Is there a way to make imac run on an external drive, instead of internal?

[mayhone1]

I was wondering if there is way to make my imac run on a new external drive, instead of internal? I just bought 2 2tb drives and want to make one be the main drive of the computer, can this be done and if so how?...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

You insert the installation DVD for Mac OS X into your iMac, boot from it (hold down C or OPTION/Alt after the startup sound chimes and select the properly formatted* external HDD as installation target.

*

How to format a new HDD/SSD to install Mac OS X or make a bootable copy onto​

PS: Is it a USB 2.0 or Firewire 400 / 800 or Thunderbolt HDD?

 

[mayhone1]

you insert the installation dvd for mac os x into your imac, boot from it (hold down c or option/alt after the startup sound chimes and select the properly formatted* external hdd as installation target.

*

how to format a new hdd/ssd to install mac os x or make a bootable copy onto​

ps: Is it a usb 2.0 or firewire 400 / 800 or thunderbolt hdd?

usb 2.0

 

[simsaladimbamba]

usb 2.0

Then let it be, as the internal HDD offers read and write speeds of 100 MB/s and more, while USB 2.0 limits you to 35 MB/s read/write speeds. FW 800 would be better, and while USB 2.0 is okay to boot from for troubleshooting purposes, it is too slow to have a good experience with Mac OS X.

Why do you want to do it anyway? You can use external HDDs to store data on and be accessible in Mac OS X.

 

[mayhone1]

Then let it be, as the internal HDD offers read and write speeds of 100 MB/s and more, while USB 2.0 limits you to 35 MB/s read/write speeds. FW 800 would be better, and while USB 2.0 is okay to boot from for troubleshooting purposes, it is too slow to have a good experience with Mac OS X.

Why do you want to do it anyway? You can use external HDDs to store data on and be accessible in Mac OS X.

Mainly I want to use it as a main source for my itunes library...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Mainly I want to use it as a main source for my itunes library...

You can do that with an external HDD as well, no need to boot Mac OS X off of it.

iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder​

 

[mayhone1]

You can do that with an external HDD as well, no need to boot Mac OS X off of it.

iTunes for Mac: Moving your iTunes Media folder​

Will this ensure that all my future itunes content goes to the external?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Will this ensure that all my future itunes content goes to the external?

Yep.

 

[mayhone1]

Yep.

Alright thanks...

 

[tezro]

You only have to get into the Preferences of iTunes and set the library path to another drive or folder.

I do the same at home. Got a Mac Pro with a SSD for booting the OS and apps+games, and a HDD for stuff like iTunes importing and podcasts and such.
All my music itself is hosted on a NAS.

 

[ombrenelcielo]

Mainly I want to use it as a main source for my itunes library...

This is actually hilarious. Questions like these actually reminds me that people have google as their home page but actually are ignoring its scope.
First result of a search in google: itunes to point to external hard drive links to an article here on macrumors.

I wonder if you actually took a look to the checkboxes in the preferences panel of iTunes prior to post here...

 

[GyroFX]

just make sure your external HD is on when you're putting new music into your itunes library or it'll default into the itunes storage library on your internal HD.

 

[Bl0ckHe1d]

Mainly I want to use it as a main source for my itunes library...

I found that running my iTunes library from an external drive much slower than the iMac main HDD...so i reverted back!