Create a Bootable Mountain Lion USB Key Installer - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Create a Bootable Mountain Lion USB Key Installer

by

NewImage
Mountain Lion is the second release of OS X to be delivered via the Mac App Store. Like with Lion, users can create their own bootable USB key installer to use as a recovery disk or to install Mountain Lion on multiple Macs without needing to download the 4GB installer multiple times.

Ars Technica has an excellent walk-through using either the Disk Utility application that is included on every Mac, or the newly updated Lion Diskmaker app that automates the process of creating a bootable install key.

The biggest catch to the whole process is to make a copy of the Mountain Lion installer before actually installing Mountain Lion, otherwise the installer will need to be redownloaded from the Mac App Store.

(Image via Ars Technica/Chris Foresman)

Top Rated Comments

181 months ago
Unlike most of America I sadly do not have a true high-speed option for internet at my house. Thus I bring my MBP to work and use this method to generate an install package for my iMac at home. It's really the only way to do multiple installs if you don't have a good internet connection.

Reminder: you MUST copy the package before the actual install, but it's easy.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smithrh Avatar
181 months ago
The Lion Diskmaker link... well, the link isn't bad, I don't think, but the server it points to isn't happy...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
likemyorbs Avatar
181 months ago
"Create a Bootable Mountain Lion USB Key Installer"

No! I will not!
I fell for this with Lion and spent X wasted minutes of my life creating a USB key installer of Lion which I never used. :mad:

I'm letting is all hang out this time around; no ML USB key installer for me!

Yeah that'll show em'!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iSee Avatar
181 months ago
I'm feel like ranting...

"Create a Bootable Mountain Lion USB Key Installer"

No! I will not!
I fell for this with Lion and spent X wasted minutes of my life creating a USB key installer of Lion which I never used. :mad:

I'm letting is all hang out this time around; no ML USB key installer for me!

Yay, I'm about 5 minutes too late since I already installed ML. Oh well.

You got lucky in my opinion.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
felipecerda Avatar
181 months ago
Hi, sorry for the ignorance but does this method work for doing a clean install of ML and not just upgrading from an existing installation of Lion?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
h1r0ll3r Avatar
181 months ago
Yay, I'm about 5 minutes too late since I already installed ML. Oh well.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple Says CarPlay Ultra is Coming to These Vehicle Brands

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:53 am PDT by
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon. In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. CarPlay Ultra...
iphone 18 pro blue%402x

iPhone 18 Pro: Dark Cherry, Light Blue, and Dark Gray Chassis Leaked [Update]

Thursday June 4, 2026 5:18 am PDT by
Update: Since publication, new information has come to light suggesting the images have been AI-manipulated and are not in fact iPhone 18 Pro chassis parts. The original article follows. The color options Apple is reportedly planning for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18 Pro‌ Max have appeared online today in the form of images of chassis parts of unknown authenticity....
iOS 27 All the New App Features

iOS 27: All the Rumored App Features

Wednesday June 3, 2026 3:48 pm PDT by
Siri is getting a major overhaul in iOS 27, but Apple also has some big updates planned for apps like Camera, Photos, and Wallet. There are multiple new AI features in the works, plus some non-AI upgrades. Camera Apple is moving Visual Intelligence from the Camera Control button to the Camera app in iOS 27, according to Bloomberg. There will be a Siri mode that will be available alongside...