Can OS Mavericks be installed on bootable flash drive

Right .... I'm just now using DiskMaker to install the Mavericks OS onto the 8 GB USB flashdrive ... and it looks like it is creating a bootable Mavericks "INSTALLER" Flashdrive. Not what I wanted.

I already have a 32GB USB Flashdrive, that has Mountain Lion installed, along with all my utility and maintence utilities (Data Rescue, Disk Warrior, Drive Genius, etc.), that I use to run these programs off of.

I want to be able to have a fully operating Mavericks OS also installed on a separate 8 GB USB flashdrive as well. If Mountian Lion would easily install on a flashdrive ... then I would think Mavericks would too?

Can I just run the Apple downloaded, Mavericks OS installer (located in my Main Mountain Lion Applications folder), and designate the USB Flashdrive as the install destination?

Looks like it might be possible to install Mavericks OS on a USB Flash Drive .... the installer is looking like it might accept a Flash Drive ... it's just that the installer window is now telling me I need more than my 8GB Flash Drive to be able to install ....

When I can find a empty 16 GB Flash Drive (everything I've got left here are all 8GB) ... I'll give this another try and come back with my results.

Ok, so here's what I had, using a 16GB Flash Drive ...

1. First, launched the Mavericks Installer ...

2. Then, selected "Show All Disks"...

3. Then selected my 16GB Flash Drive ("Untitled") ...

4. Then clicked "Install" button

5. After "Install" finished, I was left with a folder on my 16GB Flash Drive ("OS X Install Data").

This was not what I had expected to be installed on the Flash Drive. I was expecting to see the typical HD installed OS folders:

• Applications

• Library

• System

• Users

Instead, right after the Flash Drive "Install", the pop-up install window said it would automatically re-start my iMac in about 30 seconds.

At this point, I wasn't sure waht would be installed, or where, and I quit out of the "Installer" before it had a chance to re-start.

So at this point, does anyone recognize this "OS X Install Data" folder ... and know what it's purpose is.

Would the re-start have then installed Mavericks on my 16GB Flash Drive? Why wouldn't the "Install" have installed all the Applications, Library, System, and Users folders on the Flash Drive, without needing to re-start?

I only cancelled the process because I didn't know if Mavericks OS was about to be installed over my existing Mountain Lion (on my iMac), and if the installed Flash Drive folder "OS X Install Data", had now turned my 16GB Flash Drive into a bootable Mavericks OS install disc?

Anyone have this experience, and seen what happens to that "OS X Install Data" Flash Drive folder upon install restart?

Ok, so I went ahead and took the leap to install Mavericks OS on a 16 GB Flash Drive.

Here are some of the steps:

1. This is where I left off, after using the Mavericks OS Installer (in previous discussion reply). After using the Mavericks OS Installer, I was shown a window (above), that stated it was going to automatically re-start my iMac (Mavericks OS "pre-installed on "Untitled" USB Flash Drive)

2. After the iMac was re-started ... this is the window that appeared when the Mavericks OS was being installed onto the 16GB USB Flash Drive (Note: it took about 25 minutes to install to the Flash Drive).

3. Next, after fully installing Mavericks OS, this is the window you should see. Again, the iMac will re-start automatically (or you can re-start using the "restart" button).

4. Once the iMac re-started, you will be directed through a series of windows to set-up the separate Mac account information (which only pertains to the newly installed Mavericks on the Flash Drive - NOT the already account info for the original iMac).

5. Once you fill out and complete the Mavericks OS account info, the Mavericks OS will automatically be the OS that will open on the iMac. The above window shows the actual Mavericks OS folders that were now installed on to the USB Flash Drive.

6. This is the "About This Mac" info window for the newly installed Mavericks OS.

7. To go back to, or to re-start back to a currently installed version of Mountain Lion 10.8.x .... just select the original iMac OS and select the "restart" button.

OR

8. After quiting out of Mavericks OS, on the Flash Drive, you can re-start the iMac (holding down the "option key" until you see the above window .... then select which ever "drive/OS" you want the iMac to start from.

Thats it !

Some observations:

I was able to run all the Mavericks OS applications off the USB Flash Drive (even taking a look at the new Maps and bookstore apps).

I obviously noticed that the Flash Drive ran Mavericks OS alittle slow at times (with the spinning beach ball" apearing at times).

Overall, installing Mavericks OS on a Flash Drive (to just take a quick look at the new OS), was probably not worth it .... seeing that I could just visit an Apple store, or Apple retailer, and take a look there.

Still ... it does show that the downloaded Mavericks OS installer will install to an external USB Flash Drive!