Mac OS X: When is Starting Up From CD-ROM to Install Required?

With Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server versions 10.1 to 10.1.5, you must start up from the CD-ROM to install the operating system. Other means of installing the operating system are not recommended or supported. For versions 10.2 and later, Network Install is a secondary supported installation method, though you may need to correct a permissions issue that affects printing.
Symptom


Solution

Versions 10.1 to 10.1.5:

For symptom 1, start up from the CD-ROM to install Mac OS X Server. This is the only supported installation method.

If you have symptom 2 only, try using the Repair Privileges utility. See technical document 106900, "Mac OS X: About the Repair Privileges Utility 1.1".

Versions 10.2 and later:

You may install from CD-ROM or via Network Install. However, computers installed using the Network Image Utility bundled with Mac OS X Server 10.2 will have a permissions issue that prevents you from printing. Computers installed using Network Image Utility bundled with Mac OS X Server 10.2.1 or later do not have this issue. Once a computer is affected, updating it to 10.2.1 does not resolve the issue. You may, however, resolve the issue by using the Repair Permissions feature of Disk Utility. At the affected computer:
Published Date: Feb 17, 2012