Manually Mount Internal HDD, Software Options?

[dsa420]

I have filled the 4 bays of my MP with 30GB SSD's in RAID 0 and have a 1TB traditional HDD in the optical bay. In an effort to keep the machine as speedy as possible I was hoping to keep the traditional 1TB unmounted until it use is needed (wont be that often).

I am familiar with how to unmount/eject a drive once the computer is running, but is there a way for the machine to start up without it trying to access the drive thus slowing the boot time?

 

[wpc33]

Not to my knowledge, no. The only way would be to have the drive in an external enclosure that is off when you boot, but you already know that...

 

[Consultant]

Do you know that OS X is designed for 24/7 operation?

Most people sleep their mac.

But if you want to regularly reboot, it's faster to have it mounted as is, then doing what you have in mind (keep it unmouonted, then mount, unmount).