Fastest way to hook up ex-HDD to 2010 15" MBP

[exe163]

Hi, I have a mid-2010 15" MBP baseline config. I was thinking about running Windows 7 with my external HDD. Which IO point should I use to get the fastest read speed out of it?

Right now I have this HDD enclosure:
http://www.amazon.com/Macally-G-S35...closure/dp/tech-data/B000P1NAMO/ref=de_a_smtd

I have tried USB2.0 but the speed is less than desirable. It also has a esata port but I don't think there's any way to add that to my mbp. I haven't try the firewire yet due to the lack of cable. My enclosure has the big firewire port. I am not familiar with firewire but I think it's an older version of firewire so I don't think it's any faster than USB2.0.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

FW400 is still faster than USB 2.0, even if only slightly.
FW800 would be the fastest, but there just seems no way to install Windows on an external HDD without much hacking.

 

[exe163]

Thanks for the clarification. I probably need a new enclosure to take advantage of the 800 version port on my mbp. I was thinking about installing Windows on HDD using a windows capatible desktop (internal). After that's done put hard drive in an enclosure and boot it with my mac using refit. I have only done this trick with my second harddrive (optibay drive) on my mac. It works. So I think it should work externally as well.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Thanks for the clarification. I probably need a new enclosure to take advantage of the 800 version port on my mbp. I was thinking about installing Windows on HDD using a windows capatible desktop (internal). After that's done put hard drive in an enclosure and boot it with my mac using refit. I have only done this trick with my second harddrive (optibay drive) on my mac. It works. So I think it should work externally as well.

Please report bak, if this works, as I would like to install Windows on an external HDD from time to time.
The Optibay solution probably just works, because the HDD is internal, as one can install Windows on anther internal HDD in a Mac Pro.
But installing Windows on an external HDD is quite the hassle, maybe Windows 7 is different.