Can I Use an External SSD As a Boot Drive?
I have a mac that is running windows, i have an external ssd and i want to use it as my boot drive. Can i?
A boot drive, also known as the operating system (OS) drive, is where all the files needed to start your computer are stored. Without these files, your PC wouldn’t be able to boot up properly.
An SSD can be used as a boot drive for several reasons, including faster speed capabilities and lower latency. This allows the OS to load faster, reducing the boot time.
In this guide, we’ll be showing you how to install the OS on an external SSD and set it up as your boot device so that you can use it as a boot drive.
First, you need to connect your SSD to the USB port on your Mac. This can be done using a USB-A cable if your Mac is an iMac from 2012-2015, or a USB-C cable if it’s a Mac mini from 2017-2019.
Once your SSD is connected to the Mac, you can use it as a boot device by changing some settings in your BIOS. You can do this by searching for “System configuration” in the settings menu and then finding “Boot Priority”. Move the OS to be installed on your SSD to the top of this list, then save and exit the BIOS.
Next, you need to format the SSD with a file system, such as NTFS. This will make it easier for your computer to recognize it as a boot device. Once you’ve completed this step, you can copy any files from your hard drive onto the external SSD and set it as your primary boot device in the BIOS.
Another reason to consider an external SSD is that it’s a lot more durable than a hard drive. While hard drives have moving parts that can get damaged by drops, SSDs don’t. They’re also considerably smaller than HDDs, which makes them more portable and easy to transport.
Lastly, an external SSD can help to protect your personal data from hackers. This is particularly true if you use cloud services, since many of them are susceptible to security breaches and vulnerabilities.
An SSD is a great choice for anyone who wants to store important data on an external drive, especially if you’re concerned about its durability. It can be difficult to find a large capacity SSD that’s both fast and affordable, but there are plenty of options available.