894      iPhone_iPad_Mac_apple

Can a MacPro3.1 boot from an external USB 3 drive?

USB 3 is via a Sonnet Allegro Pro PCI card.  I plan to install a CCC backup on the removable drive. 

Any recommendation on USB external drives also appreciated. 

TIA for the help.

Every Mac since the Mac Plus has been able to boot from external devices.

But there is no native USB-3 port on a a MacPro 3,1 -- so it would boot from its native ports at USB-2 speeds. that would be a little slow, but it would work.

The only way to have it BOOT from a USB-3 device is if that card requires NO DRIVER, (i.e., support is already in that Mac in its firmware.)

Every Mac since the Mac Plus has been able to boot from external devices.

But there is no native USB-3 port on a a MacPro 3,1 -- so it would boot from its native ports at USB-2 speeds. that would be a little slow, but it would work.

The only way to have it BOOT from a USB-3 device is if that card requires NO DRIVER, (i.e., support is already in that Mac in its firmware.)

Thanks, Grant. I knew Macs could boot from external devices such as CDs, so slowness of USB2 should not be prohibitive.  And if USB2 worked, USB3 should be even better.  But I get your point that USB3 is not loaded until after booting, so USB3 cannot be the boot drive. 

So I think this means I can use my add-on Sonnet USB3 mounted disk to create and maintain my CCC backups, including a bootable startup disk.  However, if I ever have to use the backup to run the computer, I will need to unplug from the USB3 port, and plug into a native USB2 PORT. 

I am glad I asked, and happy you clearly explained, before I have to depend on my backups working to save the day.  Once I get a full backup established, I will go through the unplug-replug routine to confirm that my bootable backup can boot the computer.  When reconnected properly, of course. 

Thanks again.

Tom

最後更新：2017-10-23 19:24:12

  上一篇： MAC power button taking long to switch on the c...

  下一篇： Verizon to AOL migration