’s how to make a bootable backup copy of your Mac OS X Snow Leopard install DVD in eight easy steps. All you’ll need is a dual-layer DVD burner and a blank dual-layer DVD.
Some SuperDrives are able to write to dual-layer DVDs. If you’re not sure about your Mac, open up the System Profiler and look for “-R DL” and/or “+R DL” under “Hardware: Disc Burning — DVD-Write”.
Difficulty level: Easy Requirements: a dual-layer DVD burner and a blank dual-layer DVD
- Insert your Snow Leopard DVD.
- Open /Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility.app.
- In the left side of the window, select the “Mac OS X Install DVD”.
- Click “New Image” from the Disk Utility toolbar and select where you want to save the temporary image. For “Image Format”, choose “DVD/CD master” and for “Encryption”, choose “none”.
- The image extension in the “Save As” box will be .cdr (this is what you want) — click “Save”.
- Once the temporary image is created, it will show up on the left side of the Disk Utility window. Select it.
- Insert a blank dual-layer DVD (I prefer Verbatim DVD+R DL discs).
- Click “Burn” from the Disk Utility toolbar.
Congratulations! You now have a bootable backup copy of your Snow Leopard install disc.
Tagged as disc copy, dual layer dvd burner, dual layer dvds, eight easy steps, mac os x, system profiler
8 Comments
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wjjessen (Walter Jessen)
Make a Bootable Backup Snow Leopard Install Disc [link to post]
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modernscientist (themodernscientist)
RT @wjjessen: Make a Bootable Backup Snow Leopard Install Disc [link to post]
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Hey great instructions I’ve been trying for a long time but your method seems to work better.
Thank you very much for the clear instructions. Being a Mac newbie, I was having a hard time figuring out that my Mac mini does not have a super drive but a combo drive. Your hint was a lifesaver. I am able to burn a DVD after connecting an external dual-layer DVD burner.
Some say you have to select “read/write” for the image format and then “lock it” in Get Info
I’ve tried many times to backup my copy of SL, and yours seemed to work so far while the rest only burns my cash and gives me coasters. Thanks!
Great instructions!
Just wanted to add that if you accidentally created your disk image as a compressed .dmg file, you don’t have to erase it and start again. Next to the “Create New Image” button at the top, there is a “Convert” button. You can select a previously created .dmg, hit “Convert” and then select “DVD/CD Master” to create the .cdr file.
Great tip, thanks for sharing! For some reason the original Optiarc drive in my Mac Pro that namely was able to write +R DL reported that it wasn’t able to write to the disc (Memorex or Ritek +R DL), but fortunately some time ago I’ve also installed a Pioneer DVD drive that wrote the disc image without a hitch.
Flavio