Those links are for the reverse than what is meant in this thread. Installing Windows on a fixed hard drive from a removable USB disk.
What exactly are you trying to do?
B
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BootCamp + External Drive
- Thread starter derajfast
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What exactly are you trying to do?
B
Ah.
1) simply install Win 7 on an external drive
2) simply boot off of said external drive, or OS X internally, by choice.
Thanks!
I know step 1 requires a few steps; I'd like to avoid unplugging my internal drive or partitioning it for Windows. Simplest route, please, both to create an external bootable, and to use it.
Thanks, thanks, thanks.
1) simply install Win 7 on an external drive
2) simply boot off of said external drive, or OS X internally, by choice.
Thanks!
I know step 1 requires a few steps; I'd like to avoid unplugging my internal drive or partitioning it for Windows. Simplest route, please, both to create an external bootable, and to use it.
Thanks, thanks, thanks.
Unfortunately, there is no simple way. You either need to live with a 20 GB minimum internal partition (simplest) or end up unplugging the internal drive to install a modified version of Windows (harder).
B
What do you mean? I currently use my entire internal 500GB drive for Windows 7. OS X 10.6 is installed on the 1.5TB external. I'd like to swap that. Will the Win7 partition boot from my FW800 or USB enclosure?
I thought that was a MS impossibility.
Cheers,
Nothing is impossible, it's just a matter of how much work you want to do...
You still need to make modifications to Windows to have it not unload the USB stack during boot and you also may still need to remove the internal drive during setup.
Also, since it's an unsupported install, you run the risk that any Windows update can break it.
B
I see. Probably easier to replace the optical with some sort of internal bay connected to a sata port and run a laptop HD for Windows. I'll have to see if someone has already done that.
Thanks for the info.
Cheers,
So the good news is my wife's Mac Pro has a free bay (I guess it's good news?) I have Win 7, retail. I have numerous external drives. I have a bit of time. I think I have to go buy USB sticks; not a problem.
What would you all recommend; of course I'd prefer to have a nice 2.5" external drive that's USB-powered, so it's more easily transportable (since I can't see my wife stops working, and letting me use her computer for gaming
). Is it even possible to use one of the Mac Pro bays to format/partition/install Win 7 into a smaller drive?
Thanks.
What would you all recommend; of course I'd prefer to have a nice 2.5" external drive that's USB-powered, so it's more easily transportable (since I can't see my wife stops working, and letting me use her computer for gaming
). Is it even possible to use one of the Mac Pro bays to format/partition/install Win 7 into a smaller drive?Thanks.
So the good news is my wife's Mac Pro has a free bay (I guess it's good news?) I have Win 7, retail. I have numerous external drives. I have a bit of time. I think I have to go buy USB sticks; not a problem.
What would you all recommend; of course I'd prefer to have a nice 2.5" external drive that's USB-powered, so it's more easily transportable (since I can't see my wife stops working, and letting me use her computer for gaming
Thanks.
Even if it worked you Probably couldn't boot from it over USB.
Cheers,
Sorry, I'm a bit confused. Given my equipment list, should I a) try to create an external drive (by using it as an internal first, then putting it in a case) b) then somehow make it bootable? So if it was bootable via SATA, it won't be bootable via USB because of Windows?
All this might be scrapped, since Steam is coming out on the Mac anyway
Correct. Windows is not designed to boot from USB. Or perhaps Windows is designed not to boot from USB...
B
Hi all , installed windows xp pro 32 bit sp3 black edition on my external drive with no problem with this steps .
1)Modify your Windows install CD to support booting from a USB drive.
2)Remove the internal hard drive from the MacBook.
3)Connect the external USB drive. Note that some users report that the Windows installation will abort with an error unless the USB port nearest to the power connector is used.
4)Boot from the modified Windows install CD.
Progress through the Windows install, creating partitions and formatting the partitions as you see fit. You may want to partition the drive under Mac OS X using a FireWire connection, since Disk Utility cannot always partition USB drives.
5)Finish partitioning and copying of the files .
6)Replace internal hard drive .
7)Reboot into Windows on the external drive and wait for the Windows installation to finish.(reFIt was used to boot windows for me )
8)Finish installation and boot into windows successfully .(reFit was used again )
The last step is to install the drivers which is in the apple install dvd in my box set , but there was some problem , it was only for boot camp . i did not use boot camp to create any 5 gb partition . Now what do i do ??? Someone help me please !
1)Modify your Windows install CD to support booting from a USB drive.
2)Remove the internal hard drive from the MacBook.
3)Connect the external USB drive. Note that some users report that the Windows installation will abort with an error unless the USB port nearest to the power connector is used.
4)Boot from the modified Windows install CD.
Progress through the Windows install, creating partitions and formatting the partitions as you see fit. You may want to partition the drive under Mac OS X using a FireWire connection, since Disk Utility cannot always partition USB drives.
5)Finish partitioning and copying of the files .
6)Replace internal hard drive .
7)Reboot into Windows on the external drive and wait for the Windows installation to finish.(reFIt was used to boot windows for me )
8)Finish installation and boot into windows successfully .(reFit was used again )
The last step is to install the drivers which is in the apple install dvd in my box set , but there was some problem , it was only for boot camp . i did not use boot camp to create any 5 gb partition . Now what do i do ??? Someone help me please !
Boot Camp consists of three components.
- Boot Camp Assistant (the part you did not use)
- The firmware extensions required to boot "legacy" MBR OSes (which you are using)
- The drivers which you should install for maximum compatibility
Just because you skip BCA doesn't mean you are not using Boot Camp, go ahead and install the drivers.
B
Thanks , i tried to install the drivers , when i insert the install dvd , nothing happen , is anyone kind enough to send me the all the drivers required so that i can burn it onto a disk and install the drivers ??? I tried to extract them from my disk by converting the disk into a dmg and then using terminal but it doesn't work .
So just use the original disk and install manually from the appropriate MSI. Step 3 from this howto: http://yougottabekiddingyou.blogspot.com/2009/03/tutorial-apple-boot-camp-for-64-bit.html
B
Help with my hard disk
Hi Balamw indeed , i can install my drivers , thanks for your help , but i got another problem . one day , when i was using my windows on it , my brother knocked my files down which my external hard drive was on , the external hard disk was disconnected with my usb cable and everything inside had to be erased but it was okay . what was not okay was this
when i tried to copy my files out from my hdd .
the copying was extremely slow too , so what is the problem with my external hard drive ? Could anyone help me ? Is my external hard drive doomed ?
Hi Balamw indeed , i can install my drivers , thanks for your help , but i got another problem . one day , when i was using my windows on it , my brother knocked my files down which my external hard drive was on , the external hard disk was disconnected with my usb cable and everything inside had to be erased but it was okay . what was not okay was this
when i tried to copy my files out from my hdd .
the copying was extremely slow too , so what is the problem with my external hard drive ? Could anyone help me ? Is my external hard drive doomed ?
This has noting to do with the original thread topic and it seems like you're trying to read a torrented version of OS X 10.6, so my assistance stops here.
Sorry!
B
Sorry!
B
I'm wondering if I should partition 5GB from my 120GB Internal HDD and install Windows XP, but install the programs/games on the external HDD? How would that effect any performance? Since I only have 1 External, I use it for backups, but since it's 750GB, I wouldn't want to waste the extras.
Any recommendations/suggestions?
Any recommendations/suggestions?
You can certainly try that, however I always find that some things either just won't keep everything on the external and will force some installs on C: so 5 GB may be too little.
Which Mac do you have? It might just be a whole lot easier to stick in a $60 320 GB HDD from NewEgg and not deal with it. It's super easy on MacBook/MBPs that have/had a battery compartment. A bit less so on the newer ones and quite a bit less so on a mini.
B
I run a 40 gig internal partition because my sisters itunes is 25 gigs and lots of trash on main mac os. I also have a 1tb external drive but im too lazy to move my sisters itunes and repartition so I install nearly all stuff to external program files folder. If you really need to install something to external but it forces internal you can use folder junctions, however i usually only put large installs on external, small installs like browsers and small free image editing apps are kept on internal. Works pretty well, 10 gb to spare on internal.
^^ I do speak english and im from us, its just that my grammar died :O
Condolences.
Yeah the problem with junctions is knowing up front that something wants to go somewhere on C:\ Sometimes you don't know until it's too late.
B
Thanks for the reply balamw and bond304
@balamw
I guess 5GB also won't accommodate some programsmedium to high-end games for instancewhich might need memory from the HDD (please confirm this.)
I'm using a Macbook from early 2009 and I've been considering getting a new internal so I get rid of the hassle, but I'm also tempted to get a new MBP, lol. I probably won't though.
What type of Internal would you recommend? I've been recommended Seagate, but I'm still not sure. (I'm in Australia, btw.)
@bond304
Lol, your english is OK, just a bit messy.
How large is a "large install"? I'm gonna be using Bootcamp for games only, and I might go a bit hardcore.
If I settle with 32GB for internal (in case some programs can only be installed on C:,) and install everything on the external, would any gaming performances be reduced? Low settings for graphics are fine by me, but I wouldn't want to be lagging.
@balamw
I guess 5GB also won't accommodate some programsmedium to high-end games for instancewhich might need memory from the HDD (please confirm this.)
I'm using a Macbook from early 2009 and I've been considering getting a new internal so I get rid of the hassle, but I'm also tempted to get a new MBP, lol. I probably won't though.
What type of Internal would you recommend? I've been recommended Seagate, but I'm still not sure. (I'm in Australia, btw.)
@bond304
Lol, your english is OK, just a bit messy.
How large is a "large install"? I'm gonna be using Bootcamp for games only, and I might go a bit hardcore.
If I settle with 32GB for internal (in case some programs can only be installed on C:,) and install everything on the external, would any gaming performances be reduced? Low settings for graphics are fine by me, but I wouldn't want to be lagging.
I use steam, which keeps all games in the same folder, currently my steam folder is above 40 gigs, which would fill my hd by itself. I also have an install of x-plane with part of the 60 gigs of scenery installed. Also adobe photoshop, which is a couple gigs.
These are on external.
I usually try to install anything over a couple gigs on external.
Having a game on external will only affect certain types of performance. It should only affect read from file/disk times, which is equivalent to when the game is at a loading screen, because it is loading files from the game files to ram, but once it's finished, most of it is in ram, so the game performance should be fine, and also, you shouldn't have to turn the quality settings down any. Game devs already accounted for slow hd's, so it should be acceptable on an external hd.
I think it really all depends on specifically which games you are playing. As bond304 says, steam is pretty well behaved. Other games may not be so well behaved. One MMO I have been beta testing downloads 7 GB of stuff, and does not give you a choice of where to put it.
Usually what I have done when I have upgraded any of my Mac's HDDs is to buy from the same brand and product line as the drive Apple originally supplied. I think they have been Seagate and Hitachi drives mostly.
B
So most of your games are on the external? And the gaming performance is optimal? So I can go ahead and partition 32 gigs on my internal, and install the games on external? Cheers. Steam is coming to the Mac too.
Thanks for the answer sire.