Can intel macs boot from USB?

milhaus · May 25th, 2006, 08:11 PM

USB drives and cases are so much cheaper than those with FW . . . Anybody done this yet?

audiodan · May 25th, 2006, 09:09 PM

I know that on PPC Macs will, if that helps.

http://www.ehmac.ca/390989-post10.html

JPL · May 25th, 2006, 09:18 PM

Well I couldn't get PPC Macs or Intel Mac to boot from USB externals.

Atroz · May 26th, 2006, 07:23 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by milhaus
	USB drives and cases are so much cheaper than those with FW . . . Anybody done this yet?

I'm waiting for my Intel iMac to arrive, so I haven't tried this yet. But, according to others, it does work. http://rentzsch.com/tidbits/intelbas...ncompatibility

mikef · May 26th, 2006, 10:19 AM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by JPL
	Well I couldn't get PPC Macs or Intel Mac to boot from USB externals.

Me neither... my iBook G4 will not recognize a USB drive as a bootable device.

Atroz · May 26th, 2006, 06:26 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by mikef
	Me neither... my iBook G4 will not recognize a USB drive as a bootable device.

No, PPC systems won't boot from USB. You need Firewire (with a controller that supports booting).

Edit: Sounds perhaps that I should have said "Recent PPC systems".

MACSPECTRUM · May 26th, 2006, 06:33 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Atroz
	No, PPC systems won't boot from USB. You need Firewire (with a controller that supports booting).

not so fast
i used to boot non FW g3 imacs from a USB external hard drive which came in very handy when their cd-rom drives were cooked as i had no other way to run repair utilities

quick list of iMacs to find non FW versions

http://www.theimac.com/

JPL · May 26th, 2006, 07:11 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by MACSPECTRUM
	not so fast i used to boot non FW g3 imacs from a USB external hard drive which came in very handy when their cd-rom drives were cooked as i had no other way to run repair utilities quick list of iMacs to find non FW versions http://www.theimac.com/

Oh thats cheating NON firewire well DUH

milhaus · May 26th, 2006, 07:25 PM

Well, this has been useful . . . ;-)

adam1185 · May 27th, 2006, 07:47 PM

I've booted my intel iMac from a USB drive after using SuperDuper to clone my main drive.

It works.

May 25th, 2006, 08:11 PM	#1
milhaus Full Citizen Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 817	Can intel macs boot from USB? USB drives and cases are so much cheaper than those with FW . . . Anybody done this yet?

May 25th, 2006, 09:09 PM	#2
audiodan Honourable Citizen Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Toronto, ON, Canada Posts: 1,911	I know that on PPC Macs will, if that helps. http://www.ehmac.ca/390989-post10.html __________________ Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo __________________  Darth Vader- Black MacBook 2.0GHz/2GB/80GB/AP+BT/SD/19" Widescreen LCD/Black Apple Pro Keyboard/Black Logitech Wireless Mouse  iBob the 7th- 5th Generation iPod 60GB/Black  iBob the 10th- iPod Touch 8GB/Black Black Everything.  Everything.

May 25th, 2006, 09:18 PM	#3
JPL Honourable Citizen Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,237	Well I couldn't get PPC Macs or Intel Mac to boot from USB externals. __________________ iMac 20" Core Duo X & XP Pro I backed up today (LaCies' SilverKeeper)....have you?

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May 26th, 2006, 07:25 PM	#9
milhaus Full Citizen Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 817	Well, this has been useful . . . ;-)

May 27th, 2006, 07:47 PM	#10
adam1185 Full Citizen Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Winnipeg Posts: 268	I've booted my intel iMac from a USB drive after using SuperDuper to clone my main drive. It works.