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Will a Mac Pro bootcamp (boot windows) from newtech esata?
- Thread starter jgbr
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Had to create an account just to reply 
the quick answer is NO. However, there is a little mystery here...
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/IDE/NewerTech6G_eSATA/Newertech_6GeSataCard.html
that review states that he got the card to work with Windows 7. I emailed him and he said this is true. However, I have the raid version of the card, and Windows won't even boot on a Mac Pro with that card installed. I called NewerTech tech support and they told me that neither of those cards supported Windows on a Mac Pro.
I've now gone through 3 esata cards trying to find one that plays nice with Windows and Mac Pro's.
the quick answer is NO. However, there is a little mystery here...
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/IDE/NewerTech6G_eSATA/Newertech_6GeSataCard.html
that review states that he got the card to work with Windows 7. I emailed him and he said this is true. However, I have the raid version of the card, and Windows won't even boot on a Mac Pro with that card installed. I called NewerTech tech support and they told me that neither of those cards supported Windows on a Mac Pro.
I've now gone through 3 esata cards trying to find one that plays nice with Windows and Mac Pro's.
It does work with this one: http://ncix.com/products/?sku=34686&vpn=SD-SA2PEX-2E&manufacture=Syba
There is a little trickery involved, but it works.
Here's how.
Insert the HDD you want to run windows on into any INTERNAL HDD slot of your pro and install windows on it...
After windows is installed make the Windows drive the startup disk in sytem preferences.
Then, put the Windows drive in a eSATA enclosure and hook it up to your pro. Now every time you start your pro it will automatically boot into Windows from the eSATA drive.
If you wish to boot OSX just hold the option key and select the OSX drive, note that the Windows drive will not show up! So you have to select it as startup disk BEFORE you hook it up via eSATA!
When booting windows it will show a ton of errors, some kind of partition problem, idk. just ignore them, it works without a hitch! So don't be scared by the messages.
Once Windows is booted up, it works without a problem!
On a side note, the card I linked to is officially "not mac compatible" but there is OSX drivers on the CD that comes with it!
Hope that helps!
This was tested on a MP 1,1 with SL 10.6.4 and Windows 7
There is a little trickery involved, but it works.
Here's how.
Insert the HDD you want to run windows on into any INTERNAL HDD slot of your pro and install windows on it...
After windows is installed make the Windows drive the startup disk in sytem preferences.
Then, put the Windows drive in a eSATA enclosure and hook it up to your pro. Now every time you start your pro it will automatically boot into Windows from the eSATA drive.
If you wish to boot OSX just hold the option key and select the OSX drive, note that the Windows drive will not show up! So you have to select it as startup disk BEFORE you hook it up via eSATA!
When booting windows it will show a ton of errors, some kind of partition problem, idk. just ignore them, it works without a hitch! So don't be scared by the messages.
Once Windows is booted up, it works without a problem!
On a side note, the card I linked to is officially "not mac compatible" but there is OSX drivers on the CD that comes with it!
Hope that helps!
This was tested on a MP 1,1 with SL 10.6.4 and Windows 7
Yes, your able to boot Windows 7 64BIT, there is BIG BUTT
I'm able to boot Windows 7 64BIT with eSATA 6G PCIe 2.0 RAID Capable Controller Card. I have Mac Pro G5 model 4.1, early 2009. 16GB ram using 10.6.4. You have to use reFIt as bootloader. I've been running triple boot prior to adding my raid, i'm able to boot Win7 with out ubuntu. If you research you will see post where people use ubuntu bootloader with refit to access AHCI eSATA drive with windows . Here's the "BUT" i'm not able to install bootcamp driver's from OSX Install DVD. I've been trying for week now to figure work around for drivers. If anybody knows anything to help i would appreciate it. I've tried Removing from install DVD, USING DVD, to only installing certain drivers i thought would be useful. I only have access to 3.0 & 3.1 bootcamp driver's.
"Sorry , i just notice i posted wrong screen shot. U need to use Master Boot Record & not GUID when you format drive.
I'm able to boot Windows 7 64BIT with eSATA 6G PCIe 2.0 RAID Capable Controller Card. I have Mac Pro G5 model 4.1, early 2009. 16GB ram using 10.6.4. You have to use reFIt as bootloader. I've been running triple boot prior to adding my raid, i'm able to boot Win7 with out ubuntu. If you research you will see post where people use ubuntu bootloader with refit to access AHCI eSATA drive with windows . Here's the "BUT" i'm not able to install bootcamp driver's from OSX Install DVD. I've been trying for week now to figure work around for drivers. If anybody knows anything to help i would appreciate it. I've tried Removing from install DVD, USING DVD, to only installing certain drivers i thought would be useful. I only have access to 3.0 & 3.1 bootcamp driver's.
"Sorry , i just notice i posted wrong screen shot. U need to use Master Boot Record & not GUID when you format drive.
