Booting from External

[Neoraven456]

I checked the knowledge base and booting a PowerPC will not work but my setup is as follows:

Pre-SR MacBook Intel 120GB Toshiba HD
External: 500GB WD MyBook (USB 2.0 only)
New Internal: 2.5" SATA WD 320GB

Concern: Once I reformat the MyBook to Mac OS X Extended (Journaled), and I use your software to back up to the drive. What are the chances I'll be successful in detecting the bootable MyBook and restoring it to the new Internal? Any known conflicts?

[Jeffus]

Hi Neoraven456, please be careful. I have just been reaquainting myself with the user guide that comes with Super Duper! and they recommend a FIREWIRE drive to back up to NOT USB. You can't boot a Power Mac up no matter what software you use and USB drives have limitations.

Hope this helps, Jeffus.

[dnanian]

Well, the big issue here is that you won't be able to test the backup at all. That's never a good thing.

[Neoraven456]

Well, the big issue here is that you won't be able to test the backup at all. That's never a good thing.

I cannot just wipe the external, back up using the software and then re-start and attempt to boot from the external?

Since I'm switching the a new HD this old one will stay intact so if for any reason things don't go according to plan, worst care scenario is I have to put my smaller HD back in -_- right?

Also do you know if i can partition a disk with two file systems (i.e. 120GB of Mac OS X and 380GB of FAT32?)

[dnanian]

No, because you can't boot from a USB drive. And, while you *can* partition with two file systems, you need to use "GUID" (for Intel Macs) or "APM" (for Power PC Macs) as the partition scheme if you want to be able to start up from the drive. Windows can't recognize either, and needs "Master Boot Record"... which can't start up a Mac.

[Neoraven456]

No, because you can't boot from a USB drive. And, while you *can* partition with two file systems, you need to use "GUID" (for Intel Macs) or "APM" (for Power PC Macs) as the partition scheme if you want to be able to start up from the drive. Windows can't recognize either, and needs "Master Boot Record"... which can't start up a Mac.

So your saying an Intel mac cannot boot from a USB2.0 device Regardless of formatting and other variations?

[dnanian]

Sorry, my mistake -- I reacted to the reply rather than to your original, which clearly stated you have an Intel mac. As such, you can boot from it as long as it's properly partitioned as a "GUID" partitioned drive.

But, if partitioned as "Master Boot Record" so it can be understood by Windows, you can't start up from it.

[Neoraven456]

Ah ok, thank you. So for this whole operation to fly, and for my External to still be usable by my PC as well I need to...

1) Back up my External to my PC
2) Zero my External and re-format as GUID
3) Back up my MacBook to the GUID External using SuperDuper!
4) Swap Hard Drives
5) Restore OS X onto new HD using SuperDuper!
6) Re-Zero and Reformat External as Master Boot Record
7) Restore files on External from my PC

Oy vey, this is going to take some time. Fortunately the drive won't arrive for a few days XD

Thank you for all of your help

[dnanian]

You can also get "PC/Mac Drive", which I believe lets you read Mac drives on the PC...

[Neoraven456]

You can also get "PC/Mac Drive", which I believe lets you read Mac drives on the PC...

Mmm more software. Do you know if there are any freeware/shareware applications similar to MacDrive?

Ah either way all my concerns have been cleared up, without MacDrive it'll just take longer.

Thank you very much for all your support =]

[dnanian]

Sorry, that's research you'll have to do on your own, but I'm glad you're on your way. :)

[Neoraven456]

Thanks again for all the help.

Heh this will definitely take awhile, I stored the data off of the External and I've been zeroing it out for the last... 7-8 hours, and judging by the bar its at ~60% done. -_- ugh USB