I want to try a newer version of OS X to check for compatibility and performance with existing third party software. I do not want it install the newer OS X on the system drive until I have confirmed that everything works as expected.

I have created a bootable installation on an external FireWire drive, created with the external drive connected to a MacBook Pro. Everything seems to work fine. Now I want to confirm compatibility on an iMac.

My question is: Is this installation on the FireWire drive a "generic" version of OS X? Or is it specific to the hardware configuration? I.e, should the OS X installation created on the FireWire drive when connected to a MacBook Pro, boot and work properly on an iMac? Or, will I have to create a second boot image on the FireWire drive (another partition), specific to the iMac?

It should boot. Might be some settings that don’t move over (screen resolution, keyboards, etc) that you may have to configure. But it should boot fine.

All versions of OSX have all the drivers for the models that are supported by that version of the OS. If the version lists that iMac as compatible, it will boot from the partition.

Great! That makes life a little simpler. I can add whatever software I want to use, boot from the FireWire external drive, and work that way for a while on both the MBP at home and the iMac at work, until I see that the newer version of OS X supports all the software that I use.

Thanks to those who have answered. I appreciate your help.

To answer your un-asked questions, I am working with an older MBP and even older iMac, both running El Capitan. I have High Sierra on the FireWire drive. I can't go any newer than that; the iMac is old enough that High Sierra is the newest version of OS X that is listed for it.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I have High Sierra on the FireWire drive. I can't go any newer than that; the iMac is old enough that High Sierra is the newest version of OS X that is listed for it.

High Sierra is a good platform, and is still supported with Security Updates until next September. Security Updates are issued every time the current OS (Catalina) jumps a point version, so you can expect 3-4 more Security Updates between now and September. Make sure you get the Security Update that was just released earlier this week. It includes all prior Security Updates.
 
High Sierra Security Update 2019-007.
 
BTW, Apple calls its OS macOS now, rather than OS X.