How to Clean Install Mac OS X Lion Using a USB Flash Drive

[huss1205]

I want to buy a MacBook Air soon I hope and it will be first experience for me. Just to clarify this; Mac Airs come with no OS DVD and if I want to reinstall it is to download some App from Apple.com and this App helps me prepare a USB where I can have a copy of the executable OS so I can install it if I want to Recover my machine or install the OS if I decide to change my hard drive for instance...Just asking dumb questions I know but forgive me. I want to start using the Macs questions help..

[tittil1]

thank you so much for this vid.

[AppSlice]

@tittil1 You're welcome! Glad I could help =)

[zulli85]

Yup, it was clagging.

[MrSmsmsm428]

Is there any faster way to install?

[AppSlice]

@MrSmsmsm428 Unfortunately, not really. The only other option is to buy Lion already on a USB stick (which I didn't know at the time of making this video) for $70 or so. Kind of a ripoff if you ask me.

[perzk]

Your USB stick must be slow because mine took like 6 minutes to create the USB image ;P

[ydksinister]

This is a good video, I didn't know much on how to install mac os b4 but I watched this and it worked perfect. There were no problems for me at all, I used a 16gb USB key so I had enough space lol. But again great video, my MacBook Pro was so slow and laggy on startup not how I bought it and when I did the Lion upgrade it just killed it. But now with the clean install it's super fast, Thanks again AppSlice great vid !!!

[shadowsarah]

I made a partition on my new external HD for the lion install files. Then the other partition has my backup and a time machine just in case. Is that okay? There is no way that my backup partition will be touched or changed during set up?

[TheMrReynawa]

what happened to you finder?!  it so cool like chrome finder :p

[vindication84]

@TheMrReynawa It's an app called TotalFinder. It's a really awesome app that transforms your finder into a much more useful finder. I believe ThatSnazzyiPhoneGuy did a video review on it if you want to check that out =)

[TheMrReynawa]

@vindication84 Nah, thanks haha... just suprised and interested when i see

you finder :D...i'll try to find it 

[Chequeredpenguins]

idiottt apple is selling a USB of lion online just sayiinnn :)

[vindication84]

@Chequeredpenguins They hadn't announced that before I made this video. And it also costs a ridiculous $45 extra, so it's much smarter to just do it yourself.

[macuser5555]

@Chequeredpenguins Your the one that's an idiot if you think the majority of the world is so "computer savvy" that they will even think to try this method in the video. Most people don't even know how to use a computer past emailing or spreadsheets. Any company would've created a USB stick of their software because they know a large number of people would buy it.

[sixmelon]

Thank you!!!

[sahanlak]

Great vid, thnx

[dellzzzzzz]

Oh btw i already installed lion, bud now i want to clean install it again

is that possible with this technique ??

[dellzzzzzz]

Great job on the vid!

[AjblueDesign]

Just to let you know, you and hundreds of other lion clean install videos led me on a wild goose chase. When this whole time I have found out I could have done very simply. All you have to do it download and install lion digitally, once completed reboot holding command r, booting into the recovery partition lion naturally makes for the users. Disk utility erase Mac hd, then reinstall lion. Very quick and simple, no need of a burned DVD or USB . The longest part is downloading lion twice since w

[AppSlice]

@AjblueDesign I didn't know this method, but it seems like you're saying that's to install Lion on top of another Lion install.

[jingwen07]

@AjblueDesign what you did was reinstall Lion NOT a fresh install(removes everything) which is what he's doing.

[AjblueDesign]

@jingwen07 it is still a fresh install, i used the lion recovery mode to erase my whole harddrive, lion has a small hidden partition dedicated to recovery mode, so i erased everything then installed lion again. trust me it is a fresh install just a hell of a lot easier

[skybabylon1]

How much did your external HD cost? and where did you buy it?

[AppSlice]

@skybabylon1 I bought it on Newegg for $80. It's a refurb, though.

[jakelights]

Good job! Thanks

[yojosefo]

how does it download the files in the first bar?! im guessing the wifi network connection is not known by the booting drive....or is it?!

[AppSlice]

@yojosefo I was connected to Ethernet. I'm not sure if it can connect with wifi. 

[AjblueDesign]

Thanks, and do you know if I can alternatively install lion by mounting the install dmg to it's own partition. I have installed snow leopard before without a cd or separate drive.

[AppSlice]

@AjblueDesign I believe you can. Matt posted a video over at LMT today in which I think he does that.

[AjblueDesign]

Just what I needed thanks, my MacBook is getting fixed right now so I am going to have to wait a week. Anyway, I hate the dashboard, if it's not in preferences to turn off. Could you make a video for me.

[AppSlice]

@AjblueDesign No problem! I don't think there's a way to fully disable dashboard, but I literally just posted a video which shows how to re-enable "classic" dashboard.