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Two operating systems
- Thread starter Stewbozz
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Not sure what you mean by "MiniMac"?
Is that an external drive (the Mini Stack from OWC)?
If yes, then yes, you can install High Sierra on that external drive. Boot to it when you need to run that new TurboTax software. If you are using the USB connection, booting with USB 2.0 on your 2009 MBPro will be pretty slow, but if you have an SSD in that enclosure, rather than a spinning hard drive, that will be OK.
Final thought --- Your mid-2009 MBPro only supports El Capitan, and would need a hacked install to boot with High Sierra, so that might be a good reason you could consider other options (finding a newer, used Mac that WILL run High Sierra natively, or running your tax package on a friend's newer Mac, or running it on a Windows system, maybe even a boot camp install. There would be other options that I didn't think about, too)
Is that an external drive (the Mini Stack from OWC)?
If yes, then yes, you can install High Sierra on that external drive. Boot to it when you need to run that new TurboTax software. If you are using the USB connection, booting with USB 2.0 on your 2009 MBPro will be pretty slow, but if you have an SSD in that enclosure, rather than a spinning hard drive, that will be OK.
Final thought --- Your mid-2009 MBPro only supports El Capitan, and would need a hacked install to boot with High Sierra, so that might be a good reason you could consider other options (finding a newer, used Mac that WILL run High Sierra natively, or running your tax package on a friend's newer Mac, or running it on a Windows system, maybe even a boot camp install. There would be other options that I didn't think about, too)
[doublepost=1534610564][/doublepost]Thanks for reply - by MiniMac, I meant "MacMini" and yes, its essentially an external hard drive. Thanks again for your comment.
And, I am still confused?
Do you mean the drive that OWC sells (the Mini Stack)?
I think you can safely identify that as an external hard drive (without the confusing "essentially"
), when Apple's Mac mini could be used as an external hard drive, when booted in Target Disk mode.
Bottom line, however, is that you can't boot the 2009 MBPro to a standard installation of High Sierra, even if it happens to be installed properly on an external drive.
If I am still completely wrong, and you actually DO have a Mac mini (the computer) --- why not just use that for your Turbo Tax?
Do you mean the drive that OWC sells (the Mini Stack)?
I think you can safely identify that as an external hard drive (without the confusing "essentially"
), when Apple's Mac mini could be used as an external hard drive, when booted in Target Disk mode.Bottom line, however, is that you can't boot the 2009 MBPro to a standard installation of High Sierra, even if it happens to be installed properly on an external drive.
If I am still completely wrong, and you actually DO have a Mac mini (the computer) --- why not just use that for your Turbo Tax?
the only way you can plug two computers together is either remote desktop or one of them is in target disk mode. the latter you wouldn't have two operating systems in operation and yes you likely could access the files (but not run apps directly on the TDM computer). as for the former, I connect two such systems all the time for remote access and it's fine