10.3: Create cross-platform disk images

Oct 25, '03 12:00:04AM

Contributed by: Morgoth

This hint leverages built-in functionality and should work from a base install. Disk Copy's functionality has been folded into Disk Utility in Panther. I classify this hint as a 10.3 hint because I have never tried it in earlier versions of Mac OS X..

In order to create a cross-platform disc you need to:

  1. create and name a folder set to the desired name of the disc. (ex. MyDisc)
  2. Fill that folder with the desired contents of the disc
  3. Open Terminal, go to the folder's parent directory and type hdiutil makehybrid -o MyDisc MyDisc/. This will create a file called "MyDisc.iso"
  4. Open Disk Utility and click Burn. Select MyDisc.iso as the source, and start the burn.

This should give you a disc which can be read by nearly any Mac, Windows, or Linux computer.

Comments (9)


Mac OS X Hints
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20030927130537765