Cannot Boot from External SSD 1/M1

[alien3dx]

I was also a little surprised that people were expecting to be able to boot an Intel version of MacOS on an ARM Mac. I think the confusion shows what a great job Apple has done to make the transition as seamless as possible.

I don’t things are quite as different as you suggest though. Big Sur on ARM supports APFS just like Big Sur on Intel. A word document would have an identical disk image on both ARM and Intel. Unlike the 68k and PowerPC Macs, the ARM and Intel Macs are both little endian so while CPU instructions are different, data should look the same on both systems. When I setup a new Mac though much of my data is in iCloud and the rest I transfer via a NAS. An M1 Mac can access a NAS in the same way as an Intel Mac and you can install dmgs with x86 images just fine (you will need Rosetta to run them of course). ARM/Intel universal binaries can also be run from a shared network drive.

The internal SSD on almost all current Intel Macs isn’t even accessed directly by the Intel CPU, access is via a T2 chip which is a 64bit ARM coprocessor based on the A10 in the iPhone7.

Not all thing are backup in iCloud, that's the most reason i concern.

Like me ,

Backup database in X86_64 not the same as ITANIUM or maybe future ARM for me. Apple does do good thing on rosseta but not all and we cannot blaim them but for me i think they polish it in 2 year but now one year. So now wonder a lot of bugs appear.

For me, i have various of backup style - hardisk, git for any issue. Sorry i don't rely on cloud folder yet.

Bugs can consider as few type

1. UX bugs - that's a lot in macos
2. functionality bugs

** software developer here.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Here is a list if what has been verified (so far) that we know works:

Apple M1 Verified External Boot Equipment:

NVMe M.2 SSD:
Inland Professional PCIe NVMe 2280 M.2
Inland Premium PCIe NVMe 2280 M.2
WD PCIe NVMe M.2 SN750

USB Hard Drives:
Sandisk Ultra 3D SATA
Samsung T5 V-NAND USB 3.1 External

NVMe Enclosures:
Trebleet Thunderbolt 3 NVMe PCIe M.2 (B07N67P39W)

USB Enclosures:
Startech USB 3.0 251BMU313

Adapters:
Apple USB-C to USB (MJ1M2AM/A)

Cables:
Apple Thunderbolt (0.8) (MQ4H2AM/A)
Apple Thunderbolt 3 Pro (2m) (MWP32AM/A)
Leirui Thunderbolt 3 (3 Feet) (B08561NV9H)
Trebleet Thunderbolt 3 100W (0.5) (B07XG2XXFH)

Supported macOS:
11.01 - No
11.1 - Yes
11.2 - Not tested

Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q 500GB installs and boots my M1 MBA OK, 11.1, connected by TB3

Unlike most true TB3 devices, the Sabrent Rocket can also be connected by USB.

It does not boot if connected by USB

 

[ADGrant]

Not all thing are backup in iCloud, that's the most reason i concern.

Like me ,

Backup database in X86_64 not the same as ITANIUM or maybe future ARM for me. Apple does do good thing on rosseta but not all and we cannot blaim them but for me i think they polish it in 2 year but now one year. So now wonder a lot of bugs appear.

For me, i have various of backup style - hardisk, git for any issue. Sorry i don't rely on cloud folder yet.

Bugs can consider as few type

1. UX bugs - that's a lot in macos
2. functionality bugs

** software developer here.

Rosetta converts application code from x86 to ARM so it can run on the M1 Mac. It has nothing to do with backup and it will never let you boot an x86 build of Big Sur from an external device. This is something you will never be able to do.

Git works on the M1 macs exactly the same as any other Macs, so does attached storage (though it may be slower). You can use Time Machine but I would be careful about which files I restored. You may be better off with a NAS if you multiple Macs to backup.

 

[alien3dx]

Rosetta converts application code from x86 to ARM so it can run on the M1 Mac. It has nothing to do with backup and it will never let you boot an x86 build of Big Sur from an external device. This is something you will never be able to do.

Git works on the M1 macs exactly the same as any other Macs, so does attached storage (though it may be slower). You can use Time Machine but I would be careful about which files I restored. You may be better off with a NAS if you multiple Macs to backup.

lol. not sure i need to reply like this . haiya.

 

[Mac... nificent]

Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q 500GB installs and boots my M1 MBA OK, 11.1, connected by TB3

Thank you! It has been added to the list.

It does not boot if connected by USB

Have you tried using the Apple USB-C to USB adapter?

 

[Mike Boreham]

Have you tried using the Apple USB-C to USB adapter?

I thought that was a M1 Mac Mini suggestion? This is an MBA, both ports are USB-C/TB3, no USB-A ports. I suppose I could try the (multi) adapter in the MBA USB-C/TB3 port, then connect the Rocket to the adapter by a USB-C to USB-A lead.

 

[Mac... nificent]

I thought that was a M1 Mac Mini suggestion? This is an MBA, both ports are USB-C/TB3, no USB-A ports.

USB C to USB Adapter - Apple

Apple Store Search Results

www.apple.com

The adapter adds a USB port to your laptop...

 

[Mike Boreham]

I thought that was a M1 Mac Mini suggestion? This is an MBA, both ports are USB-C/TB3, no USB-A ports. I suppose I could try the (multi) adapter in the MBA USB-C/TB3 port, then connect the Rocket to the adapter by a USB-C to USB-A lead.

Colour me cornwangled ....this worked!!

Will try with a Samsung T5 now.

 

[Mac... nificent]

Colour me corn wangled ....this worked!!

Will try with a Samsung T5 now.

Kind of exciting

I think I may have also found another way to make a bootable M1 external drive....

Will be testing later today.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Kind of exciting

I think I may have also found another way to make a bootable M1 external drive....

Will be testing later today.

The Apple multi adapter between the Samsung T5 and the M1 MBA works! I have just installed 11.1 onto a USB Samsung T5 connected this way and it boots. Makes no sense to me.

 

[Apples Apples Everywhere]

Went to Best Buy and bought a base Mac mini M1 Saturday.

Got a Samsung X5 today.

Held the power button and reinstalled Big Sur on the X5 using APFS.

Booting from the X5 works great.

Really, really happy so far.

 

[Mac... nificent]

I have just installed 11.1 onto a USB Samsung T5 connected this way and it boots. Makes no sense to me.

As long as your equipment understands why it works, all is good

 

[Mike Boreham]

As long as your equipment understands why it works, all is good

WAIT...I don't think my equipment does! I just did a repeat with Samsung T5 connected without the adapter and it successfully installed and booted. Doing some more tests

 

[alien3dx]

seem good news here . maybe in january i can order one like this

 

[Mike Boreham]

WAIT...I don't think my equipment does! I just did a repeat with Samsung T5 connected without the adapter and it successfully installed and booted. Doing some more tests

Just repeated this twice, and also some more tests with the T5 connected via a USB-C Dock.

At the moment the T5 consistently installs and boots provided it is directly connected to the M1 MBA but not if connected via the Dock.

This is all installing 11.1 from a USB bootable installer.

 

[Mac... nificent]

I've tried several times to create a boot drive via USB-C to USB-C with no luck.

Will try the same procedure via USB-C to USB adapter next.

 

[panjandrum]

Just a quick word of warning for those playing around with trying to get bootable external USB drives: I was at one point left with a non-bootable internal drive when installation failed to external media.

I ended up downloading the installer to the internal storage and tried installing to a freshly formatted external Samsung 860 EVO drive attached with a USB-C to USB-A adaptor and then a USB-A to SATA adaptor. I also tried it going with a USB-C to USB-A adaptor onto a 64GB USB thumb drive (SanDisk).

Neither method resulted in bootable external media. One of the attempts left the internal drive borked and I had to reinstall the OS. So there are some seriously messed-up things going on here.

Note that the USB adaptors and drives I used for testing this all work absolutely perfectly in these configurations on Intel based Macs with USB-C, leading me to suspect that there is something very wrong with the USB implementation in Apple's M1 Macs (hopefully something that can be fixed in software and not a full-blown hardware problem!)

 

[Mac... nificent]

leading me to suspect that there is something very wrong with the USB implementation in Apple's M1 Macs (hopefully something that can be fixed in software and not a full-blown hardware problem!)

Yes something is half baked with the USB ports. I’m sure they’ll get it sorted in time.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Just a quick word of warning for those playing around with trying to get bootable external USB drives: I was at one point left with a non-bootable internal drive when installation failed to external media.

I ended up downloading the installer to the internal storage and tried installing to a freshly formatted external Samsung 860 EVO drive attached with a USB-C to USB-A adaptor and then a USB-A to SATA adaptor. I also tried it going with a USB-C to USB-A adaptor onto a 64GB USB thumb drive (SanDisk).

Neither method resulted in bootable external media. One of the attempts left the internal drive borked and I had to reinstall the OS. So there are some seriously messed-up things going on here.

Note that the USB adaptors and drives I used for testing this all work absolutely perfectly in these configurations on Intel based Macs with USB-C, leading me to suspect that there is something very wrong with the USB implementation in Apple's M1 Macs (hopefully something that can be fixed in software and not a full-blown hardware problem!)

This has happened to me twice, both times after installing or trying to install to an external. When rebooting to the internal it goes into a cycle of apple > progress bar > Apple > progress bar and then boots to Recovery with a message that there is a problem and I need to reinstall from Recovery.
The first time it happened, reinstalling from Recovery did not work, but reinstalling from a bootable USB did work so I was back in business.
The second time it happened, I ignored the message about needing to reinstall, and shut down. When I rebooted it started normally.
Yes these are the joys of being on the leading edge!

 

[Meatsuit]

How I successfully Made an M1 External Bo… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

 

[Apples Apples Everywhere]

Went to Best Buy and bought a base Mac mini M1 Saturday.

Got a Samsung X5 today.

Held the power button and reinstalled Big Sur on the X5 using APFS.

Booting from the X5 works great.

I guess I should add I used macOS 11.1. The reinstall asked me to select an account from the internal drive to own the external install. I haven’t had any trouble booting from the X5 whatsoever. Furthermore I tried an Evo 960 M.2 in a Mantiz TB3 enclosure before buying the X5 and the 960 Evo also booted fine no problems for two days.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I have tried a WD SN750 NVMe blade in a OWC Envoy Express TB3 enclosure and it installs and boots fine.

The picture is building that externals which fully support TB3 and connected by TB3 have no problems. I have not seen a single report of a TB3 failure to boot.

Externals connected by USB boot for some people some of the time. I have had successes and failures booting a Samsung T5.

 

[Mac... nificent]

The picture is building that externals which fully support TB3 and connected by TB3 have no problems. I have not seen a single report of a TB3 failure to boot.

Externals connected by USB boot for some people some of the time. I have had successes and failures booting a Samsung T5.

I agree. TB3 seems to be the way to go. I suspect the issue with USB is because of all the issues reported with the USB ports.

 

[panjandrum]

Using a different USB adaptor and a different USB to SATA cable I do now have an actual bootable external drive.

I used CCC to clone to a partition on a Samsung SSD, then reinstalled the OS (as you currently have to do for this to have any chance of work at all), and eventually I ended up with a bootable external.

Other the other hand, I've also run into a TON of other major issues all revolving around attempting to backup / restore data:

1) Migration Assistant frequently fails in random and novel ways ("could not create accounts" - which sometimes are indeed NOT created, and sometimes ARE created perfectly well despite the error message)
2) Installing to external drives sometimes borks the internal storage (!!!!!!!!!!)
3) Successful, bootable CCC copies are sometimes NOT seen as legitimate Migration Assistant restore volumes
4) Must have a second Mac with Apple Configurator 2 installed to fix certain unbootable M1 Macs (ask me how I know) (!!!!)

And that's just off the top of my head. Apple's got some real work ahead of them on this, as good, reliable backup and restore functions are absolutely *critical* in so many sectors. I gotta say, this is really disappointingly bad mojo here. Yet another area the Mac always, always outshone Windows was in the area of relatively hassle-free backup, restore, and reinstall. Not these M1s at this point! Ouch!

 

[Mac... nificent]

Using a different USB adaptor and a different USB to SATA cable I do now have an actual bootable external drive.

Could you please list the exact make/model of the adapter so that we can add it to the list?

Must have a second Mac with Apple Configurator 2 installed to fix certain unbootable M1 Macs (ask me how I know) (!!!!)

Configurator 2 is now one of my favorite new Apple apps. I have been able to take two separate bricked M1 MBAs, both of which didn't see the admin account and wouldn't allow you to use recovery to reinstall the OS, and it brought them both back to life by using this app. It was actually amazing to see how well it worked and the whole process took only around 30 minutes.

Yet another area the Mac always, always outshone Windows was in the area of relatively hassle-free backup, restore, and reinstall. Not these M1s at this point! Ouch!

I have always said that it's a shame that Apple didn't address this matter while it was in beta.

I'd expect that kind of decision making from Microsoft, but not Apple.