Can one Mac OS X DVD be used on multiple Macbooks?

Question

I need help urgently. I have bought a Macbook and I don't have an installation DVD with it. I have to install it using another DVD. I want to confirm if it is possible that I use the DVD of another Macbook and install OS X on mine.

Thanks Taimur

Answer 1

Most of the install DVDs that Apple ships with Macs are model-specific, because they often contain bundled software and Apple doesn't want you installing that software on Macs that didn't come with it. If you can find another DVD for the same model (and by "model", I don't mean "MacBook", I mean something like "MacBook2.1"), you're in business. Otherwise, you need to find a generic install DVD (i.e. one sold separately from any particular Mac) for a version o OS X newer than what your model originally shipped with. For instance, if your particular model originally shipped with OS X 10.6.3, it probably requires a special build of 10.6.3 with drivers for its new hardware added; a generic 10.6.3 (or earlier) DVD won't have these, and won't work; a generic 10.6.4 (or later) DVD should have the drivers and work properly.

Now, there may be a way around this if your MacBook has FireWire and you have a buddy with another FireWire Mac (and an install DVD for that Mac). What you do is start your MacBook in target disk mode (hold the T key as it powers on, and it'll pretend to be an external FW hard drive), connect it to your buddy's Mac via FW, then bood your buddy's Mac from the install DVD and use it to install onto your Mac's hard drive. Then, with your MacBook still in target mode, reboot your buddy's Mac (from your HD again) and update to a newer OS version than your MacBook requires. At this point you should have the drivers you need, and can shut everything down and restart normally.

Answer 2

The system DVDs bundled with the hardware are (or were at least) system-specific. There were some tolerances, but not much -- Macbook DVD fails on Macbook Pro and so forth.

To be sure, get a retail DVD, for example the 29$ Snow Leopard DVD (the "upgrade" disk that's actually a full version).