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January 16, 2008 4:40 PM PST

Apple: You can boot the MacBook Air from a remote disc

by CNET staff
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Apple officials have confirmed with MacFixIt that the MacBook Air can startup from remote optical media via the Remote Disc function. We asked Janette Barrios, Apple spokesperson for Desktops and Notebooks: "Does the Remote Disc function allows booting the system. In other words, could you put a Mac OS X Install disc in a remote computer then boot the MacBook Air from that disc?" She answered "Answer is yes, you can."

We assume that a startup key can be used to invoke Remote Disc booting (invoking a NetBoot under Mac OS X requires holding the N key at startup, while starting from an optical disc requires holding the C key), but are awaiting further details.

This news assuages some of our previously posted troubleshooting-related concerns regarding the MacBook Air, though emergency boots will still necessitate the presence of a nearby Mac/PC or an external USB drive (hard drive or optical).

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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    Add a Comment (Log in or register) (6 Comments)
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    by MacFixItUser January 17, 2008 12:56 AM PST
    Firrewire Target Disk Mode is invaluable for repairs as well as for installations of updates and upgrades. I want to purchase the MacBook Air, but only if it comes with FireWire. And there are tiny Firewire ports:

    Kanguru FireWire Flash Drive! - Firewire (IEEE 1394) Palm Sized Storage!
    http://www.kanguru.com/fireflash.html
    Reply to this comment
    by Elmo151 January 17, 2008 12:56 AM PST
    >
    This is a reply to a previous comment by null


    the apple video about the AirBook says you can start up in target mode using another computer as the target. The second computer needs installation of some software that comes with the AirBook.

    check out the video. It answers a great many questions....enough to convince me to buy one
    Reply to this comment
    by MacFixItUser January 17, 2008 12:56 AM PST
    >>
    This is a reply to a previous comment by Elmo151


    Thanks. But I want to use the MacBook Air as the target. For repairs. As far as I know, only FireWire allows that. Hopefully for the next revision.
    Reply to this comment
    by doh123 January 17, 2008 8:22 PM PST
    oh come on you guys... its pretty obvious how to do it just from guessing. At boot up you hold down the Option key, like you have been able to do forever, and get a list of all bootable devices found. EFI should be able to handle finding remote bootable devices on the wireless just fine. You then use the mouse to click the one you want to boot off of... just like booting off local drives.
    Reply to this comment
    by remyleroy January 17, 2008 11:28 PM PST
    That's a nice feature for sure.... but it suppose that this MacBook Air comes as a second computer at home. Why the hell didn't they fit an optical drive on the new Time Capsule in conjonction with the inner hard drive (or at least as an option).

    It would be great if this TimeCapsule could be used as the unit sportting the remote disks, either remote bootable hard drive or remote CD/DVD


    Another question concerning this Remote CD/DVD capability, is about "gaming". Many games ask for the insertion of their original CD/DVD in the drive to allow playing. Will a remote CD/DVD be seen as a valid CD/DVD?
    Reply to this comment
    by info-FFTir January 18, 2008 3:49 AM PST
    Maybe this functionnality will allow to NetBoot the MacBook Air from Airport.

    And what about the ethernet NetBoot via the USB/Ethernet adapter ?
    Reply to this comment
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