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    Macbook Air Vista off USB drive

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by darkdss, Feb 10, 2008.

  1. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    Yoyo. Any mac experts here? I just got an AIR but I don't want to shell out 100 bux for the dvd-rom addon.

    I have an official copy of Vista Business in ISO format... can I just extract the contents on an external hard drive and install it that way instead of off a cd?

    any tips appreciated! :)
     
    darkdss, Feb 10, 2008
    #1
  2. bczera

    bczera Notebook Geek

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    i think you can, you have to use disk utility to do it, it's a little to moderate hard, but i think you can.. look at google how to make a bootable image in a external disk and there you are.. i have done it once :D
     
    bczera, Feb 10, 2008
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  3. stealthsniper96

    stealthsniper96 What Was I Thinkin'?

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    Yea it sounds like it could work.
     
    stealthsniper96, Feb 10, 2008
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  4. kgeier82

    kgeier82 Notebook Deity

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    it should work in theory. just cause u extract the ISO to the HD though, doesnt mean itll boot.
     
    kgeier82, Feb 10, 2008
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  5. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    bleh i just opt'd out and picked up a cheap external dvd-rom for like 40 bux.
    just gonna save me the trouble :D
     
    darkdss, Feb 10, 2008
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  6. Xander

    Xander Paranoid Android

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    Xander, Feb 10, 2008
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  7. Stone825

    Stone825 Notebook Virtuoso

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    I think you can only use the Macbook Air official external USB Drive.

    Its one way or the other I forget. Its either you can't use any external DVD drive on the macbook air. Or you can't use the Macbook Air EXDVD on any other computer.

    One of the two I THINK.
     
    Stone825, Feb 10, 2008
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  8. Arquis

    Arquis Kojima Worshiper

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    The MBA drive only works with the MBA. As for other USB drives... I don't know.
     
    Arquis, Feb 10, 2008
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  9. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    I just got it to kinda work. Bootcamp formatted a 50 gb partition in FAT32 for me. I tried to convert it to NFTS but then it gave me an error message that my system32\hal.dll was corrupt.

    Gonna try it again without changing Fat32 to NFTS
     
    darkdss, Feb 10, 2008
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  10. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    Just thought to myself... why can I partition 55 gigs in FAT32 using bootcamp? I thought the lmited was 32 gigs?

    Btw. I tried installing Vista with a LITE-ON external DVD and the Mac couldn't pick it up -- so I'm now installing XP with a older exteral CD rom, then I'm going to mount the ISO for vista and just upgrade. I guess the lesson is not all exeternal DVDs are compatible with the air.
     
    darkdss, Feb 10, 2008
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  11. kgeier82

    kgeier82 Notebook Deity

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    the limit inside windows is 32GB. i think fat32 can go to 2 TB? not sure.

    its just a windows restriction.

    on that note, i just tried to do what the OPer wants to do, and was unsuccessful. i tried to image a vista dvd to a usb HD, and boot from it.

    it just wouldnt work.
     
    kgeier82, Feb 10, 2008
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  12. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    I'm about to give up. busted my balls trying to get a soliid 55 gig installation but i keep running into "hal" errors, or system drive errors. They are documented on the apple site, but I can't find resolution

    this is bOLLOCKS!
     
    darkdss, Feb 10, 2008
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  13. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    Success! I got it to work after doing a FULL NTFS format.
    now to see if key features will work eg. backlight etc.

    AM I the only one here with an air? And please don't respond saying i was the only one "dumb" enough to buy it.

    thanks
     
    darkdss, Feb 10, 2008
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  14. darkdss

    darkdss Notebook Consultant

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    ok I tried to install XP twice and during setup I got BSOD.
    I think i might give up on this one.

    Anyone I'll stop posting small bits of data and wont post again till i get more concrete results.

    peace!
     
    darkdss, Feb 11, 2008
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  15. Hansii

    Hansii Newbie

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    People who have installed it with the SuperDrive says Vista works grets, it is supposedly snappier and faster than MacOS, but I haven't seen anyone without the SuperDrive installing it
     
    Hansii, Feb 14, 2008
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  16. kgeier82

    kgeier82 Notebook Deity

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    what? no way, ive had both on my machine for a while now.

    not even close :)
     
    kgeier82, Feb 14, 2008
    #16