--- Forwarded Message from Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 09:19:24 -0700
>From: Derek Roff <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #8130  MacIntel machines
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References:  <[log in to unmask]>

> Most troubling, is that the machine will not see good OSX images of any
> kind from a firewire drive to boot from. These images are known to be
> good, and work without failure from G series processor machines.  The
> images do show up on the desk top when started from the hard drive.

I think this is inevitable.  Any operating system has some elements that 
have to be compiled for the specific processor in the computer.  While the 
newest version of OS X contains code that allows it to run on either 
PowerPC or Intel processors, I am sure that some important code is 
different for the two.  I'm speculating that at the time of OS 
installation, the system will install the specific code appropriate for the 
processor type.  So, once the OS has been installed on a G4 or G5, that 
specific installed instance of the OS won't run on an Intel processor.  And 
vice versa.

I would bet that an Intel Mac could boot from a bootable disk image created 
on an Intel Mac, and stored on a FireWire drive.  And I suspect that this 
"known good" image would not be recognized by a G5 or G4 computer.  For 
those of us doing restores from an external drive, or using netboot in some 
way, this will require maintaining separate images for each processor 
family, even though the Mac OS version number is the same.  I hope Apple 
will offer us some guidance in that area.

Derek

Derek Roff
Language Learning Center
Ortega Hall 129, MSC03-2100
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505/277-7368, fax 505/277-3885
Internet: [log in to unmask]



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