Is there a way to install Windows on an extern hard disk?

I have a mid 2010 iMac and inside a 160GB SSD instead of an 1TB HD and I want to install Windows on it. Because of the SSD is to small for Windows and all the games and so on I want to install Windows on an external firewire HD. Is there a way to make this possible?

Windows 7 can be trimmed to fit on 40GB (I've seen smaller but you need that probably). Same for Mac OS, a small OS normally unless you load up FinalCut, X-Plane World Edition, etc.
You can use another drive with NTFS partition for all the other things you want to use, page, applications, whatever, even temp/tmp and cache can be relocated to another volume.
And, there are iMacs with SSD + 2TB hard drives, and while the iMac isn't as easy to service and upgrade there are drive upgrades, incl SSD.

Similar Messages

I'm not crying. Is there a way to install Mountain Lion on a bootable disk on latest iMac cuz mine shipped without an OS?

I could cry right now. After decades of being an Apple fan, something is happening for the worse and issues with every Apple product I own 2 iphones, 2 iMacs, 15" Macbook Pro, and iPad Mini (no issues here, just slow connecting to App Store and can never seem to download updates) has left me disenchanted. I do have a question about Mountain Lion but just airing out grievances.
Ok, to the point. I have the new 27" iMac that was just released. Was delivered and opened the box, turned it on, and there was a flashing folder icon. No OS, wonderful. I live in Brooklyn and not trying to lug a 27" computer onto the train nor should I have to pay for a cab to resolve this. Anyway, I tried to go into Recovery but it started doing an Internet Recovery with a download time of 9 hours. Um, no thanks. So I downloaded the latest version of Mountain Lion from the App store on my old iMac and made a boot disk onto an external via Apples instructions. Plugged it into new iMac lemon, go into recovery mode, see the bootable drive, click on it to reinstall and it gives me a crossed out circle icon and shuts down.
What am I doing wrong? I have pretty decent broadband and did start the internet recovery process now until I find a better solution online. After 5 hours, Internet recovery finished and clicked on Reinstall Mountain Lion to which it's asking me to download the OS again and with a 13 hour download time!!!! What's going on here? What was the purpose of internet recovery taking 5 hours only to download it again at another 13 hours???
Question is, is there something I should be doing differently? Is there a way to install Mountain Lion from a bootable disk? This is mind blowingly the dumbest thing I've encountered with Apple. Got a problem with your OS? No problem, just download a 4.4GB file every incident.
Thank you.

You can't grab a installer from another Mac and expect it to run. The newer Macs have newer hardware which requires special drivers. If the version that boots the iMac is a special build, it won't work any other way than Internet Recovery.
If it was me, I'd take it right back. You have no idea if the OS is just corrupted, the hard drive is dead, or what. I wouldn't take my chances with it.

Hi - my 2011 Mac Pro no longer recognizes devices in the usb ports, I've been told it's the logic board. is there a way I can connect the iomega external hard drive to it through the firewire or thunderbolt ports?

Hi - my 2011 Mac Pro no longer recognizes devices in the usb ports, I've been told it's the logic board. is there a way I can connect the iomega external hard drive to it through the firewire or thunderbolt ports?

jrburrows wrote:
Ok, fair enough. But since Job's death - Apple's control on leaks has been terrible. I got the new iPhone, and I like it - but it hasn't made nearly as big as an impression as previous ones. Because of the vast ammount of leaks. With the iPad mini leaks, it's 99% sure to come out next week.
Apple uses many manufacturers and it's massive also websites prefer to report on Apple whether true or false because it brings more hits.
Amd by "others" I meant other people on iPads - not other devices/manufacturers. It's possible to do so, I just want to know how. I honestly don't think we'll ever be in a Post-PC era until all tablets allow us to use USB in the way computers do.
No, USB is not the future, you missed the memo about cloud and wireless computing?

I want to install windows 8 on external hard desk on mac . how i can install that

Hello kindly i want to install windows 8 on external hard desk on my macbook pro How . AND Witch programe i must use use it

Windows will not install and boot from an external drive using Bootcamp Assistant. You could install Windows in a virtual machine using Parallels, Fusion, or VirtualBox.

Recently upgraded Mac 24" to Lion (clean install) and now no external hard disks work with Time Machine

Recently upgraded Mac 24" to Lion (clean install) and now no external hard disks work with Time Machine.
installed new internal disk first with fresh 10.7.3 Lion software. Also upgrade ram to 4GB. Work great, super fast.
BUT.... my WD 1TB firewire400 external disks no longer work with the Lion enabled machine now.
FURTHER... I read somewhere that WD is problematic with Lion but Seagate was not... so I went and bought a new 3TB Seagate GoFlex.
When it didnt work properly either, I patiently searched and found a software/firward upgrade and applied.
I re-partitioned disk to extened/journaled standard, etc.
Then assigned the particition to Time Machine. Drive turned the blue/grey color, so I thought it would work.
But, it has now been in "preparing" mode in Time Machine for HOURS....
What is up Apple? So dissappointed. Ive read these type of problems are notorious with Lion and I wish I never upgraded.
Are you trying to make issues with External disks, to drive people to iCloud? That trick ont work in me. I will not reward bad behaviour Apple.
Please provide a fix... I wasted hours/days screwing around with this, instead of using the Mac for what its intended!

Solved by Pondini, on another thread I opened...
Answer:
Sounds like either:
A directory problem on your internal HD. Verify your internal HD, and Repair any other volumes being backed-up per #A5 in Time Machine - Troubleshooting.
Something in OSX may be damaged. You've tried the "combo," so a fresh copy of OSX (that won't disturb anything else) would be worth a try (and you don't need a tech for that). See Installing the ''combo'' update and/or Reinstalling OSX.

Install Windows XP on External Hard Drive

Is there anyway I can install Windows XP on my WD 500GB External HD? It serves as my Time Machine for my MacBook, which doesn't have a whole lot of HDD space left. I'd like to install XP and be able to run it on my Mac, but it takes up way to much space.
If I can't install XP to my external drive, is there any suggestions for clearing space on my MacBook? Any way to remove unwanted applications?

Jerid Lucas wrote:
I don't quite understand your answer, or maybe you don't quite understand my question. Here are a little more details.
I have an Early 2008 Macbook with a 160GB HDD with Tiger installed.
For BootCamp you need OSX Leopard since the BootCamp Beta from OSX Tiger no longer works.
I'm interested in running Windows XP on my MacBook, but I'm concerned with it taking up space on my already small HDD. However, I do have a 500GB external HDD that I have plenty of space on.
My question remains, is there anyway that I could install Windows XP on my external drive while keeping Leopard on my laptop HDD. Would I be able to use BootCamp to assist me. If not, how would I access/boot XP?
See my first post. Windows is not intended to be booted of an external harddisk.
This is prevented by Microsoft and BootCamp can not change this.
Windows XP itself needs about 10GB of harddisk space. Add to that the amount of disk space that will be used y the Windows programs you want to run plus the space used by the data files.
So something about 20-25GB for Windows might be sufficient.
How much free disk space do you have right now ?
What is 'eating' up your disk space ?
I know these are several questions, and difficult ones at that, but I believe there is an answer somewhere.
The answer is given, but the technical limitations of Windows prevent the answer from being what you want to hear.
Stefan

Is there a way to run Vista on an External Hard Drive?

Am a Mac Newbie with some PC application baggage...
It was my understanding that "Macs" could boot from either internal and external hard drives. I thought I could (somehow) install Vista on a partition on an external hard drive and simply connect it to my Mac Book Pro when I wanted to boot from it.
My objective is to minimize (or avoid) the impact of a PC environment installed my MBP, yet still allow periodic "native" or virtual access to a PC environment as needed. And, perhaps, to use any remaining space on the external hard drive for backup storage...
Am not seeing any references to this type of setup...is any part of this possible?
If I understand the threads correctly, Boot Camp only installs Vista to the internal hard drive. And while Microsoft limits the virtual use of Vista to their Business and Ultimate editions, will virtual manager programs such as Fusion or Parallels allow me to put the PC environment on an external hard drive to plug and play as needed?
I thought native would be simpler...but maybe the route to go may be virtual management to get Windows on an external hard drive?
Thanks.

Got resolved in the Boot Camp Forum ny Stefan...evidently Microsoft has restricted Windows (XP and Vista) to not be able to be booted from external HDs.
Stefan pointed out that here is however, a way to achieve this my objective however, see here: http://tubeshards.wordpress.com/2006/12/05/install-windows-to-a-macintosh-usb-dr ive/
Although this is for XP, Stefan thinks it should also work for Vista.
Parallels and/or Fusion will allow me to put the Windows Vista VM nearly anywhere, which includes external HDs.
The external HD has to be formated as HFS+ (the OSX file system) but it is possible to partition the external HD to two or more partitions and use these partitions for backup etc.

Unable to Install Windows 8 on secondary Hard Disk

Hello,
I have a Macbook Pro 17" i7 2,2 Ghz (early 2011 OSX 10.9.4) equipped with a 750 Gb Samsung SSD and a Secondary 750 Gb Toshiba HHD mounted in place of the Original Laptop's DVD optical Drive.
I've tried several times to Install Windows 8.0 into the Secondary HHD Drive (USB KEY created with a Windows 8.1 Iso Image through the Bootcamp assistent) but without success. This is the message at the end of the Windows 8.1 installation process:
"Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed."
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
I've tried Everything but now I Don't Know what else to do!!!

First Of all Loner T, Thank You for your precious Help.
I've tried again and again this morning.... but with No Successs
I've spent so many hours this week tryin' to find a solution and I'm very frustrated.
I've also tried to follow this interesting post, but nothing changed:
The ultimate way to install Windows 8.x in (U)EFI mode on Apple systems
This is what I've done a few minutes ago:
1) pressed +alt button and this is my startup:
- Mac SSD is the Osx Mavericks Disk
- EFI boot (I don't know what it is but If i select it the Macbook boots into Max Osx just like the first option)
- Recovery
- EFI boot (ORANGE) Is the Windows 8.1 USB KEY created through Bootcamp Assistent.
I've selected EFI Boot (ORANGE)
The Windows 8.1 installation Begins...
I've selected the Unlocated Partition on TOSHIBA Hard Disk
Everything Seems to go in the right way but... at the End:
"Windows could not update the computer's boot configuration. Installation cannot proceed."

How to install Windows 7 on a hard disk sdd from a macbook pro 13 " i7?, How to install Windows 7 on a hard disk sdd from a macbook pro 13 " i7?

I have a macbook pro 13 " and I shall like settling on an external hard disk ( SSD) Windows 7 not to split up the main disk.

You can't. Windows will not install on an external disc.

Having trouble installing Windows 7 on external optical disk drive

My internal optical drive doesnt work so i ran out and bought and LG external Optical drive. I Reinstalled mac os 10.6 and created a 45gb partition in bootcamp. When i try to install windows, at the gray screen it flashes a folder symbol and a circle with a line through it like it cant find the boot up disk in the external disk drive. The version of windows 7 im using is a burned .iso that i got from my boss so i could work on my laptop, i have tried an official windows 7 disk and that produced the same error. Im really not sure what to do other than go to the apple store and the nearest one is 100 miles away so i preferably dont want to do that. Any help would be appreciated. thanks.

Sorry, it is not clear to me if you are trying to install Windows on an external optical drive or what. Read the Bootcamp installation and help manuals http://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/
Windows needs to be installed on the internal hard drive drive.
Also, Bootcamp questions are better posted in the Bootcamp forum where the Bootcamp gurus hang out. https://discussions.apple.com/community/windows_software/boot_camp

Itunes for window on an external hard disk

I have my itunes library on an external hard disk and it is working fine but I am about to get a new computer. What is the easiset way to get my new installation of itunes to view the library on the external hard disk.
If anybody knows the answer can they please reply to this, thanks.
Windows XP Pro

- Save the following files from the old PC:
-- 1) The Library database file: ‘iTunes Library.itl’ located in the ‘iTunes’ folder
-- 2) The Library XML file: ‘iTunes Music Library.xml’ located in the ‘iTunes’ folder
- Copy these files to your new PC somewhere safe
- Install iTunes on the new PC
- Configure your ExHD to attach to the new PC as the same drive letter as on the old PC
- Attach the ExHD to the new PC
- Copy the two saved database files (XML & ITL) into the 'My Music\iTunes' folder of the new PC - replace the smaller, new files that are there
- Open iTunes
Your new PC's Library should be a clone of the old PC's. These are high-level instructions. If you feel you need more, post back.
Take a look at these concepts: http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=-1&messageID=1923195

Installing Oracle Linux on external hard-disk or DVD

Hi All,
Is it possible to install Oracle Enterprise Linux on external hard-disk or DVD?
I already have Windows 7 and want to install Oracle Enterprise Linux either in dual-boot mode or on external hard-disk/DVD. I want to install Oracle E-Business Suite on Linux.
Can you also let me know the minimum RAM capacity required for running Oracle E-Business Suite R12 on Oracle Enterprise Linux?
Pointers and workarounds are highly appreciated.
Regards,
Kashif

It's technically possible, but why bother? Since you are asking this question you will very likely run into more trouble with such a setup. In addition, Oracle Enterprise Linux is designed for server hardware and will give you additional trouble if you install it on a desktop or laptop computer.
I would recommend to you to install Oracle Virtualbox and install OEL as a guest OS and run Linux side by side with your Windows system. There is plenty of information for this task on the web. For the latest version and info on Virtualbox see http://www.virtualbox.org/
System and hardware requirements for Oracle e-suite will be a different questions, for which you might find answers here:
http://download.oracle.com/docs/html/B15721_03/inst_req.htm
Edited by: Dude on Apr 3, 2011 5:55 AM

I3 window manger & automount external hard disk / usb drive

Hi,
I using arch x86_64 with 3.11.5-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT kernel + i3 window manager + pcmanfm.
But i'm unable to automount my external hard disk or usb drive.(I have installed gvfs package as well.
Also is there any gui tool to configure keybinding? (something like obkey in openbox)
Please help.
Thank you.

epic wrote:Also is there any gui tool to configure keybinding? (something like obkey in openbox)
I think you need to look at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/I3#Volume_Manager and the output of man i3
tl;dr - the ~/.i3/config file does it nicely.
Here is mine:
ewaller$@$odin ~ 1001 %cat .i3/config
# This file has been auto-generated by i3-config-wizard(1).
# It will not be overwritten, so edit it as you like.
# Should you change your keyboard layout somewhen, delete
# this file and re-run i3-config-wizard(1).
# i3 config file (v4)
# Please see http://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html for a complete reference!
set $mod Mod4
# Font for window titles. Will also be used by the bar unless a different font
# is used in the bar {} block below. ISO 10646 = Unicode
#font -*-charter-medium-r-*-*-*-100-*-*-*-*-*-*
# The font above is very space-efficient, that is, it looks good, sharp and
# clear in small sizes. However, if you need a lot of unicode glyphs or
# right-to-left text rendering, you should instead use pango for rendering and
# chose a FreeType font, such as:
font pango:DejaVu Sans 8
# Use Mouse+$mod to drag floating windows to their wanted position
floating_modifier $mod
# start a terminal
bindsym $mod+Return exec i3-sensible-terminal
# kill focused window
bindsym $mod+Shift+q kill
# start dmenu (a program launcher)
bindsym $mod+d exec dmenu_run
# There also is the (new) i3-dmenu-desktop which only displays applications
# shipping a .desktop file. It is a wrapper around dmenu, so you need that
# installed.
# bindsym $mod+d exec --no-startup-id i3-dmenu-desktop
# change focus
bindsym $mod+j focus left
bindsym $mod+k focus down
bindsym $mod+l focus up
bindsym $mod+semicolon focus right
# alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:
bindsym $mod+Left focus left
bindsym $mod+Down focus down
bindsym $mod+Up focus up
bindsym $mod+Right focus right
# move focused window
bindsym $mod+Shift+j move left
bindsym $mod+Shift+k move down
bindsym $mod+Shift+l move up
bindsym $mod+Shift+semicolon move right
# alternatively, you can use the cursor keys:
bindsym $mod+Shift+Left move left
bindsym $mod+Shift+Down move down
bindsym $mod+Shift+Up move up
bindsym $mod+Shift+Right move right
# split in horizontal orientation
bindsym $mod+h split h
# split in vertical orientation
bindsym $mod+v split v
# enter fullscreen mode for the focused container
bindsym $mod+f fullscreen
# change container layout (stacked, tabbed, toggle split)
bindsym $mod+s layout stacking
bindsym $mod+w layout tabbed
bindsym $mod+e layout toggle split
# toggle tiling / floating
bindsym $mod+space floating toggle
# change focus between tiling / floating windows
bindsym $mod+Shift+space focus mode_toggle
# focus the parent container
bindsym $mod+a focus parent
# focus the child container
#bindsym $mod+d focus child
# switch to workspace
bindsym $mod+1 workspace 1
bindsym $mod+2 workspace 2
bindsym $mod+3 workspace 3
bindsym $mod+4 workspace 4
bindsym $mod+5 workspace 5
bindsym $mod+6 workspace 6
bindsym $mod+7 workspace 7
bindsym $mod+8 workspace 8
bindsym $mod+9 workspace 9
bindsym $mod+0 workspace 10
# move focused container to workspace
bindsym $mod+Shift+1 move container to workspace 1
bindsym $mod+Shift+2 move container to workspace 2
bindsym $mod+Shift+3 move container to workspace 3
bindsym $mod+Shift+4 move container to workspace 4
bindsym $mod+Shift+5 move container to workspace 5
bindsym $mod+Shift+6 move container to workspace 6
bindsym $mod+Shift+7 move container to workspace 7
bindsym $mod+Shift+8 move container to workspace 8
bindsym $mod+Shift+9 move container to workspace 9
bindsym $mod+Shift+0 move container to workspace 10
# reload the configuration file
bindsym $mod+Shift+c reload
# restart i3 inplace (preserves your layout/session, can be used to upgrade i3)
bindsym $mod+Shift+r restart
# exit i3 (logs you out of your X session)
bindsym $mod+Shift+e exit
#bindsym $mod+Shift+e exec "i3-nagbar -t warning -m 'You pressed the exit shortcut. Do you really want to exit i3? This will end your X session.' -b 'Yes, exit i3' 'i3-msg exit'"
# resize window (you can also use the mouse for that)
mode "resize" {
# These bindings trigger as soon as you enter the resize mode
# Pressing left will shrink the windows width.
# Pressing right will grow the windows width.
# Pressing up will shrink the windows height.
# Pressing down will grow the windows height.
bindsym j resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym k resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym l resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym semicolon resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt
# same bindings, but for the arrow keys
bindsym Left resize shrink width 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym Down resize grow height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym Up resize shrink height 10 px or 10 ppt
bindsym Right resize grow width 10 px or 10 ppt
# back to normal: Enter or Escape
bindsym Return mode "default"
bindsym Escape mode "default"
bindsym $mod+r mode "resize"
# Bindings for my HP Pavilion
bindsym XF86AudioPlay exec mpc toggle
bindsym XF86AudioPrev exec mpc prev
bindsym XF86AudioNext exec mpc next
bindsym XF86AudioStop exec mpc stop
bindsym XF86AudioRaiseVolume exec pavolume increase
bindsym XF86AudioLowerVolume exec pavolume decrease
bindsym XF86AudioMute exec pavolume mute
bindsym XF86Save exec dmenu_run
bindsym $mod+x exec x48
bindsym $mod+Tab workspace next
bindsym $mod+Shift+Tab workspace prev
bindsym Mod1+Tab workspace next
bindsym $mod+Menu exec i3-winmenu.py
bindsym $mod+XF86Save exec gmrun
for_window [title="Execute program feat. completion"] floating enable' border none; focus mode_toggle
for_window [title="x48-0.6.4"] floating enable' border none; focus mode_toggle
for_window [title="Wicd Network Manager"] floating enable' border none; focus mode_toggle
# Float notifications
for_window [class="Xfce4-notifyd"] floating enable; border none; focus mode_toggle
# Start i3bar to display a workspace bar (plus the system information i3status
# finds out, if available)
bar {
status_command i3status
#exec --no-startup-id i3-msg 'workspace 2; exec firefox; workspace 1'
exec --no-startup-id i3-msg 'workspace 10; exec claws-mail; workspace 1'
exec --no-startup-id exec nitrogen --restore
exec --no-startup-id exec xcompmgr
exec --no-startup-id exec conky
exec --no-startup-id exec mpd
#exec --no-startup-id emacs
exec --no-startup-id exec wicd-gtk -t
ewaller$@$odin ~ 1002 %

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

Hi i had made internet recovery for my mac, and now trying to instal the osx on external hard disk

Hi , i had my mac showing the question mark box. So i made internet recovery, and now i'm trying to download the osx lion on external hard disk as it shows , but its failing again, i dont know why

mamdouh elchami,
which model MacBook Pro do you have? If I understand you correctly, you have already made a successful OS X Internet recovery to your internal disk, and now you would like to install Lion on an external disk. Was it Lion that you had successfully downloaded and installed to your internal disk?

Is there a way to install Windows on an extern hard disk?

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