New Mac mini owners - external boot USB3

[majkom]

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]

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/

[majkom]

Originally Posted by OldSchoolMacGuy

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/

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]

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]

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-...14~pdp.hcjeaji

[fhall1]

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.

[excommie]

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).

[xrm]

iam using ssd over usb3 for a week now, no problems so far speed is descent expect sata2 speeds with sata3 drives...

got a samsung 830 (128gb) in the thermaltake silver river 5g enclosure

for the benchmarks see this topic
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1483374

[Snowcake]

Originally Posted by excommie

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).

Which FW800 to sata converter are you using?

[excommie]

Originally Posted by Snowcake

Which FW800 to sata converter are you using?

Link to the enclosure on amazon is below. I use it since June. Not a single problem yet. I didn't even have to hook it up to a power adapter. I intended to put the SSD inside the iMac, but since I tried it over FW800 - I decided not to since all apps load instantly.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ms_ohs_product