BootCD
Encyclopedia
BootCD is a tool for making bootable
CDs with Apple
's operating system Mac OS X
with a working Finder
and Dock
. Such CDs are known as Live CD
s.
The classic Mac OS
was easily bootable from read-only media. In fact, the installation media itself could often be used as a Live CD, since the installation process was not automatically invoked. Mac OS X is different since it is based on BSD Unix
and normally wants to have write access to certain locations. Also, it's quite large in size, which makes it more difficult to slim down to the size of a CD.
Charles Srstka has developed a program named BootCD to aid in creating bootable CDs for Mac OS X. It collects the needed parts of the OS to a burnable disk image
file. As part of the creation process, the user may add whatever third-party applications he/she might want to run from the boot CD, which can allow for advanced maintenance or recovery of a damaged system. DiskWarrior from Alsoft Inc., is an example of such an application.
As of February 2007, BootCD does not support the Tiger
series of Mac OS X. The developer has announced that the development is on hold, making Tiger support an unlikely feature.
The term "BootCD" is also used to refer to "boot CD" methods and products to install products and operating systems. Often a boot CD is used to recover critical files and directories in the event of system failures. Companies providing these solutions include, but are not limited to: Portlock SMART; Acronis True Image and Paragon Software's solutions.
Booting
In computing, booting is a process that begins when a user turns on a computer system and prepares the computer to perform its normal operations. On modern computers, this typically involves loading and starting an operating system. The boot sequence is the initial set of operations that the...
CDs with Apple
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
's operating system Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
with a working Finder
Macintosh Finder
The Finder is the default file manager used on Mac OS and Mac OS X operating systems; it is responsible for the overall user-management of files, disks, network volumes and the launching of other applications...
and Dock
Dock (computing)
The Dock is a prominent feature of the graphical user interface of the Mac OS X operating system. It is used to launch applications and switch between running applications...
. Such CDs are known as Live CD
Live CD
A live CD, live DVD, or live disc is a CD or DVD containing a bootable computer operating system. Live CDs are unique in that they have the ability to run a complete, modern operating system on a computer lacking mutable secondary storage, such as a hard disk drive...
s.
The classic Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
was easily bootable from read-only media. In fact, the installation media itself could often be used as a Live CD, since the installation process was not automatically invoked. Mac OS X is different since it is based on BSD Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
and normally wants to have write access to certain locations. Also, it's quite large in size, which makes it more difficult to slim down to the size of a CD.
Charles Srstka has developed a program named BootCD to aid in creating bootable CDs for Mac OS X. It collects the needed parts of the OS to a burnable disk image
Disk image
A disk image is a single file or storage device containing the complete contents and structure representing a data storage medium or device, such as a hard drive, tape drive, floppy disk, CD/DVD/BD, or USB flash drive, although an image of an optical disc may be referred to as an optical disc image...
file. As part of the creation process, the user may add whatever third-party applications he/she might want to run from the boot CD, which can allow for advanced maintenance or recovery of a damaged system. DiskWarrior from Alsoft Inc., is an example of such an application.
As of February 2007, BootCD does not support the Tiger
Mac OS X v10.4
Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger is the fifth major release of Mac OS X, Apple's desktop and server operating system for Macintosh computers. Tiger was released to the public on 29 April 2005 for US$129.95 as the successor to Mac OS X Panther , which had been released 18 months earlier...
series of Mac OS X. The developer has announced that the development is on hold, making Tiger support an unlikely feature.
The term "BootCD" is also used to refer to "boot CD" methods and products to install products and operating systems. Often a boot CD is used to recover critical files and directories in the event of system failures. Companies providing these solutions include, but are not limited to: Portlock SMART; Acronis True Image and Paragon Software's solutions.
See also
- El Torito Bootable CD SpecificationEl Torito (CD-ROM standard)The El Torito Bootable CD Specification is an extension to the ISO 9660 CD-ROM specification. It is designed to allow a computer to boot from a CD-ROM...
- KnoppixKnoppixKnoppix, or KNOPPIX , is an operating system based on Debian designed to be run directly from a CD / DVD or a USB key , one of the first of its kind for any operating system. Knoppix was developed by Linux consultant Klaus Knopper. When starting a program, it is loaded from the removable medium...
- Linux-based Live CD; PPCPowerPCPowerPC is a RISC architecture created by the 1991 Apple–IBM–Motorola alliance, known as AIM...
port required for older Macintoshes before Apple–Intel transition - BartPEBartPEBartPE is a lightweight variant of the 32-bit version of Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, similar to Windows Preinstallation Environment, which can be run from a Live CD or Live USB drive....
- Similar software for Microsoft Windows XP/2003