Quick Overview
- Are you looking for a way to easily access your Mac OS X system without having to rely on your internal hard drive.
- Or maybe you want to create a backup of your entire system that you can boot from in case of a disaster.
- If you want to try out new software without affecting your main system, you can create a bootable external drive and install the software on it.
Are you looking for a way to easily access your Mac OS X system without having to rely on your internal hard drive? Or maybe you want to create a backup of your entire system that you can boot from in case of a disaster? If so, then you need to know how to make an external hard drive bootable Mac OS X.
This guide will walk you through the entire process, from preparing your external drive to installing macOS onto it. We’ll cover everything you need to know, including troubleshooting tips and common errors.
Why Make Your External Hard Drive Bootable?
There are many reasons why you might want to create a bootable external hard drive with Mac OS X:
- Backup and Recovery: A bootable external drive provides a reliable way to back up your entire system, including your operating system, applications, and user data. If your internal hard drive fails, you can simply boot from the external drive and restore your system.
- System Maintenance: Sometimes, you may need to perform system maintenance tasks that require you to boot into a different operating system or a specific recovery mode. A bootable external drive can provide you with this flexibility.
- Testing New Software: If you want to try out new software without affecting your main system, you can create a bootable external drive and install the software on it. This allows you to experiment without worrying about potential conflicts or data loss.
- Multiple User Accounts: You can create multiple user accounts on a bootable external drive. This is useful if you share your computer with others or if you want to have separate workspaces for different projects.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
- An external hard drive: The drive should be large enough to hold the macOS installation files and any data you want to store on it. It’s recommended to use a USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt drive for faster performance.
- A Mac computer: The computer needs to be running macOS High Sierra (10.13) or later.
- A USB flash drive: You’ll need a USB flash drive to create a bootable installer.
- A macOS installer: You can download the latest macOS installer from the Mac App Store.
Preparing Your External Hard Drive
1. Format the drive: Connect your external hard drive to your Mac. Open **Disk Utility** (found in **Applications > Utilities**). Select your external drive in the left sidebar. Click **Erase** in the toolbar. Choose **Mac OS Extended (Journaled)** as the format and give your drive a name. Click **Erase**.
2. Create a bootable installer: Download the macOS installer from the Mac App Store. Once the download is complete, open **Disk Utility** and select your USB flash drive in the left sidebar. Click **Erase** and format it as **Mac OS Extended (Journaled)**. Then, click **Restore** in the toolbar. Select the macOS installer file as the source and your USB flash drive as the destination. Click **Restore**.
Installing macOS on Your External Hard Drive
1. Boot from the installer: Restart your Mac and hold down the **Option** key. Select your USB flash drive from the startup disk selection screen.
2. Install macOS: Follow the on-screen instructions to install macOS on your external hard drive. You’ll be prompted to choose the drive you want to install macOS on. Select your external hard drive.
3. Set up your Mac: Once the installation is complete, you’ll be asked to set up your Mac. This includes creating a user account, choosing a language, and connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
Verifying Your Bootable External Drive
Once you’ve completed the installation, it’s important to verify that your external hard drive is bootable.
1. Restart your Mac: Restart your Mac and hold down the **Option** key. Make sure your external drive appears in the startup disk selection screen.
2. Boot from the external drive: Select your external drive and press **Enter**. Your Mac should boot from the external drive, and you should see the macOS login screen.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you encounter any issues while creating a bootable external drive, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Check your drive format: Make sure your external hard drive is formatted as **Mac OS Extended (Journaled)**.
- Check your USB flash drive: Ensure your USB flash drive is formatted as **Mac OS Extended (Journaled)**.
- Use a different USB port: Try connecting your external hard drive and USB flash drive to a different USB port on your Mac.
- Try a different USB flash drive: If you’re having trouble creating a bootable installer, try using a different USB flash drive.
- Check your internet connection: Make sure you have a stable internet connection to download the macOS installer.
- Restart your Mac: Sometimes, restarting your Mac can fix unexpected errors.
- Refer to Apple support: If you’re still having trouble, you can contact Apple support for assistance.
Final Thoughts: Beyond the Bootable Drive
Creating a bootable external drive is a valuable skill for any Mac user. It gives you peace of mind knowing that you can quickly recover your system in case of a disaster. Moreover, it opens up possibilities for experimenting with different operating systems and configurations without affecting your main system.
However, remember that a bootable external drive isn’t a complete backup solution. It’s essential to have a separate backup of your important data, such as documents, photos, and videos. This can be done using cloud storage services, external hard drives, or Time Machine backups.
Basics You Wanted To Know
Q: Can I use a smaller external hard drive than the size of my internal hard drive?
A: Yes, you can use a smaller external hard drive. However, it will only be able to store a portion of your internal hard drive‘s data. You will need to choose which data to include in your backup.
Q: What happens to my data on the external hard drive when I install macOS on it?
A: All data on the external hard drive will be erased during the installation process. Make sure to back up any important data before formatting the drive.
Q: Can I boot from my external drive without having to hold down the Option key every time?
A: Yes, you can set your external drive as the default startup disk in System Preferences > Startup Disk.
Q: Can I use a bootable external drive to upgrade macOS on my internal hard drive?
A: No, you cannot use a bootable external drive to upgrade macOS on your internal hard drive. You need to download the macOS installer from the Mac App Store and install it directly on your internal hard drive.
Q: Can I create a bootable external drive with an older version of macOS?
A: Yes, you can create a bootable external drive with an older version of macOS, but you’ll need to find the installer for that specific version. You can download older macOS installers from Apple’s website or from third-party websites. However, make sure to download the installer from a trusted source.