Booting from External HD

[jgbr]

Hi

I want to install OSX onto a external hard drive, so when my MBP is my desk; i use my desktop os and then when out and about the internal hardrive: Im slightly paranoid that my machine gets knocked around alot and therefore trying to minimize the usage of the internal drive?

So id like to connect a fire wire external hd in a external caddie and put osx on that?

thanks

 

[aross99]

In general, yes, you would either purchase an external drive, or make one by installing a raw drive into an external enclosure. Then you can install OS X on the drive and then since you have an Intel Mac, you can boot off of it using USB or Firewire. Your internal drive will show up on your desktop as a 2nd drive.

Not sure how practical this is for your purpose though. If you don't want to use your internal drive while you are at home, you are going to need to install all your applications on the external drive, and either duplicate your data (ie pictures, music, e-mail, etc), or access it from somewhere.

Switching back and forth sounds like a big pain to me. It would be hard to keep everything in sync.

Why not use your internal drive as it was intended to be used, and use an eternal drive as a backup? That way if your internal drive ever dies, you would have everything backed up. There are lots of ways to make backups.

You could clone your entire drive and make a bootable backup, or you could use Time Machine to backup your machine, each time your connect the external drive.

 

[jgbr]

I have no need to sync data, it would be like having two machines. Is there a online guide on how to install it on an external hard drive and then have the option when i turn MBP on?

 

[aross99]

If you really want them to be like two separate machines, then that will work.

Just launch the Leopard Installer on the disk, and when you get to the part where you can choose a disk to install on, choose your external drive. The rest will be same as installing on your internal drive.

I would recommend getting an external drive with a firewire connection for the best performance...

I like the drives at OWC:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/

There are lots of external drive options...

 

[jgbr]

but when i turn the mac on; will it give me an option of what one to choose automatically; alike windows boot manager?

 

[chas0001]

but when i turn the mac on; will it give me an option of what one to choose automatically; alike windows boot manager?

if you hold down the ALT key when computer is booting (when you hear the bong sound) it will display a list of disks that can be booted from. Alternatively you can choose which disk to boot from using 'System Preferences' / 'Startup disk'.

 

[soberbrain]

if you hold down the ALT key when computer is booting (when you hear the bong sound) it will display a list of disks that can be booted from. Alternatively you can choose which disk to boot from using 'System Preferences' / 'Startup disk'.

By the way Option = ALT key. A screen like this will appear link

I use Leopard on my internal drive and Tiger off my iPod (via firewire)

Instead of the CD icon in the example, a firewire drive icon appears