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How to make external hardrive bootable????

backinblack875

backinblack875

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 23, 2010
614
46
USA
ok so i have a mac mini running snow leopard running 10.6.4... with a 120GB HD

and i am planning on getting this external hard drive:
http://www.amazon.com/Iomega-Prestige-Desktop-External-34919/dp/B003GALRIA/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

is there a way to make this my main hard drive or boot from it? i need more space for my itunes media(movies/tv shows) and i dont want it to work like a flash drive because then it wont be in my library... among other things....

also, if i do make it my main/boot hard drive, what will happen to the one inside the mac mini? the 120GB one, will it just be gone?(which i would be ok with). if it is still there could i use it to bootcamp windows?
 
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Use CarbonCopyCloner (CCC) (free) or SuperDuper (SD) to make a bootable image of your existing Mac OS X installation on an external HDD.

Making a clone (1:1 copy)

  • How to use CarbonCopyCloner
    CCC offers you to select a SOURCE DISK, in this case your old HDD, and a TARGET DISK, in this case your new HDD. After you made your selection, there is only the CLONE button to click and to enter your account password. There are more options of course, but they are meant for backing up instead of making 1:1 copies.​
  • How to use SuperDuper
    SD offers you to select the source disk (COPY ...) and a target disk (TO ...). It has additional options for backing up only system or user files and to create a disk image and some more, but for the cloning process the above will do and the free version will suffice.​
 
spinnerlys said:
Use CarbonCopyCloner (CCC) (free) or SuperDuper (SD) to make a bootable image of your existing Mac OS X installation on an external HDD.

Making a clone (1:1 copy)

  • How to use CarbonCopyCloner
    CCC offers you to select a SOURCE DISK, in this case your old HDD, and a TARGET DISK, in this case your new HDD. After you made your selection, there is only the CLONE button to click and to enter your account password. There are more options of course, but they are meant for backing up instead of making 1:1 copies.​
  • How to use SuperDuper
    SD offers you to select the source disk (COPY ...) and a target disk (TO ...). It has additional options for backing up only system or user files and to create a disk image and some more, but for the cloning process the above will do and the free version will suffice.​
Click to expand...

will all my current stuff on my hard drive move over to it?
 
backinblack875 said:
will all my current stuff on my hard drive move over to it?
Click to expand...

As cloning produces a 1:1 copy, you will copy all your current staff on your internal HDD to the external HDD.

Anyway, if you use USB 2.0 as a connection to your Mac mini, the usage of the external HDD as boot HDD might be a bit slow, as USB 2.0 only offers a maximum transfer speed of 35MB/s (and only in bursts, not continuously), thus a Firewire 800 enclosure or HDD would work much better as external boot drive.

Btw, the cloning will produce a 1:1 copy, it will not actually move the data from the internal HDD to the external HDD, as moving means "copy file, delete original on source", thus you will be left with two copies of the same data and you still need (if you want to) delete the original HDD's data.

Btw, why don't you use the external HDD as storage, like most other people do?
 
spinnerlys said:
As cloning produces a 1:1 copy, you will copy all your current staff on your internal HDD to the external HDD.

Anyway, if you use USB 2.0 as a connection to your Mac mini, the usage of the external HDD as boot HDD might be a bit slow, as USB 2.0 only offers a maximum transfer speed of 35MB/s (and only in bursts, not continuously), thus a Firewire 800 enclosure or HDD would work much better as external boot drive.

Btw, the cloning will produce a 1:1 copy, it will not actually move the data from the internal HDD to the external HDD, as moving means "copy file, delete original on source", thus you will be left with two copies of the same data and you still need (if you want to) delete the original HDD's data.

Btw, why don't you use the external HDD as storage, like most other people do?
Click to expand...

well what exactly is it? haha
 
backinblack875 said:
well what exactly is it? haha
Click to expand...

What is exactly what?

If you use either CCC or SD and choose the Mac mini HDD as source and the external HDD as target, CCC or SD will copy every file and folder, regardless of them being hidden or system files, from the HDD inside the Mac mini onto the external HDD you have connected.
After the copying process is finished, you will have two copies of each file and folder, one copy on the Mac mini HDD and one copy on the external HDD, thus the word "cloning" in relation to this copying process.

If you "move" a file from one HDD (1) to another HDD (2), the file will be copied from 1 to 2 and after the copying process is finished, the original file on 1 will be deleted, thus the word "cloning" is not used in relation to this method.

And USB 2.0 is slower than Firewire 800, which you have, as you have the 2009 Mac mini model.
Thus booting from the internal HDD is the fastest (up to 90MB/s), then comes Firewire 800 (65 - 75 MB/s), then comes USB 2.0 (25 - 35 MB/s).


And in relation to your short answer:

 
spinnerlys said:
What is exactly what?

If you use either CCC or SD and choose the Mac mini HDD as source and the external HDD as target, CCC or SD will copy every file and folder, regardless of them being hidden or system files, from the HDD inside the Mac mini onto the external HDD you have connected.
After the copying process is finished, you will have two copies of each file and folder, one copy on the Mac mini HDD and one copy on the external HDD, thus the word "cloning" in relation to this copying process.

If you "move" a file from one HDD (1) to another HDD (2), the file will be copied from 1 to 2 and after the copying process is finished, the original file on 1 will be deleted, thus the word "cloning" is not used in relation to this method.

And USB 2.0 is slower than Firewire 800, which you have, as you have the 2009 Mac mini model.
Thus booting from the internal HDD is the fastest (up to 90MB/s), then comes Firewire 800 (65 - 75 MB/s), then comes USB 2.0 (25 - 35 MB/s).


And in relation to your short answer:

Click to expand...

no what is exactly is this:

"Btw, why don't you use the external HDD as storage, like most other people do?"
 
backinblack875 said:
is there a way to make this my main hard drive or boot from it? i need more space for my itunes media(movies/tv shows) and i dont want it to work like a flash drive because then it wont be in my library... among other things...
Click to expand...
You really don't want to use an external USB drive as your main boot drive as it's pretty slow. Do what everyone else does when their iTunes library gets large and move the entire iTunes library to the external drive. Then in iTunes go to preferences > Advanced > iTunes Media Folder location and click choose... to choose the new location.

Here's a great iLounge article on how to do so properly. It's a lengthy read but you'll learn a lot and shouldn't lose any setting this way.
 
backinblack875 said:
no what is exactly is this:

"Btw, why don't you use the external HDD as storage, like most other people do?"
Click to expand...

ohhhhh wait NVM!!!

because what is taking up most my space is my itunes media (tv shows/movies) and if i use the external to store them they wont appear in itunes... which is just me wanting all my media in itunes so i can see it all in the individual media tabs (ie. movies, TV shows) in itunes
 
backinblack875 said:
ohhhhh wait NVM!!!

because what is taking up most my space is my itunes media (tv shows/movies) and if i use the external to store them they wont appear in itunes... which is just me wanting all my media in itunes so i can see it all in the individual media tabs (ie. movies, TV shows) in itunes
Click to expand...

That is why you should read the article, which QuarterSwede linked to:

QuarterSwede said:
You really don't want to use an external USB drive as your main boot drive as it's pretty slow. Do what everyone else does when their iTunes library gets large and move the entire iTunes library to the external drive. Then in iTunes go to preferences > Advanced > iTunes Media Folder location and click choose... to choose the new location.

Here's a great iLounge article on how to do so properly. It's a lengthy read but you'll learn a lot and shouldn't lose any setting this way.
Click to expand...

Sneak Peek from that article:

iTunes: The Database versus the Content
Another important point to understand: There are really two components that we are concerned about in this process, and these are somewhat distinct from each other in terms of where and how they are stored.

The iTunes Library Database contains the actual index of your media content. This is generally a file named “iTunes Library.itl” and several other supporting files, and by default lives in your Windows “My Music” folder or your Mac “Music” folder under a sub-folder named “iTunes.” This path is not affected by any iTunes preferences, and in fact could not be easily changed at all prior to iTunes 7.

The iTunes Media Folder contains your actual media content. Prior to iTunes 9, this folder was called the “iTunes Music Folder” but despite the name is included not only your music, but also audiobooks, TV shows, movies and podcasts —basically almost all types of media content managed by iTunes. By default in iTunes 9 this folder will be named “iTunes Media” and stored as a sub-folder under the iTunes Library Database folder, however this can be changed to any location you prefer via your iTunes Advanced Preferences.

Prior to iTunes 9, click-wheel iPod Games and iPhone and iPod touch applications were a special case. These were stored in sub-folders relative to the iTunes database location, specifically in folders named “iPod Games” and “Mobile Applications.” Relocating your iTunes Media folder did not change the location of these items. In iTunes 9, these folders can now be stored in the iTunes Media folder along with your other media content.
Generally, when trying to conserve disk space, the iTunes Media Folder is what most users will want to move, as it contains the bulk of your library. By comparison, the iTunes Library Database is much smaller and is usually best left in its default location.
Click to expand...
 
QuarterSwede said:
You really don't want to use an external USB drive as your main boot drive as it's pretty slow. Do what everyone else does when their iTunes library gets large and move the entire iTunes library to the external drive. Then in iTunes go to preferences > Advanced > iTunes Media Folder location and click choose... to choose the new location.

Here's a great iLounge article on how to do so properly. It's a lengthy read but you'll learn a lot and shouldn't lose any setting this way.
Click to expand...

ok seems like this is my answer... i dont have the drive yet so ill have to try it when i get it
 
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