Can you run bootcamp from an sdxc card?

[Dobbs2]

I have a macbook pro and well I don't have much space left on my 1tb hdd. Would it be possible to run windows 8 or 7 from bootcamp using this card?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/SanDisk...31607004&skuId=4807118&st=64gb sdxc&cp=1&lp=7

I have copies from my university of windows 7 and 8 and just picked up this sdxc card. My games that I play run better on windows. I was hoping this card was big enough and it was possible. Thanks for your time.

 

[Comeagain?]

Last time I tried, windows won't let you install it on an external drive. But Parallels will let you store the files on an external.

 

[johnnnw]

Am I the only one thinking this will be wayyyy too slow for run an OS on?

I'm thinking it is much too slow.

 

[jozeppy26]

Maybe give this a shot?

After MUCH searching and trial and error I have FINALLY found a way to accomplish what I wanted.

I hope this helps someone else as well.

I followed parts from this guide

Note this must all be done from within Windows.

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/win8togo

Here are the exact steps I did that finally worked for me.

1: Download RMPrepUSB, install and open.
Under 0 at top make sure you have the USB Flash Drive/SD/Micro SD device you wish to use selected!!
Select the following options.
-Under 3-Bootloader Options: WinPEv2/WinPEv3/Vista/Win7 bootable [BOOTMGR] (CC4)
-Under 4-Filesystem and Overrides: NTFS radio button and check "Boot as HDD (C:2PTNS)"
-Click on bottom left "6 Prepare Drive"
2: Download GetWaikTools and open (no install required)
http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/getwaiktools
Uncheck "Waik Tools for Windows 7"
Check "Waik Tools for Windows 8"
Verify "Download to AppDir\Waik_*" is checked
Click "Download"
This will create a new folder in the directory you launched GetWaikTools.exe from.
Open a command prompt with administrator rights and navigate to the newly created folder and then into the correct architect type (32bit or 64bit) that matches the Windows 8 installer you'll be using.

Assuming that your Windows 8 ISO is mounted at E: and the USB drive has the drive letter of F:, type the command:

"imagex.exe /apply E:\sources\install.wim 1 F:" (Without quotes)

Hit Enter

This will take a very long time (1 hour or more) depending on the interface and speed of the media.

Once it completes, type:

"BCDBOOT.exe F:\Windows /s F: /v" (Without quotes)

Hit Enter

If that fails it may be because you have an EFI Windows system, in which case try the following command:

"BCDBOOT.exe F:\Windows /s F: /f ALL /v" (Without quotes)

Hit Enter

Reboot your Mac and hold the alt/option key, you will now see the device as a bootable option. Arrow over to it and hit enter.

It will run through a device/hardware detection process that can take a long time initially but after that completes you have a fully functional version of Windows 8 running from a USB or SD slot attached flash device!

I have no idea if it matters whether your Mac uses the USB bus or PCIe bus to communicate with the SD slot

 

[Dobbs2]

Am I the only one thinking this will be wayyyy too slow for run an OS on?

I'm thinking it is much too slow.

I maybe wrong but I thought a class 10 sdxc card was equivalent to a 5400 rpm hdd.

----------

Last time I tried, windows won't let you install it on an external drive. But Parallels will let you store the files on an external.

I've made bootable usbs in the past. I had a 32gb one that worked on windows machines. I guess I was just hoping this wouldn't be to bad.

 

[Freyqq]

I maybe wrong but I thought a class 10 sdxc card was equivalent to a 5400 rpm hdd.

----------



I've made bootable usbs in the past. I had a 32gb one that worked on windows machines. I guess I was just hoping this wouldn't be to bad.

class 10 just means it is guaranteed to have 10 mb/s read/write speeds. However, some are faster than this. If it is, it'll likely say something on the box. For reference, a decent 5400 rpm hd has at least 60 mb/s read/write. An SSD has between 200-500 mb/s read/write.

 

[Dobbs2]

class 10 just means it is guaranteed to have 10 mb/s read/write speeds. However, some are faster than this. If it is, it'll likely say something on the box. For reference, a decent 5400 rpm hd has at least 60 mb/s read/write. An SSD has between 200-500 mb/s read/write.

The sdxc card I linked is the one I have it says 45mb/s. So it's close.

 

[Freyqq]

The sdxc card I linked is the one I have it says 45mb/s. So it's close.

Careful though. There could still be a bottleneck with the computer. Most sd card slots are connected internally by USB 2, which has a max speed of about 25 mb/s. If your computer has usb 3, there's chance it can handle the extra speed.

 

[jozeppy26]

Careful though. There could still be a bottleneck with the computer. Most sd card slots are connected internally by USB 2, which has a max speed of about 25 mb/s. If your computer has usb 3, there's chance it can handle the extra speed.

2011 and newer MacBooks don't use a USB bus to communicate with the SD card slot; they use PCIe.

OP, you should totally buy this:
http://www.lexar.com/products/lexar-professional-600x-sdxc-uhs-i-card?category=5286

 

[tengtengvn]

OP, you should totally buy this:
http://www.lexar.com/products/lexar-professional-600x-sdxc-uhs-i-card?category=5286

$999.99... LOL. That's cheap. In 4 20.

 

[johnnnw]

class 10 just means it is guaranteed to have 10 mb/s read/write speeds. However, some are faster than this. If it is, it'll likely say something on the box. For reference, a decent 5400 rpm hd has at least 60 mb/s read/write. An SSD has between 200-500 mb/s read/write.

10mb/s is wayyyyyyy too slow to run an os on. You will pull your hair out. My old computers hard drive is old and very slow and it's 15 mb/s and it's painful how often its loading the simplest things.

Definitely wouldn't recommend running bootcamp on a sd card.

----------

The sdxc card I linked is the one I have it says 45mb/s. So it's close.

That's not realistic. They say the highest possible, you won't get 45. Like the other guy said. It's likely to be 10-20.

 

[jozeppy26]

10mb/s is wayyyyyyy too slow to run an os on. You will pull your hair out. My old computers hard drive is old and very slow and it's 15 mb/s and it's painful how often its loading the simplest things.

Definitely wouldn't recommend running bootcamp on a sd card.

----------



That's not realistic. They say the highest possible, you won't get 45. Like the other guy said. It's likely to be 10-20.

Read the thread man, it wouldn't run that slow.

 

[yusukeaoki]

Bootcamp cant be installed on that but Parallels or VMware will.
I have VMware running off of my optibay HDD and runs fine.
I dont know how much r/w you get on the SD card but if its close to SATAII speed, you should be fine.

 

[ColdCase]

If you are used to snappy response, you will likely find hosting an OS on the SD card woefully inadequate.

Using blackmagic as a benchmark tool and my 2013 rMPB I found the following;

USB3 7200 rotational write 133MBps, read 135MBps
SD Card (Sandisk Ultra) 10MBps write, 44.4MBps read
USB3 SSD 215MBps write, 258 MBps read
Internal SSD 440MBps write, 461 reads (including file vault encryption)
USB3 5200 rotational 75MBps write, 84MBps read.
USB2 rotational 35MBps write, 38MBps read.

I run parallels with the widows OS on an external USB3 SSD without issue.

 

[jozeppy26]

If you are used to snappy response, you will likely find hosting an OS on the SD card woefully inadequate.

Using blackmagic as a benchmark tool and my 2013 rMPB I found the following;

USB3 7200 rotational write 133MBps, read 135MBps
SD Card (Sandisk Ultra) 10MBps write, 44.4MBps read
USB3 SSD 215MBps write, 258 MBps read
Internal SSD 440MBps write, 461 reads (including file vault encryption)
USB3 5200 rotational 75MBps write, 84MBps read.
USB2 rotational 35MBps write, 38MBps read.

I run parallels with the widows OS on an external USB3 SSD without issue.

In regards to the 7200rpm vs 5400rpm drives, the speed difference is due to the capacity (and therefore density) of the drive. You can only compare read/write between the two rotational speeds if both drives have the same capacity. Just FYI.

 

[johnnnw]

Read the thread man, it wouldn't run that slow.

I read the thread. I never said it was impossible, but it will just kind of suck.

Even if it was let's say 30 read/15 write, that's still not going to be fast enough.

If you're used to speed, it will feel extremely bad.

 

[jozeppy26]

I read the thread. I never said it was impossible, but it will just kind of suck.

Even if it was let's say 30 read/15 write, that's still not going to be fast enough.

If you're used to speed, it will feel extremely bad.

He should just buy the extreme pro SD that writes at 95 for $999.

 

[ColdCase]

In regards to the 7200rpm vs 5400rpm drives, the speed difference is due to the capacity (and therefore density) of the drive. You can only compare read/write between the two rotational speeds if both drives have the same capacity. Just FYI.

Perhaps a misnomer, sorry. They were all 1TB drives but of different performance category, perhaps different controllers. I shorthanded the description. HD performance much more complicated. I evaluate them for a living.

These data points just provide some real world reference for the amateurs among us; between a high performance drive, lower performance drives and the SD card reader.

Folks are saying the SD reader is off the PCI bus... but its slow regardless.

 

[rockyroad55]

No.

 

[johnnnw]

No.

/thread