Creating bootable external hard disk partition

Apologies if I've missed a "how-to" for the following question.
I have formatted & partitioned an external FW hard drive into 2 partitions using the GUID partition table which according to Disk Utility is the one to use for my purposes.
I don't need to clone my internal disk, I just need to boot from an external but I'm drawing a blank. Need I use the Installer disk & can I select which volume to install to?
OR
Can I drag & drop my system folder from my internal? I hope I've posted this question in the right forum.
Thanks!

Eve Elberg wrote:
... I use the Installer disk & can I select which volume to install to?
Yes. boot from the installer disc by restarting and holding down the "C" key, then you can select any available partition to perform the installation.
OR
Can I drag & drop my system folder from my internal? ...
No, this will not maintain the proper file access permissions. There are copy utility programs that will allow you to backup portions of your Mac OS X disc, like Carbon Copy Cloner, Super Duper, etc, which will preserve the appropriate file access permissions.
Since you don't want to clone the entire drive, your best option is to install from the DVD, so you don't have to worry about which portions to copy over to get a fully functional boot disc.
Not all external drives will boot a Mac, the internal chipset in the enclosure must support booting the Mac, you may be able to install the OS, but when you try to boot it may fail. What type of external hard drive are you using, do you know for certain that the vendor claims that it will boot a Mac? (Mac-compatible doesn't always mean Mac-bootable)

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Can't erase anything on an external hard disk partition of bootable backup ____error message -50 "Error in user parameter"

I am using MACOSX 10.6
The data on the disk partition on my Iomega 2Tb external hard disk drive (labeled "Bootable Backup") was written by Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC ver. 3.37)
I have had problems with overwriting this using CCC, and I have also had troubles changeing the data on my "Versioned Backup" partition, using either CrashPlan or CCC
A third partition that was virgin ("Half-Tb Volume") on the same external disk drive, however, DID accept the latest CCC bootable backup of my Macintosh HD...which is the reason I want to recover rthe space on the first bootable backup partition.
I have not found any links to this error using Google search, apart from the definition.
Anyone

Do a backup using Time Machine or a clone. Then boot into the Recovery Volume (command - R) on a restart. Run Disk Utility Repair disk. If it can't repair the disk, then select the erase tab and reformat using Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Also click the Option button and select GUID. When complete, reboot normally and restore your data.
Please update your profile to reflect the OS you are running.

I cant create a new hard disk partition in my macbook pro 15 inch

hi guys when i go to my disk utility my main hard give me results like this
its showing capacity 499gb but only remaining 10mb now please watch second image
now tell me whats happening with my mac thanks alot in advance any advice will be appreciated thanks

Did you click on PARTITION?
Ciao.

How to make a bootable backup on external hard disk?

Hi guys, I want to ask how can make a backup of entire C(windows) drive on my external hard disk.I tried using backup option in my transcend hard drive
software but it gave me some errors..So I used backup option C:>properties and made a backup on my hard disk.But I am not sure if I can restore from it if my windows crashes coz I don't know if I can use this backup file from boot.So here's what I need
1)To make backup in hdd without having to wipe the it.
2)To make the backup bootable incase my windows crashes, I should be able to restore all my C drive..

Hi... I agree with your Number "2". I think that it is much better for you to install a backup tool e.g.aomei backupper (http://www.backup-utility.com/features/) and to forget about any possible troubles at all as the tool will backup everything you need and how you need, creating the whole image of the disk c which you can easily restore in case you have the crash.

Partition external hard disk to back up

I want to know how much space the back up usually requires. I will partition my 1TB external hard disk to back up my mac but don't know how much space I should save for it. Thank you very much.

What type backup are you refering too?
I am assuming you want to take a full system copy before you upgrade to Mavericks?
Select the disk that you want to backup (probably called 'Macintosh HD') in the Finder, click 'File > Get info…' from the menu. It will calculate how much disk space is used. You will want that amount plus a few more GB's at the very least (+20% extra is a good idea if you have it - it means you can boot from it in the future if needed).
I would stongly suggest you make sure that the backup is bootable after you copy over your data, that way if Mavericks doesn't suit your needs you can copy the entire sytem back into place.
P.S.
How are you planning to backup?
This has some info on the tools you can use in the third paragraph…
http://www.macworld.com/article/2056563/should-you-do-a-clean-install-of-maveric ks.html
If you are refering to a Time Machine backup, it will also use the same amount of space as the main disk plus any other internal disks, however it will grow as files change & it isn't bootable.

Help needed. I have a 3TB external hard drive partitioned into 1TB's. I used one partition as backup for the main computer hard drive. But now it is greyed out as shown in the disk utility and its name changed, i dont know how that happened, i tried verif

Help needed. I have a 3TB external hard drive partitioned into 1TB's. I used one partition as backup for the main computer hard drive. But now it is greyed out as shown in the disk utility and its name changed, i dont know how that happened, i tried verifying and repairing it but had no luck. I also tried mounting and unmounting it but still no solution. Anyone to help please?

Looks bad. I would strongly advise backing up the stuff on the other two partitions as soon as possible in case the rest of the drive goes wrong.
Beyond that, Disk Utility has limited abilities to repair disks, DiskWarrior uses a different approach and might, emphasis might be more successful. It has certainly done the job for me in the past when Disk Utility could not.
See http://www.alsoft.com/diskwarrior/

Partitioning of an External Hard Disk

Hello everyone, I just bought a Western Digital External Hard Disk (500GB) and I will like to partition (I assume I need to partition it into two separative drives - 1 for Windows and 1 for Mac) it for the following uses:
1. Able to read and write files from my Macbook Pro (Lion OS)
2. Able to read and write files from the Boot Camp Partition in my Macbook Pro (Windows 7)
3. Able to read and write files from other user's computers (Either an Apple OS or Windows OS)
4. While on my Lion OS, I'm able to read and copy files from the Windows Partition of the ext. hard disk
5. While on my Windows 7 OS, I'm able to read and copy files from the Mac Partition of the ext. hard disk
Your advice is greatly appreciated and I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you very much!

The simplest method is to format the drive in exFAT. Each OS can read/write to it.
However, it doesn't support user permissions.
All Windows versions back to XP (with a patch) can read/write exFAT. OS X back to 10.6.5 can read/write exFAT.

Problem with Lightroom 5: how to connect the app with my original pictures which are on a external hard disk and, once this resolved, how to create virtual pictures

A friend has installed Lightroom 5 on my MacBook air. he transferred all my picture that were on my IPhone an on Iphoto on Lightroom but without making virtual copies systematically. He put the original (real?) pictures on a external hard disk under Data_photos folder to allow more memory space on my Mac book Air. My problem now that when I connect the external hard disk with my computer the connexion does not happen automatically. it is like if Lightromm does not recognize the path to get connected to the original/real picture and therefore I cannot see pictures with all their potential and I cannot work on these. I am stuck! What should I do to 1) create this link? 2) create then virtual copies in order to be able to work on my computer without been obliged to connect my external hard disk to be able to use the application Lightroom. The friend who helped me disappeared! He is not in Japan and unable to help me.I hope you can help me. I have been looking for support to apple stores, photo shops, computer specialists but I have not found the expert capable to help me. I am leaving in Geneva. And believe that I should have some one with me physically to resolve a problem which I believe is not a serious one if one knows lghtroom an dinformatic basics... thank in advance to come back to me asap !!!!

Follow these instructions: Adobe Lightroom - Find moved or missing files and folders

How to stream audio/video files on bb playbook and create different play lists from another pc and/or external hard disk drive connected with a share router

hi guys
i wish to use my external hard disk drive (1tb) connected with a belkin share router as main storage drive and stream audio/ video and other files on bb playbook through wifi.
also wish to create different playlists directly on playbook.
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Try this...
http://forums.crackberry.com/blackberry-playbook-f222/how-stream-video-music-more-your-mac-pc-your-p...

I currently have a MAC Mini, which has 1 Firewire 800 port. I have a 1TB external hard disk that runs at Firewire 400. Can I insert another external hard drive that runs at Firewire 800?

Here's the deal. Currently running SL 10.6.8 on a MAC Mini. Planning for eventual upgrade to ML. Have a 1TB external hard drive partitioned into two volumes, one volume for Time Machine and one volume for SL which I periodically update using Superduper. Thus I always have a point-in-time bootable backup on the external hard drive.
The MAC Mini supports Firewire 800. However, booting from my current external hard disk is pretty slow, since it only supports Firewire 400. I am considering buying an Iomega MiniMax which supports Firewire 800. Then, I would use the MiniMax as my bootable backup volume, and relegate the older hard drive to Time Machine.
So, question #1 is, can I daisychain the new MiniMax between the MAC Mini and my existing external hard drive? My expectation is that the new Mini Max would run using Firewire 800 and that the existing hard drive would run at Firewire 400 speed as it does today. If it doesn't (e.g., daisychaining in the Firewire 400 external disk with the MiniMax Firewire 800 external disk ends up running the whole leg at 400), my resolution will be to run the existing hard disk off an available USB port and have just the MiniMax running at Firewire 800.
Why am I going to all this trouble? That's question #2. I don't trust upgrades; they always break something. When I upgraded from 10.5.x to 10.6.x, the web directories got renamed, and all of my web apps 403'd until I figured out what happened. Plus, I have accounts for other family members, and in order to ensure their ability to use the computer during my upgrade process, I need to have the ability to fall-back quickly to a known-stable version of OSX. So what I'm trying to do is insulate myself from problems by partitioning the MiniMax into two volumes, taking a Superduper image of my current installation on the Mac Mini to MiniMax external drive volume 1, then upgrading to ML on the MAC Mini, and take a SuperDuper image of that to MiniMax external drive volume 2. Then, if the upgrade results in problems I can't resolve immediately, I can simply reimage the MAC Mini from MiniMax volume 1. BUT ...
... I've read that the ML installation creates a "service and support" partition that is different than the startup disk. I'm concerned that I won't be able to reimage the hard disk in the MAC Mini once I upgrade it to ML because of the partitioning changes it introduces on the startup disk. Theoretically, I +should+ be able to use the disk utility on my SL system to repartition the disk in the MAC Mini prior to reimaging it from my backup, but I'm considering the possibility that the new partition may be of a type that the SL disk utility cannot identify, and might therefore be unable to delete or even detect. So I'm hoping someone else has been down this road and can advise me. Even at Firewire 800 speeds, booting from an external disk is still going to be slow, so I want to be able to restore my SL image to the MAC Mini hard disk.
A little background on me. I work for a major disaster recovery provider. I used to have a Mac PRO G5, which I got used, and the first thing I did with it was install a second hard disk, SuperDupe an image from the first disk to the second, and made sure I could boot from the second. THEN I started using and customizing the MAC. I really feel vulnerable with the MAC Mini, since it only has the single internal hard drive - sort of like going out in public dressed only in a long T-shirt. So my whole thing is, I ABSOLUTELY MUST BE ABLE TO PUT THINGS BACK THE WAY THEY WERE before I do the migration to ML.
Obsessive-cumpulsive? Yep. Anal? You got it. That's why I'm in the DR business.

You may have overloaded the port, following the instructions below it should reset:
+1. Shut down the computer.+
+2. Disconnect all devices and all other cables, except the keyboard and mouse cable(s).+
+3. Disconnect the computer from the power outlet and wait for 3 to 5 minutes.+
+4. Plug the computer back in and turn it on.+
+5. Reconnect the device(s) (one at a time if there is more than one) and test. Test with each port if you have more than one.+
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1317?viewlocale=en_US

Help reg what formats to be used for my new 4tb mini stack to back up my macbook and 2 external hard disks

Hey Guys,
I need an advice from you experts regarding the different formats to be used to format my New 4 Tb ministack from OWC. I have a Mid 2010 Intel macbook pro with 500gb hard disk using Mountain lion and two external hard disk from Samsung and Iomega 1Tb each. I want to format this ministack into 4 partitions each of 1Tb each.
1) 1 Tb for time machine to back up my macbook pro.
2) 1 Tb of Free space to be used to store extra data using both windows and mac os.
3) 1 Tb for Samsung back up
4) 1 Tb for my Iomega back up
I know that for 1st option i need to format the partition (volume) to Mac os extended (journalled). I need help for others.For the 1 Tb free space, can i use NTFS so that i can use it on my wifes windows laptop and use a third a party application like tuxera NTFS for use on my macbook which i am already using to use my samsung and Iomega Ext HDD.
Also What format is required for these two 1 Tb volumes dedicated for external hard disk backups and how can i back up my external hard disks to these formatted volumes. Do i need to format them to Mac os extended (journalled) as well as i shall be using macbook pro to back up these hard disks.
Which would be the best software to back up these Ext hdd,can i use time machine? or CCC ?
Your help help shall be gretaly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Get Disk Warrior that will repair the problems without requiring that you reformat the drive - $99.00 on a bootable CD. Will not work on a FAT formatted drive.
You will need to use Drag and Drop to save your files by copying them from the bad drive to a good one.
To reprep the drive:
Drive Preparation
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

Recovery from external hard disk

Dear Hp representative,
I have copied recovery file from recovery partition to external hard disk.
After that, I have deleted recovery partition and now I can't restore computer to factory settings.
I have tried to make new recovery media but it says that recovery partition doesn't exists although I have made new partition and copied the recovery file to it.
Please help.
Thanks
Karlo

Hi @Karlo12333 ,
Welcome to the HP Forums!
It is a great place to find answers and information!
For you to have the best experience in the HP forum I would like to direct your attention to the HP Forums Guide Learn How to Post and More
Unfortunately coping the partition does not work. I don't thing you will be able to create recovery media from the copied partition on the external but if you have not yet created recovery disk you can give it a try.
If you cannot create the recovery media you will need to contact HP support to obtain a recovery kit.
Please call our technical support at 800 474 6836. If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get a support number for your region.
World Wide Phone Support
Good Luck!
Sparkles1
I work on behalf of HP
Please click “Accept as Solution ” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.
Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

If i move my iphoto & iMovie source library / Events and Projects to an external hard disk, due to size, will my existing slideshows work ?

I need to move my photo library and Movies (Events and Projects) to an external hard disk as my 700gb drive on my iMac is now full (*see note below)
I have brought 2 Samsung External drives (3TB each) which I plan to partition each for Photos and Movies i.e 2 partitions on each drive, and will use one for use with iPhoto and iMovie, and the other drive for a dedicated backup. I will backup the remainder of my iMac hardisk to a seperate disk.
What has just occured to me is that after I have moved the libraries I cannot see how existing iMovie projects and iPhoto Slideshows will work, as each Application will be looking for the source files on the original iMac hardisc (I assume).
I am running Snow Leopard v10.6.8 ( I did not want to upgrade to Mountain Lion as I was told the iPhoto and iMovie changes were a 'backward' step. However I now want to upgrade to Mountain Lion, for security updates reasons mainly, and so need to free up my hard drive.
Can anyone advise on the best way to proceed ?
* - the iMac hard disk become full very suddenly, possibly due to duplicates, as I have noticed duplicate events and clips in my iMovies event library. I have noticed that some events are also now not showing, with message 'No video clips match the current selection' (I have not search criteria set).
Thanks

I was planning on manually backing up my external to the time capsule - but is there a way to set it up to back up automatically instead?
Time Machine will backup up automatically - you can not have your iPhoto library on the same volume as the TM backup (it will not work and it would not be a backup)
Dragging the iPhoto library to any external drive will backup it us also
I was also thinking about having the library copied to another external (I mean we're talking about irreplaceable photos here) - would i just drag a copy of the library to that drive as well?
Yes - that is a good idea - I run TM giving me hourly backups and a daily clone of my entire system giving me a bootable backup - plus do an occasional TM backup at our second home so I have one off site
is it possible to deal with my imovie library in the same way? so all my movies and photos are on my external?
Probably - but I use iMovie very little - better question for the iMovie forum
LN

Can I possible to use dual boot(windows 7 in internal hard disk and windows 8 in external hard disk)?

i want to create dual boot(2 OS in 1 laptop) in my laptop but my internal hard disk reach maximum(3) logical partition so my genuine windows 7 os is not allow me to create new logical partition and install win8 pro. i planed to purchase
one external hard disk and connect with my laptop and install win8 in external hard disk and use both win8 and 7. This is possible? If possible how to i create? please give me step by step instruction.

This is a developers forum for the presentation manager windows forms classes and api's
Try what has now a new name again user community forums, formerly answer forums.
http://answers.microsoft.com
Success
Cor

How to make my external hard disk to be used by both MAC and PC?

I have an external hard disk which was firstly formated on a pc and that time i could wride and read it by a Pc but the Mac could only read it.
After that i formated it on the Mac and now The Mac can write on it but PCs dont even see it.
Can i do anything in order for my hard disk to work both on MAC and Pc?
PowerBook G4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=4073062&#4073062
"Open Disk Utility. Select the drive entry for the external drive (Mfgr.'s ID and drive size) then click on the Partition tab. Select one (1) partition from the drop down menu. Click on the Option button and select the Master Boot Record (MBR) partition scheme then click on OK. Set the format type to MSDOS (FAT32) from the Format drop down menu. Click on the Partition button. Wait for the volume to mount on the Desktop. Select the volume entry (sub-entry of the drive entry) for the volume you just created, click on the Erase tab. Set the format type to MSDOS from the Format drop down menu, click on the Erase button. Wait for volume to mount on Desktop. You're done."
MacBook Pro 17" Mac OS X (10.4.9) BootCamp WinXP

Creating bootable external hard disk partition

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