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Killerbob

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 25, 2008
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I know it would be too much to ask for if I wanted someone with the identical setup to me, but if anyone could give me some of the answers I can get my new nMP setup just right.

I have the nMP with the 1TB storage. I also got a Sonnet TB2 Echo Express III-D, and have it fitted with an Accelsior 1TB card, as well as a Sonnet Tempo Pro with 2x512GB SSDs. In addition I have a LaCie 500GB external SSD.

The final result should hopefully be;

OSX on the internal 1TB storage. Extra storage on the Accelsior and the Tempo. The Tempo Pro should be setup in Raid0. And, I'd like Windows 8.1 on the external LaCie.

1) I setup OSX on the nMP,
2) Connect the Echo Express with both cards already installed,
3) Format the Accelsior,
4) Setup the 2 SSDs on the Tempo in Raid0 and format,
5) Use BootCamp to setup Windows 8.1 on the Lacie,
6) Install, install, install.

a) Will this work, i.e. will I need anything in addition for the Accelsior and the Tempo to work in the Echo box?
b) Will the Lacie work for the BootCamp installation via TB2?
c) I do need Windows 8.1 in 64-bit, right?
d) Do I need Windows 8.1 on DVD, or will it work using the ISO file I already have?
e) Any unforeseen challenges I might face?

Thanks for any feedback. I'll have all the parts sometime next week, and I'd like to just focus on getting applications up and running as supposed to struggling with getting the box(es) up and running...
 
Someone must be able to at least answer partials here? I know the Echo box is new, but at least the BootCamp questions... I have found a lot of references to the BootCamped Windows on external drives, but there is a lot of conflicting information out there...
 
I have a nMP and installed windows on an external TB drive and can comment on that aspect.

There are a multitude of guides on installing windows on an external TB drive. I found most were hit and miss. I found using bootcamp, a USB stick and an ISO of win 8.1 would only allow me to install on the internal drive. Once windows was installed I was able to then go back and install windows again by launching the setup from within windows itself. Once it rebooted I was able to select the TB drive, install, boot back into OSX and remove the internal windows partition and then finally edit the winloader to remove the old entry.

Contrived and complicated but I couldn't use the TB drive otherwise. It may be that bootcamp installer didn't get the right TB drivers for me, but it is doable...

It's a shame that software is very intolerant of unplugging TB without disconnecting. I've lost data from NTFS drives this way. Be mindful that the TB cables are easily dislodged when rotating the nMP.

Hope that helps
 
Thanks...

I have thus far gathered that the steps are;

1) setting up BootCamp on the internal SSD, using the Assistant, a USB with the BC drivers, as well as a USB DVD with Windows 8,
2) installing Windows 8 etc.,
3) using BootCamp Assistant to prepare the Thunderbolt SSD,
4) using WinClone to image the internal BootCamp and restore onto the TB SSD,
5) use BootCamp Assistant to delete the internal partition.

Questions;

a) do I need to restore the ISO onto a DVD, or can I use the ISO directly?
b) will BootCamp Assistant be able to prepare the TB SSD?
 
Similar setup here, with 1 TB internal, and 1 TB Thunderbolt external SSD for Win 8.1/Bootcamp (Crucial M500 in an OWC enclosure). Used Bootcamp installer to create a small partition on the internal drive, then WinClone to migrate it over to the external. Works completely fine off the external drive (actually, better than it did off the internal, where it blue screened a few times trying to load Win 8).

----------

a) Bootcamp Assistant should be able to use your ISO image to create a USB installer.
b) Format your SSD in Disk Manager using a GPT (GUID Partition Table) partition map scheme and the partition as FAT -- WinClone should take care of the rest (e.g. reformatting it into NTFS).
 
I was able to install Windows 8.1 without messing with the internal drive partitioning and bootcamp, using this guide. I've been using it since then without problems.

The other scenario including bootcamp and winclone never worked for me using the original iso from microsoft site. Bootcamp can only be used then to download the apple drivers on a usb stick.
 
Last edited:
Excellent manual... Thanks for that...

Would I still be able to start up that externally installed (no BootCamp) Windows via Parallels? I.e. can I import that into Parallels?
 
I was able to install Windows 8.1 without messing with the internal drive partitioning and bootcamp, using [URL="http://bleeptobleep.blogspot.gr/2013/02/mac-install-windows-7-or-8-on-external.html" ] this guide[/URL]

The link seems to be broken?

~ Cheers
 
Excellent manual... Thanks for that...

Would I still be able to start up that externally installed (no BootCamp) Windows via Parallels? I.e. can I import that into Parallels?

Haven't tried but I doubt that. As long as it is external, I wouldn't bet that Parallels will still recognize it as a bootcamp partition. But not sure, really. It's interesting question, I'll give it a try on the first chance.

The link seems to be broken?

~ Cheers

Sorry, I've fixed it.


Thanks.
 
Hi,

trying to follow the guide but when I downloaded win8.1 pro using microsoft tool to get the iso, I get an iso with install.esd file instead of the install.wim file. Anyone know how I can get an iso of win8.1 pro with wim? Looking for legit channels.
 
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