I use WinClone to create a backup image, then restore that image to the new drive. Done it many times and it has never failed me yet.
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Bootcamp Windows 7 externally using thunderbolt drive?
- Thread starter KOTULCN
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Ok so I used CMD+R and did a clean install of El Capitan onto new SSD (in external thunderbolt enclosure) and once it booted up and got to desktop I migrated info from Time Machine backup and disabled SIP. I created a Winclone image of existing Windows Bootcamp and stored that image on my iMac's internal HDD. I am running into an issue now where Bootcamp Assistant won't let me create a BC partition because it is saying that the start disk has to have a single partition! The only thing that I can think of is that my install created the recovery partition and that is preventing me from installing a BC partition. Am I missing a step? How do I fix this so I can create a BC partition on new SSD and then restore Winclone image?
Just to be clear ... you are booted to the external SSD and are running BootCamp Assistant from there?
The hidden OS X partitions would be fine .... and you have created no other partitions on the external SSD?
Did you boot from your original Windows with the external Thunderbolt enclosure attached to load any necessary boot drivers prior to making the WinClone backup? You can store that image anywhere including your new bootable SSD OS X drive.
It may be that OS X doesn't like having an "internal" bootable disk and gives priority to it over the "external" bootable disk. Once you are comfortable that your external SSD OS X is running fine (including the system restore function), your WinClone image is stored there, and you have a backup of it ... you may need to reformat your internal hard drive to totally clear it off. Yeah ... big step. You may have to partition/format it as a FAT format to get rid of hidden directories.
[doublepost=1472876778][/doublepost]This thread has been going for some time ... what is your current system? Is anything at all on the internal hard disk? You are currently running dual boot from an external smaller SSD on a iMac?
[doublepost=1472878515][/doublepost]Stop the presses ... it is coming back to me now.
BootCamp Assistant can't create a BC partition on an external drive, you will have to use disk utility to do that and then format it as FAT for WinClone to use.
You will need the BootCamp drivers that the BC Assistant offers to download for you. Run them once Windows is up and running.
Sorry for the misdirection ...
The hidden OS X partitions would be fine .... and you have created no other partitions on the external SSD?
Did you boot from your original Windows with the external Thunderbolt enclosure attached to load any necessary boot drivers prior to making the WinClone backup? You can store that image anywhere including your new bootable SSD OS X drive.
It may be that OS X doesn't like having an "internal" bootable disk and gives priority to it over the "external" bootable disk. Once you are comfortable that your external SSD OS X is running fine (including the system restore function), your WinClone image is stored there, and you have a backup of it ... you may need to reformat your internal hard drive to totally clear it off. Yeah ... big step. You may have to partition/format it as a FAT format to get rid of hidden directories.
[doublepost=1472876778][/doublepost]This thread has been going for some time ... what is your current system? Is anything at all on the internal hard disk? You are currently running dual boot from an external smaller SSD on a iMac?
[doublepost=1472878515][/doublepost]Stop the presses ... it is coming back to me now.
BootCamp Assistant can't create a BC partition on an external drive, you will have to use disk utility to do that and then format it as FAT for WinClone to use.
You will need the BootCamp drivers that the BC Assistant offers to download for you. Run them once Windows is up and running.
Sorry for the misdirection ...
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I suspect that you went through this when you created your current external SSD.
In reality, the BootCamp Assistant app is simply a script that manages Disk Utility to resize OS X and create a partition which it formats and then starts the Windows installation. In the process it creates a flash drive with the Windows installation and the Mac drivers and then boots to that. It does not allow for installing on an external drive to avoid some problems.
However, you can do the same thing using Disk Utility yourself (while running on your newly created OS X SSD) and resize your OS X while creating a new partition for Windows. Then format the new partition as FAT and use WinClone to restore the image you created earlier. WinClone can resize the Windows to utilize the additional disk space if you created a larger partition then you previously had. You probably don't need to reapply the Mac drivers since they were already a part of your old Windows installation.
In reality, the BootCamp Assistant app is simply a script that manages Disk Utility to resize OS X and create a partition which it formats and then starts the Windows installation. In the process it creates a flash drive with the Windows installation and the Mac drivers and then boots to that. It does not allow for installing on an external drive to avoid some problems.
However, you can do the same thing using Disk Utility yourself (while running on your newly created OS X SSD) and resize your OS X while creating a new partition for Windows. Then format the new partition as FAT and use WinClone to restore the image you created earlier. WinClone can resize the Windows to utilize the additional disk space if you created a larger partition then you previously had. You probably don't need to reapply the Mac drivers since they were already a part of your old Windows installation.
You are correct, I completely forgot about this since it has been so long. I just created a FAT partition and restored Windows image via Winclone and everything works. The only issue I am seeing now is that the R/W speeds are not great. Additionally I am not seeing any speed difference between using SSD via Thunderbolt or USB 3.
You can re-enable SIP now that you are done. Also, be sure that your SSD is receiving TRIM commands, enable if necessary. The actual speeds will be determined by the SSD itself, either interface is faster than the SSD. You may be initially slow due to Spotlight indexing the new drive. However, Thunderbolt allows TRIM which USB does not. I have had issues with USB 3.0 and ejection on sleep which I don't on Thunderbolt, so I only use Thunderbolt except for backup drives.
Glad you got it going again ...
You are running the latest version of OS X El Capitan? That is odd unless you have a typo of some sort.
What do you get is you just type: csrutil (lol ... I typed it crs... the first time I tested it just now)
csrutil
usage: csrutil <command>
Modify the System Integrity Protection configuration. All configuration changes apply to the entire machine.
Available commands:
clear
Clear the existing configuration. Only available in Recovery OS.
disable
Disable the protection on the machine. Only available in Recovery OS.
enable
Enable the protection on the machine. Only available in Recovery OS.
status
Display the current configuration.
netboot
add <address>
Insert a new IPv4 address in the list of allowed NetBoot sources.
list
Print the list of allowed NetBoot sources.
remove <address>
Remove an IPv4 address from the list of allowed NetBoot sources.
That's pretty odd since it worked the first time for disable.
I don't remember what update SIP became active ... but I assume with a new install that you are on 10.11.6 with updates.
I don't remember what update SIP became active ... but I assume with a new install that you are on 10.11.6 with updates.
I assume you held the key down for a sufficient amount of time after the chime started ... may take awhile depending on your system configuration.
Does the Windows disk show up in OS X SystemPreferences/StartupDisk and can you restart into Windows from there? Plus, can you return to OS X from Windows using the toolbar BootDisk Utility?
Did your original external SSD have the boot manager display at alt/option hold at startup? Are you using the same TB enclosure for both SSDs?
Usually PRAM reset does solve issues such as this for me ... you might let it cycle for 2 or 3 chimes before releasing the PRAM-reset keys.
I wouldn't think that would be a problem ... but then I haven't had the time to play with Sierra yet.
Hopefully, another reader might have some suggestions and/or experience with Sierra to answer your question.
Hopefully, another reader might have some suggestions and/or experience with Sierra to answer your question.
I ended up wiping the drive again and installing a fresh copy of El Capitan. I can get to boot selection menu now only it takes close to two minutes of holding down alt/option key!
I've tried resetting the NDRAM again as well as SMC but neither of those seemed to help. Anyone have any suggestions?
I've tried resetting the NDRAM again as well as SMC but neither of those seemed to help. Anyone have any suggestions?