Many users on the MyDellMini forum have installed using Mechdrew’s NetbookCD and related guides. At the moment, NetbookCD [...]]]> In a recent post Meklort stated that he will focus on simplifying the installation experience even more for the 0.8.4 release. his main goal is to make NetbookBootMaker supported on multiple platforms (or a version of it for each).

Many users on the MyDellMini forum have installed using Mechdrew’s NetbookCD and related guides. At the moment, NetbookCD can patch an OS X install DVD at runtime by using a special kext and a console version of NetbookBootMaker. This will be incorporated into both NetbookInstaller as well as NetbookBootMaker.

The following changes are planned (some already completed or in progress):

• NetbookBootMaker is in the process of being rewritten. It will no longer patch the installation dvd, instead NetbookBootMaker will install a postboot ramdisk (as with NetbookCD) that will patch the dvd (or usb drive) at runtime. This means that tiger will be a supported host OS.
• NetbookBootMaker will be ported to Windows (using Cocotron). NetbookBootMaker will be able to at least create both usb devices used for the two usb install method, although I'm also planning on getting it working with just one usb drive.
• Look into creating an app for Linux, however creating the usb drives can easily be done already.
• NetbookInstaller will automatically be run after a system update. A modified chameleon will run NetbookInstaller (via a ramdisk) if it detects the /System/Library/Extensions.mkext is newer than /Extra/Extensions.mkext. This should only happen if the user installs an OS update, or installs a kext to /S/L/E.
• NetbookInstaller and NetbookBootMaker will support 64bit targets. The main reason for the 64bit support is for the new Atom cpus from Intel, as well as netbooks with the Atom 330 cpu.

In other words 0.8.4 will focus on unifying the various installation methods so that a common code base can be used, as well as to simplify the amount of work a user needs to do to install OS X.

Since 10.5 is no longer in development, NetbookInstaller will no longer support Leopard. You can use an older version, such as 0.8.3. This is being done to simplify application as well as to reduce the download size.

via NetbookInstaller Plans (Specifically 0.8.4) « Meklort’s Blog.

It is about time Microsoft (and I hope Apple) realise that the world is evolving and that DVD are getting useless!  Why don’t [...]]]>

Realizing that the world of Netbook and ultraportable has gone missing a DVD reader Microsoft is thinkering with the idea of selling Windows 7 installation on USB Thumb Drive media.

It is about time Microsoft (and I hope Apple) realise that the world is evolving and that DVD are getting useless!  Why don’t they simply allow you to buy the right to download and install a new copy of the OS Installation on your own USB key!

This is what Meklort and I have been doing for OSX Installation on Netbook for close to a year.  Forget the DVD, think USB key!

This would save the planet from all those DVD media that we keep scratching, loosing.  You loose the USB key… fine, simply go online and use you purchased right to download a new copy and install that on your new 64GB USB key!

We don’t need dedicated key per OS.  Simply download the OS Installer you need to “a” USB key, install with it and then format that key for something else.

Maybe BestBuy and other retailers could offer their clients to install various OS version on USB Key for a minimal charge (or even for free).  This would prevent folks from downloading them via the internet and storing them on their HD. Simply walk to BestBuy, go at the OS imaging station and put the OS on your Thumb Drive.

Simple, practical, every one win.

Netbook owners using Apple MAc hardware will be able to “Netbookify” a restored copy of OSX DVD on a USB stick. What this mean is that you will simply restore the legal OSX [...]]]> Just to give you folks interested to OSX on Netbook update as to where Meklort and I are at with the next gen installer.

Netbook owners using Apple MAc hardware will be able to “Netbookify” a restored copy of OSX DVD on a USB stick. What this mean is that you will simply restore the legal OSX DVD installation to an 8GB+ USB Key then run a Mac application (windows should be available one day) called NetbookBootMaker.

Once the application has done a few things to the USB Key (like installing a boot loader (Chameleon), creating a custom extension cache including custom kext, etc you will be able to boot the netbook with it to perform the OSX install.

Once you boot from the netbookified USB key the installation will proceed just like on a real Mac… except that at the end the all to familiar Fail error message will show up… but the magic already happened behind the scene. At this point you simply click restart, take the USB key out of the netbook and boot straight to OSX.

At that point you may elect to apply a Combo patch or upgrade to 10.5.7. Obviously going from a 10.5.0 install to 10.5.7 need a special -x flag at boot to make thing display right until you can run “NetbookInstaller” which will replace the trusty DellEFI application that I used to write.

NetbookInstaller will do similar things to your netbook as DellEFI and will allow you to boot to a fully functional 10.5.7 system.  The big difference is that it will detect your netbook hardware and will install appropriate custom kext to make things right.

Currently supported devices by the installer are:

• Dell Mini 9
• Dell Mini 10v
• Dell Vostro A90
• Lenovo S10

We are probably a week away (or less) from releasing an alpha version to the community.  We just need to figure out some bugs with the new GUI Installer that replaces DellEFI.