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New Mac mini owners - external boot USB3

M

majkom

macrumors 68000
Original poster
May 3, 2011
1,854
1,150
Hi there, are there any mac mini users that boot from external SSD via USB3?

I plan to buy iMac, but I am no willing to pay bloody apple tax for SDS upgrade, so I am looking for anyone who is booting its machine via usb3, any experience, speed, possible problems??

To make it clear, firstly I thought about external TB SSD disk, but price for thunderbolt enclosure is unacceptable for me, so USB is my last hope:)

Thx for any idea/experience you will share with me:)
 
OldSchoolMacGuy

OldSchoolMacGuy

Suspended
Jul 10, 2008
4,197
9,050
Why not just install the SSD in the Mac mini? There is space for another 2.5" drive. The kit costs $45 which is less than you'd pay for a decent USB 3.0 case. Plus SATA speeds are faster than USB 3.0.

This is what many (including myself) have done. I run the factory 1TB drive along with my SSD drive. Once everything checks out after further research into creating your own Fusion Drive using 2 internal drives, I may setup my two drives as a single one for even better speed benefits.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMM11D2/
 
M

majkom

macrumors 68000
Original poster
May 3, 2011
1,854
1,150
OldSchoolMacGuy said:
Why not just install the SSD in the Mac mini? There is space for another 2.5" drive. The kit costs $45 which is less than you'd pay for a decent USB 3.0 case. Plus SATA speeds are faster than USB 3.0.

This is what many (including myself) have done. I run the factory 1TB drive along with my SSD drive. Once everything checks out after further research into creating your own Fusion Drive using 2 internal drives, I may setup my two drives as a single one for even better speed benefits.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DIYIMM11D2/
Click to expand...

As I wrote before, I do plan to buy iMac, but to get SSD or Fusion to iMac, it means to skip entry model (+200 dollars premium) and to buy apples update (next 250-300 dollars)... buying usb3 SSD is like 200 dollars.. thats why I am asking:)
 
OldSchoolMacGuy

OldSchoolMacGuy

Suspended
Jul 10, 2008
4,197
9,050
Yup and going the route I posted you can add a SSD to an entry level Mac mini.

As I said, installing the drive internally will be faster as it uses SATA rather than SATA to USB 3.0 as you would be with an external drive.
 
philipma1957

philipma1957

macrumors 603
Apr 13, 2010
6,365
251
Howell, New Jersey
having done a lot of both my advice is hold off on the usb3 as a booter.

I have managed to get the usb3 osx booter to fail under stress testing of the cpu.

If you go external this is your lowest cost best device. I buy them pull the drives disconnect the fan and run ssds. i sell the hdds on ebay so the case costs about 110 plus 2 ssds.

I have found these to work and at 100 to 110 for a 2 drive case with a daisychain option This is my goto mac mini booter.



http://www.macmall.com/p/LaCie-Hard-Drives/product~dpno~9105214~pdp.hcjeaji
 
fhall1

fhall1

macrumors 68040
Dec 18, 2007
3,826
1,263
(Central) NY State of mind
philip - where do you get them for $100 to $110? The price on that link is $210, or am I missing something?

EDIT - nevermind...I missed the part where you subtract your ebay sales figure.
 
E

excommie

macrumors regular
May 12, 2009
206
1
I'm using my iMac with SSD on FW800 bus and it works nice and fast. Boots in 20 seconds (core2duo), All apps open in a single bounce. So if you don't care for artificial benchmarks - I highly recommend it. Using FW over USB has it's own benefits - FW800 is not using CPU (USB is CPU dependent).
 
S

Snowcake

macrumors regular
May 18, 2010
187
0
excommie said:
I'm using my iMac with SSD on FW800 bus and it works nice and fast. Boots in 20 seconds (core2duo), All apps open in a single bounce. So if you don't care for artificial benchmarks - I highly recommend it. Using FW over USB has it's own benefits - FW800 is not using CPU (USB is CPU dependent).
Click to expand...

Which FW800 to sata converter are you using?
 
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