Can OS X boot from any network disk image?

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Can OS X boot from any network disk image?

I'm planning on building an NAS in the relatively near future and part of it's feature-set is going to be as a Time Machine backup server and general file server.

However, I've been looking to beef up my backup strategy and am now considering using SuperDuper! or something similar to create a bootable backup of my computer on my NAS.

The box is going to be running FreeNAS and sharing everything via AFP. My question is if I ever have to boot from the drive, is there any reason I wouldn't be able to access the disk image as long as it's shared on via AFP and I know any path or login info?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7), iMac11,3

Posted on Jun 2, 2011 11:04 AM

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Answer 1

Doug_S Author

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Jun 2, 2011 11:17 AM in response to Kappy

Well, the intent would be that should a hard drive die, I'd be able to restore from a disk image instead of waiting for Time Machine, which can slower than death. Whether that means the disk image is bootable or not isn't so much as big of an issue I guess.

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Answer 2

Kappy

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Jun 2, 2011 11:11 AM in response to Doug_S

Although you can certainly create a bootable clone of OS X as far as I know you cannot boot from the clone if it's located on a NAS because the machine must be started up before the network can be activated. I know you can create disc images for the network install of OS X, but I'm not sure if that's what I understand as your intent. If so then a good place to start is www.bombich.com.

Also, I don't believe SuperDuper! can use a network drive as a target.

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Answer 3

Kappy

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Jun 2, 2011 11:29 AM in response to Doug_S

OK. Then go to the Bombich site where you will find a lot of information on creating network installable disc images of OS X using ASR. I think that should be on point for what you want to do.

If I might suggest, however, having a dedicated external or internal hard drive on which you keep a bootable clone using SuperDuper! or Disk Utility. This would be quicker because you would have a bootable drive from which you can continue to operate while fixing the drive that is corrupt or has failed. This gets you up and running far quicker than having to first reinstall OS X before you can restore a disc image from your NAS.

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Answer 4

Doug_S Author

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Jun 2, 2011 11:35 AM in response to Kappy

I have a 1TB drive I'm currently using for Time Machine that I could use for that.

Out of curiousity, is there any way for it to backup my Windows partition as well or am I starting to ask too much?

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jun 2, 2011 11:44 AM in response to Doug_S

You can partition the 1 TB drive and create a FAT32 volume on it as well as an OS X volume for the clone as long as the drive was partitioned using GUID. However, you will need to do the Windows backup from Windows.

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