Tried to install SSD with USB boot drive HELP

[JSKIM]

I made a bootable disk per the instructions on this forum (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost...07&postcount=3) and it seemed to have installed the OS onto my actual USB drive. I discovered this because obviously the machine is now shockingly slow. I installed a brand new OWC SSD. How did this go so wrong?

What can I do to fix it? I just want a clean install of Mavericks on this new SSD.

Right now my laptop is almost totally unusable.

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

I made a bootable disk

One question first, if your Mac is on and you then plug this USB drive in can you see it mounted?

 

[JSKIM]

I can't see the SSD but I can see the USB, which is the boot disk.

I realized that the SSD doesn't come formatted, so you can't just plug it in and expect to install the OS on it.

What is the absolute easiest way to boot from a USB, do whatever I need to do the SSD to make it ready to install the OS, then make it the boot drive and install the OS?

I'm so confused

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

From your link:

You can then boot up from the USB by holding down the option key, then install the GM from the USB.

Note that this will also install a recovery partition.

Boot into the recovery partition and go into Disc Utility then wipe & format your laptop then reboot as per above again, in Recovery Partition there should be the option to install Mavericks onto your Laptop.

What about your files on the laptop though? They will be wiped unless they were copied over to the USB drive?

 

[JSKIM]

I managed to just do it by wiping the SSD through Disk Recovery then installing through a hardwired connection. It installed Lion so I need to go through a series of upgrades. What is the smartest way to do this?

 

[oldscribe]

Hi,

If your are now running lion you can upgrade to Mavericks in one jump.
If you Mac is compatible.


Also regarding your bootable USB if the Mac is on and you plug it you should not be able to see it. It must be plugged before the Mac is booted, then on the screen you get the option to boot from it.