To actually boot the drive, reboot your Mac and hold down the Option key while it boots. You’ll see the boot options menu appear. Select the connected USB drive. The Mac will boot the Linux system from the connected USB drive. If your Mac just boots to the login screen and you don’t see the boot options menu, reboot your Mac again and hold. For creating a bootable disk with your Mac’s SuperDrive, the process is even simpler. With the “InstallESD.dmg” selected in Disk Utility, click “Burn” in the top toolbar. Make a connection. To format an external storage device, connect it to one of the ports on your. N: Start up from a NetBoot server, if your Mac supports network startup volumes. To use the default boot image on the server, hold down Option-N instead. Disabled when using a firmware password. Command-S: Start up in single-user mode. Disabled in macOS Mojave or later, or when using a firmware password. T: Start up in target disk mode.
If your computer has more than one optical drive, insert the boot disk into the other drive and try again. Your system might only boot from a specific drive. Create a new boot disk. While unlikely, it is possible that the disk used to create the boot media was faulty. Rather than retrying the same rescue disk, burn a new one and see if that works.
To boot or boot up a computer means to start it up, during which process, the operating system is loaded into memory. This is generally done by pressing a button on the computer itself, at which point the computer boots from its internal hard drive. The term boot disk, also bootable disk, is usually used to refer not to the built-in drive from which the computer normally boots but to a removable storage medium on which the operating system is stored and from which the computer can be started, if necessary. Since computers may be designed to boot up from their own hard drive, they can require a particular instruction given from the keyboard in order to start up from a boot disk.
A boot disk could be any of several different types of media, including a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, a flash drive, an external Firewire hard drive, or a floppy disk. In order for the boot disk to work, it must hold an operating system that is appropriate to the computer. You cannot, for example, boot a Windows computer with a boot disk holding a Macintosh operating system.
Many computers come with a boot disk. One type is LiveCD or LiveDVD. This refers to a version of the operating system that runs without needing to be installed. Additionally, there are specialized boot disks for sale.
A boot disk may have several functions, depending what is installed on it, if anything, besides the operating system. A bootable disk can be used when the computer cannot boot from its internal hard drive, or when that internal hard drive needs repair. In this case, booting from an external source allows the user to run a disk repair utility, which may be able to fix the internal hard drive and allow it to reboot. A bootable disk may also be employed in any attempts made at data recovery. Data recovery can be necessary if a computer’s hard disk fails, the computer is damaged, or for other reasons.
A bootable disk is also the mechanism for making changes to the operating system. A boot disk may be used to perform the initial installation of an operating system on a computer. It may also be used to reinstall the operating system, which might be necessary if, for example, one needed to securely erase the data on the system before selling it or in ridding the computer of a virus. It can also be used to replace an operating system, that is, upgrade it to a newer version or downgrade it to a previous version.
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by Jenefey AaronUpdated on 2020-01-10 / Update for OS X
You may need to boot up your Mac using an external drive or boot volume once in a while, rather than using a start up disk. Booting with an external disk has a lot of significance. Maybe you want to troubleshoot some problems, repair the disk, do partitions, format the entire disk, update, and install OS X etc. All these are executed perfectly when you use an external boot volume to boot up your Mac. In this article, we are here with the detailed step by step guide on how to boot Mac from external hard drive easily. So, let's get started…
Part 1: How to Boot Mac from USB Drive/CD/DVD
Actually, it is possible to boot Mac from external drive or a hard drive, but there are a few specific requirements needed for your Mac to become eligible for that process.
First, you have to have an Intel-Based Mac.
Second, the CD or DVD you are using to boot must contain Apple’s Super Drive or if you are using a USB drive then it should be formatted with GUID Partition, and you are also required to install OS X installer. Apple is against booting Mac from an external storage device, because you may install an older version of OS X than the one you were using.
Boot from CD or DVD:
If you want to boot your MacBook/Air/Pro/iMac from an optical media like CD or DVD you need to follow the steps below:
1. Open your Mac or restart the device if you were already using it.
2. When the startup music is playing press and hold the “C” key from the keyboard.
3. This will start the OS X installer from the CD/DVD on your Mac.
So, it is not too complicated to Mac boot from CD/DVD. You can easily burn a bootable image of OS X on a DVD by using Disk Utility.
Mac Os Boot Disk Download
Boot from External USB:
Using your USB drive to boot Mac is not as simple as you think. You need to prepare your USB drive beforehand for this specific purpose. You have to format the USB drive and insert the proper Operating System, which is OS X.
1. Turn on your Mac.
2. As soon as the startup music begins you need to press and keep holding the 'Option' key.
3. After that release that key, the Startup manager will be launched.
4. Startup Manager will begin scanning your device and you will be provided with a list of devices that are connected to your Mac.
5. Now, select the drive you want to use with your mouse.
6. Finally, press 'Return' key on the selected option to boot Mac.
This way you can boot your Mac with an external USB drive, but the most critical part is to prepare the USB drive. If you have multiple USB drives connected, then the Startup Manager shall list the drives with the bootable OS. So, this is how to boot Mac from USB drive.
Bootable Drive Mac
Part 2: Common Problems and Fixes When Boot Mac from External Drive
You may face several issues during MacBook Pro Boot from USB or any external drive. So, a few FAQs are mentioned below which may help you when you are facing any difficulties.
1. Have you tried connecting to a different USB port?
If you are unable to startup the installer after connecting the USB drive to your Mac, then first you should try connecting it to a different USB port. It may fix the problem.
2. Have you formatted the USB drive with GUID partition?
If you are having problems with your USB storage device then you need to make sure that if you have properly formatted the drive with GUID partition. You have to do it properly otherwise the Intel-Based Mac won't start.
3. Is your Mac shutting down after connecting the disk?
Actually, the MacBook contains a preventive measure and because of that computer shuts down automatically when a damaged USB drive is connected or if the USB port itself is damaged.
4. Is your Disk needs repair?
If your Mac fails to boot from an external drive even though you have properly installed the OS X installer, then maybe your disk is damaged. You should open Disk Utility and ask permission to repair disk.
5. Have you connected the USB drive properly?
There are two types of Apple keyboards, Wired and Wireless. There are also some keyboards with inbuilt USB ports but they may not have enough power to run the drive.
So, this is how to startup Mac from external drive. Follow the frequently asked questions to clear any doubts that you have while booting from external hard drive Mac.
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