Thunderbolt SSD as booting drive

[B.Bobo]

I recently bought an external Thunderbolt SSD from LaCie for my Mid-2011 iMac to use it as my boot drive (Mountain Lion).

Now my problem is that after the Apple starting sound it always takes a lot of time (mostly 1 minute +) until the apple and the spinning wheel appear. After that booting time is just fine.

I already cleared the PRAM.

Does anybody know how to get the iMac recognize the SSD with the start volume faster (in the system preferences the SSD is set as the start volume)?

Many thanks!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Do you have any other HDDs connected to the iMac?

 

[B.Bobo]

Only the internal HDD which I use as additional storage.

 

[sorcun]

You can set the startup volume from System Preferences in the System Group (the one before last) Startup Disk.

If you'd like to keep the current configuration select the startup disk at boot time keep (Alt Option) key pressed until you are asked to select the volume from available volumes.

 

[B.Bobo]

The SSD is already set as the starting volume. When I press Alt after the starting sound it also takes these 1 to 1.5 minutes to get all starting volumes loaded …

 

[macthefork]

You can try resetting the SMC. To do so do this:

1. Shut down the computer.
2. Unplug the computer's power cord.
3. Wait fifteen seconds.
4. Attach the computer's power cord.
5. Wait five seconds, then press the power button to turn on the computer.

That could help. If the SSD is set as the Startup Disk in System Preferences, it should only take seconds, for a complete boot up from pushing the power button.

 

[B.Bobo]

Thanks for the advice!

I just found out that my USB mouse is the guilty one … When I start the iMac with the mouse plugged in the delay appears, when I start the iMac with the mouse unplugged it starts immediately.

 

[dextr3k]

So your mouse is fighting with the SSD as a boot device eh?

Glad you figured it all out.

 

[tug]

hi mate, just wondering, which programme did you retrieve your data with, super duper or carbon copy cloner? reason im asking is im gonna do the same as you with the lacie rugged. using it as a boot drive.