new iMac with Hard drive discussion today

[hcri50]

Can I not have an external hard drive with OS 10.6 installed on that drive and boot off the external drive instead of booting of the internal? And if I can, what is the big deal if I can do that?
robert
thank you for any replies ahead of time

 

[flopticalcube]

You can but the internal drive is faster. Some folks like to install Windows on their iMacs and this will not boot off an external.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Yes you can. And there is no big deal with it.

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

 

[hcri50]

Yes you can. And there is no big deal with it.

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

Well, then I do not see a problem with the new ThunderBolt for using the External drive even for using Windows as an External Drive? ThunderBolt should be fast enough. BUT MY BIGGEST QUESTION IS THIS. If I use the external drive, will my internal drive just go to sleep and not run? I have 2 drives on my MacPro that I am using as a RAID and these are Eco Drives that just lay dormant till I use them. I am hoping that would be the case with this drive and that it will not stay on all the time. If this is the case, I have no dam fears in going for the largest iMac.
thank you again

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Well, then I do not see a problem with the new ThunderBolt for using the External drive even for using Windows as an External Drive?

Since Windows can't be easily run from an external HDD yet, it doesn't matter what interface you use.

If I use the external drive, will my internal drive just go to sleep and not run?

You mean, if you have installed Mac OS X onto the external HDD and boot from that HDD, will the internal HDD go to sleep?
I booted several times from external HDDs and my Macs' internal HDDs didn't seem to sleep.

 

[maxinc]

If I use the external drive, will my internal drive just go to sleep and not run? I have 2 drives on my MacPro that I am using as a RAID and these are Eco Drives that just lay dormant till I use them. I am hoping that would be the case with this drive and that it will not stay on all the time. If this is the case, I have no dam fears in going for the largest iMac.

Depends what is stored on the internal drive and if there is any service accessing it. I see no reason for it not spinning down. I've installed an SSD and use the internal for time machine and some data storage. Most of the time the internal HDD is spun down.