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Create a bootable iPod classic
Remember the iPod classic? That chunky little slab of plastic in which you could store thousands of songs on an internal hard disk drive? Well, if you do, and if you still happen to have one laying around somewhere collecting dust, Chris Breen over at Macworld has the perfect job for it: using an iPod classic as a bootable emergency drive. This isn't a new trick by any means. I still have my old fourth-generation iPod within arm's reach in case I need to boot a Firewire-equipped Mac, and I even wrote about this in my now-obsolete 2007 e-book Take Control of Your iPod: Beyond the Music. But Breen and the crew at Macworld have updated the process for the USB-equipped iPod classic, with a few caveats thrown in for good measure. First, since the iPod classic isn't vented, it can get hot if you keep it hooked up as an external drive for a while. Second, it's slow, so your boot times aren't going to be exactly speedy. Breen points to another post by his Macworld cohort Dan Frakes in which the latter blogger shows how to install Mountain Lion on a bootable external disk. It's a bit of work, but if you have an iPod classic that's no longer being used, at least you can give it a job to do in case of emergency.
Windows 8's new 'Refresh' and 'Reset' options get detailed
And just like that, your next Windows-based PC becomes more like a phone. We'd heard during our early playtime with Windows 8 that the furniture would be arranged a little differently when it came to resetting and refreshing one's machine, and now we're being given a closer look at what exactly that means. Finalized builds of Win8 will offer a pair of related features; 'Reset your PC' will allow you to remove all personal data, apps, and settings from the PC, and reinstall Windows, while 'Refresh your PC' enables your to keep all personal data, Metro style apps, and important settings from the PC, and reinstall Windows. The goal here? To give end-users a single button to press when you just want "everything to be fixed." An interesting approach, no doubt, but one we're probably better off having than not. We're still many months out from securing a final copy of this OS on our desk, but those interested in every little tidbit -- including a new method for creating a bootable USB flash drive -- can visit the links below.
OLPC's Linux-based operating system available for download
If you've got a tick to spare, or you're simply the type who shoves any flavor of Linux on any flavor of gadgetry that'll accept it, here's yet another opportunity to kill some time and check out the OLPC a bit further. Apparently, the Linux-based Sugar OS from the One Laptop Per Child project is now available via a bootable LiveCD ISO, and according to user reports, works quite well aside from the "lack of WiFi capability" on a certain MacBook. But hey, why are you relying on us to tell you how it works out? Go on and tag the read link whilst grabbing a fresh cup of joe, and do report back with ample amounts of praise (or grouses) once you've checked things out.[Via Digg, photo courtesy of LinuxQuestions]
Logitec kicks out five new eSATA external hard drives
If you're looking to snag one of those externally bootable eSATA drives, but don't want to sacrifice that increasingly necessary USB 2.0 connectivity, Logitec has five new drives to fit the bill, regardless of storage space needed. Boasting a sleek, silver / black enclosure and a "silent" (read: fanless) design, this dual-port drive comes in 250GB, 320GB, 400GB, 500GB, and 750GB flavors. While an eSATA PCI card isn't bundled in, it's an optional accessory if your PC isn't already prepared for it, and the device also features a file mirroring tool to easily clone your boot drive and a "write protection button" to prevent data entry -- you know, in case you're faced with any Jack Bauer-like situations. Anyways, the LHD-EDSAU2 series can be snapped up in Japan next month for ¥17,800 ($152), ¥22,100 ($188), ¥28,500 ($243), ¥31,700 ($270), and ¥72,200 ($614), running from smallest to most capacious.[Via Akihabara News]
A simpler process for creating a bootable PPC and Intel drive
A reader of macosxhints.com has posted another method for creating a bootable drive that is friendly to both PowerPC and Intel Macs. While it's a twelve-step process, macosxhints.com has called it 'simpler', so who are we to argue? If you've been hankering for a way to create a bootable drive that can play on both sides of the Mac CPU fence, this tip just might have you covered.
