The steps below will guide you through how to Install OS X Snow Leopard from a USB Flash Drive. If you want to skip the steps and get your USB installation drive quickly, check out our pre-configured USB Snow Leopard Installation Drive. Read on if you’d like to create a USB Installation yourself.
Apple officially released Snow Leopard
At version 10.6, Snow Leopard, focused more on improving speed and performance than adding new features to OS X. With the operating system available to customers, individuals are ready for their upgrades.
Installing OS X From a USB Drive
Like other versions of OS X, Snow Leopard can be installed from a USB drive. This is especially beneficial to Macbook Air users looking to install the OS without a DVD drive. To do this, you’ll need to prepare your USB drive with the installation files. Like many of our other Mac Help articles, the steps listed below worked particularly for Snow Leopard but should also work for installing OS X from USB on Leopard.
The installation files sit at 6.2gb on the Snow Leopard DVD, so you’ll probably need a drive that has at least 8gb available. If you want your installation files to last against the elements, check out this 8 GB Water/Shock Resistant USB flash drive.
After you’ve gotten the correct USB device, connect it to your Mac and prepare it with the Snow Leopard installation files by following these steps:
NOTE:Depending on your flash drive, you may need to follow steps 5 – 7 on on installing onto a USB drive to make sure the drive is bootable before you get start.
- Open Disk Utility and select the Flash Drive
- Select the Erase tab on the right and then set Format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Name the partition you’ll be creating Snow Leopard or OS X Install so you can keep track of your installation device. After you’ve done this, click the Erase button.
- After Disk Utility finishes erasing your old data on the flash drive and setting it as a new partition, it will be ready for the Snow Leopard install files. Select the Restore tab at the top and then drag the Snow Leopard DVD to the Source field. Select your USB device for the Destination file. Click Restore and wait for the restoration to finish (about 20 minutes).
- If the restoration worked correctly you should be able to open your USB device and see the Leopard installation files. If you try and click the Install OS X Snow Leopard icon, you’ll get the message below telling you you can’ install OS X from this volume. IGNORE the message. The next steps will walk you through the installation steps.
- Now that the installation files are successfully on your USB device, be sure to remove the Snow Leopard installation DVD from your drive. Next, restart your Mac and when it first starts to reboot, be sure to hold down the option (alt) key on your keyboard. After a few seconds at least two volumes should appear for you to select from for installation. One of those will be the USB drive we just prepared. Select it.
- After the Snow Leopard installation software boots from your USB drive, follow the on screen instructions for installation. It took about 38 minutes to install Snow Leopard on my machine from the USB drive. I’m curious to see how this compares to the average Mac users, please leave a post in the comments letting us know how long it took on your machine.
- After the installation finishes, it will reboot your computer into your new upgraded version of OS X, version 10.6 Snow Leopard
This method works for installing OS X Snow Leopard onto a Mac from a USB Drive. It should also work for installing Leopard or other older versions of OS X on Intel Based Macs. Check back often for additional help and tips for your Mac.
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Related posts:
- Installing Snow Leopard onto an External Hard Drive
- Boot Camp Basics
- Keeping Data Safe With Time Machine
Thanks a lot. Great advice!
The installation took about 40 minutes (but I went from 10.4 straight to 10.6) on my Intel MacBook (white), previous generation. Did it from a SanDisk flashdrive 16GB; no problems at all, although the error message displayed above did not apply for me.
Make sure the formatting of the USB drive goes correct. The transferring of my OS X dmg to the flashdrive took about 20 minutes.
Really good stuff! It took me 46 minutes from the second I hit the install button to the finish window!
Thanks so much!
It says its going to take 6 hours and 38 minutes for me. LOL. I also replaced the OSInstall.msci (or something like that) with a modded version so I could install it on my G4 Mac 500mhz, which doesn’t meet the 10.5 system requirements. Good stuff. Um 6 hours and 48 minutes now.
I got the drive with all the files. I can select the install option and tells me to restart once restarted i press down the alt key and i can only see my primary drive and unable to see my usb drive with install files. Any help?
IC3NIN3 – Did you make sure to partition the drive as a GUID partition? From the post above: NOTE:Depending on your flash drive, you may need to follow steps 5 – 7 on on installing onto a USB drive to make sure the drive is bootable before you get start.
Just installed it on my mac book pro (with bootcamp) using a cruzer 8gb usb stick and following your instructions here. Worked like a charm! Thanks! Took me less than 40 min!
Thanks for this,,, My DVD drive has never liked the Snow leopard and after and hour to try and get it to read the disk I gave up. Then I thought surely I can do it from a USB.. Then this guide came up!
Installed from USB drive as per your instruction. Took me 18 minutes for a clean installation onto my Intel 80Gb solid state drive (SSD).
Hi, thanks for the great tutorial.
Can I restore the install disk to a partition on an external hard drive instead of a Flash drive?
Hi there–I don’t have a big enough USB handy. But, could i possible use a 30GB iPod for this? If the iPod is set to “enable disk use” and therefore basically a big hardrive? Thanks!
Followed every step (as well as step 5-7 on other guide), using 8gb Sony flash drive, and it still does not show up on the boot menu (when I restart and hold alt/option. Any help please???
Trevor – What Mac are you using? Are you using a retail version of the install DVD? Most individuals that have Intel Macs and are using a Retail version have no problems installing this way.
I am on a iMac (late 2006) and installing from a retail version of 10.6…