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M1 Macs, boot from external drive possible?
- Thread starter sledgehammer89
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No it's not on a Macbook Pro or Macbook air. This might be true for a Mac Mini which has USB-A Ports, but not for the Notebooks.
I am using this "package" https://plugable.com/products/tbt3-nvme1tb/ But its specs are listed as Tb3 NVMe 1.3, Interface Controller: Intel DSL6340, NAND Controller: Phison E12, Storage Media: Kioxia 64L TLC. I am clocking read/write speeds at about 2200-2400 MBps. It has its own integrated 7" TB3 cable. I was able to get it on Amazon for $250 for the 1TB version. Currently listed for $300. Ive been using it for about 7 months and love it.
Is anyone testing external booting from a 13-MBPro ?
No joke, it seems like the USB-C port closest to the screen will NOT work when attempting to install and boot Big Sur 11.1. On the 2nd port closest to the trackpad it works every time! I want to single out if it's my mac or if others can reproduce this.
No joke, it seems like the USB-C port closest to the screen will NOT work when attempting to install and boot Big Sur 11.1. On the 2nd port closest to the trackpad it works every time! I want to single out if it's my mac or if others can reproduce this.
I'm not sure which port it is but I do remember reading where one port needed to be used. It's the same thing when using the Configurator 2 app.
I did successfully by this method on Macmini 2020 (M1). Is there any method for Macbook and Macbook air (no type-A USB)?
I tried this mathod and I succeeded!
How can I install Big sur on Macbook M1 bacause they have no USB-A?
How can I install Big sur on Macbook M1 bacause they have no USB-A?
At this point you need a USB-C based External hard drive and then it should work.
Is it true? I would like to confirm on M1 Mabook air. "USB-C based External hard drive" means the USB drive must be old fasioned hard (magnetic) drive?, not SSD based USB drive?
Orico Thunderbolt 3 ssd enclosure works for my m1 MBA. And it's weird that my 256gb AHCA ssd in the enclosure has 1000MB write and 1700MB read.
No! SSDs are "hard" as well! you can use a USB SSD.
I agree the terminology is confusing. If I see "HDD" I think spinning drive, but "hard drive" is just a physical drive HDD or SSD. Not logical I know.
My 256GB with 16gb Ram won't let me downgrade the security. I can't choose the SSD in OSX either as it tells me there is no administrator on the disk.
I deleted everything on the SSD, formatted APFS, and deleted all the volumes as well. I installed OSX from the Mac Mini Recovery and installed using USB C 3.1 and USB A cables.
It won't work. I have a Sandisk Extreme 1TB.
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That’s what seems to happen when you don’t have a thunderbolt external. I think it is a bug. I’ve tried just about everything I can think of to install on a USB SSD and it doesn’t ever work.
I just created a new thread with the solution. I just solved it. Apple Engineers are also aware as I just messaged them.
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My solution yielded a working external drive for 12 hours and then it would no longer boot. Apple, you suck.
I wish I read this thread before ordering my 13 inch MacBook Pro M1 16GB RAM 256GB SSD. Since receiving it on the 9th, I have been back and forth with Apple over the last few days. They even screen shared with my iPhone and watched me install Big Sur onto my external USB C SSD. It seemed like everything had installed correctly but I received this error in the end “Cannot verify startup disk.” The entire phone call lasted about 2 hours and then another 2 hours the following day. In the end I was told that the new M1 MBP will not boot Big Sur from an an external drive. I am not sure that goes for Mac Mini’s as well.
I find it extremely disappointing because I have many large applications needed for work that my MBP cannot hold. I am also in disbelief that no solution exists for the new model of Apple M1 products. Even though this problem is becoming rapidly wide known and problematic. If any of you find a solution please add to the discussion. I am sure many are wondering how to boot Big Sur from their external drives onto their new M1 MacBooks.
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Relating to this post, I found that the external boot devices (USB-A and thunderbolt) can not be used and became un-bootable! if you connect to USB-C port by mistake. I experienced this 2 times (1 for by intentionally test, 1 for by mistake).
So please take care not to connect the bootable devices created on USB-A or thunderbolt to USB-C port!!!
So please take care not to connect the bootable devices created on USB-A or thunderbolt to USB-C port!!!
It is simply not true that M1 Macs cannot be booted from an external. It is true that not everyone is succeeding so there are factors whinch have not been identified to explain why it does not.
I understood. But the external devices became un-bootable after re-connectiong the original USB-A or thunderbolt port.
They are dead.
I don't understand this. What kind of apps need so much space on the boot drive that you have to boot from an external? Will even a 2TB internal not work for these apps?
If there really is a reason then I agree buying an M1 for work that relied on external booting would be a mistake, though it does seem at this stage that thunderbolt externals boot more consistently.
I know this happened to pistonpilot here but it is not something I have seen reported elsewhere by people who have successfully booted M1 Minis. I have an M1 Air so everything I do is through the USB-C ports.
Erase the drive and try again. Use the Big Sur.app GUI installer inside macOS on the Mini. Your drive should work just fine. If not try direct USB-C to USB-C