Making bootable snow leopard external drive using time machine restore

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Level 1

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Making bootable snow leopard external drive using time machine restore

I have my entire hard drive using snow leopard backed up on time machine. I would like to copy everything to an external drive. I would like this external drive to be bootable so I can use snow leopard from there--just as I would from my HD. My thinking is that I will then upgrade my HD to Yosemite and can still use Snow Leopard from the external. Can I do this? How? Any other suggestions to achieve this goal?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Time Machine

Posted on May 9, 2015 8:20 AM

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Answer 1

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Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

May 10, 2015 9:10 AM in response to LHM

Yes, providing the hard drive is attached to the computer. Just copy the files from your internal to the external drive. Then restart holding down the option/alt key, select the external as the startup disk, and let the boot continue. If successful, install Yosemite on the internal.

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Answer 2

LHM Author

Level 1

45 points

May 10, 2015 9:10 AM in response to Eric Root

You mean I just copy the contents of my HD to the external? That almost seems to easy! I don't need Time Machine? It is sure worth a try. Thanks for the info. I really thought I needed a special program for this.

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

May 10, 2015 9:16 AM in response to LHM

You are welcome. A direct copy should work. Use Disk Utility to make sure the external is formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

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Answer 4

LHM Author

Level 1

45 points

May 13, 2015 1:18 PM in response to Eric Root

It didn't work Eric. First I had all kinds of permission/password notices. When I finally got it all

copied, it does not show up at Systems Preferences>Startup Disk. At startup with option key the disk is labeled EFI Boot. I am afraid to try it. The disk is formatted MacOs Extended (Journaled) and GUID Partition Table. Seems like it should be OK. I think I will install Snow Leopard from my iMac install disk and move/migrate the rest from my HD. Never tried that before.

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