Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Boot from External HD - Mac Mini

MRU

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Mac Mini.

I know this is theoretically possible, but just wondering if anyone else has ever done it.

Is it possible to copy the entire conents (system, everything) from the mac mini internal harddrive onto a lacie external firewire drive. Then choose that as my startup volume and benefit from increased speed?

I know in theory it should be (well at least if I did a clean install of the os on the lacie) but as I don't want to reinstall all my apps & updates since, i was thinking of just copying the entire HD onto the lacie...

Anyone done this?

(I haven't tried yet as I'm still waiting for UPS to deliver the lacie)...
 
pulsewidth947

pulsewidth947

macrumors 65816
Jan 25, 2005
1,106
2
Sure is possible.. I've done it on an old skool iMac DV (with its silly small HD)!

  1. Download Carbon Copy Cloner
  2. Plug in your fresh new HD
  3. Run Carbon Copy Cloner
  4. Go in system preferences > Start Up Disk
  5. Choose your external drive, and click restart.
  6. Enjoy the fact that its that easy on a Mac, and very very difficult with a PC.

Oh and if you find Carbon Copy Cloner worthy, please donate to the programmer. Also in Carbon Copy Cloner, click on preferences and check the "Repair permissions before cloning" option..

:EDIT: Bloody hell - you got enough stuff in your sig?! Thats a lot of Macs!

Finally, merry xmas and have a good new year.
 
D

dethbunny

macrumors newbie
May 19, 2005
11
0
Use the OS abilities

Plug in the external FireWire drive and pop in your system restore disc. Restore to the external drive, and when it asks if you want to copy yoru files and settings from another Mac OS X installtion, tell it yes. One of the options is to migrate from "another partition on the same computer." It'll copy over all your files, applications, user settings...everything.

That, or you could go the CCC route. Whichever.
 
MRU

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Original poster
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
Many thanks to you both. :) I've downloaded the clone program all i need now is my drive... Happy Xmas:)
 
I

iDONTdoWINDOWS

macrumors member
Aug 2, 2005
56
0
Riverton, Utah
I just picked up a new Lacie harddrive and followed all the steps except I forgot to repair permissions before cloning do you think that it will be a problem. thanks your help will be appreciated.
 
pulsewidth947

pulsewidth947

macrumors 65816
Jan 25, 2005
1,106
2
OMG! THE WORLD WILL END!

Nah, just repair permissions after, if it works anyway then it doesnt really matter about doing it before. Just make sure you do it reasonably regularly to keep your Mac a happy Mac.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom