How to create a system image

Firstly, I have just bought my first mac (macbook pro) so I do not know much about OSX (I have always used windows).

I was just wondering how I can take an image of my hard disk so that I can restore my mac to it's original condition (with some essential apps such as office mac and firefox installed).

Does OSX have a tool built in to do this or will I need another program.

Also I would like to know how you would restore the image because I know that an image of a hard drive cannot be restored while that drive is in use.

All help appreciated, thanks in advance.

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6)

Posted on Nov 17, 2009 11:03 AM

19 replies

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Nov 19, 2009 6:42 AM in response to ss4

you will be able to use the partition formatted FAT. the partition with TM backups which will be formatted mac os extended will only be visible from OS X because windows can not read that format without extra software like MacDrive. also snow leopard provides bootcamp drivers that will make it mac os extended readable from windows but I believe you can only install those if you run windows via bootcamp on a mac.

ss4 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 19, 2009 8:44 AM in response to V.K.

I think I'm going to partition one part as mac os extended and one part as ntfs and with the partition scheme as GUID.

Would everything be ok with this?

You have been so helpful so far.

V.K.

Level 9

56,192 points

Nov 19, 2009 12:14 PM in response to ss4

disk utility can not create NTFS partitions. you can make it FAT and then reformat it NTFS from windows. however, know that NTFS is read only from OS X without extra software like NTFS-3g or NTFS for Mac by Paragon.

ss4 Author

Level 1

0 points

Nov 19, 2009 12:57 PM in response to V.K.

Yes, I know that that NTFS is read only from mac.

I'm going to be using the external hard drive mainly on windows so that is fine with me.

I would rather it was NTFS in windows becuase of the limitations of FAT.

Thanks for all your help.

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How to create a system image