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Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

bombich.com

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Re: Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

#11

Post by swarnie »

NKosmatos wrote: post #5
concinds wrote: post #2

Article is from May but received no attention, and I believe most people are unaware of this; the Mac needs an iBoot on the internal drive in order to boot from any volume, and thus cannot boot from an external drive if the internal one has failed.

Once again Apple is showing how to do things stupidly. They won't allow you to boot from an external HDD/SSD if the internal one fails. On top of that they make it extremely difficult to replace the internal disk on your own. Carbon Copy Cloner has been my number one program all these years, but I think that Apple is pushing us loyal and technical competent people away. They just want "simple" users.

> Once again Apple is showing how to do things stupidly.

To be fair if you or your company are dumb enough to buy these devices your probably also of a mind to take it in for expensive repairs.

Its perfect business logic from the fruity chaps.

Re: Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

#12

Post by ketralnis »

api wrote: post #3

Sounds like something a software update could fix. Probably a scenario that was never tested.

Intending to support it but never testing it would be a surprise. If I were designing laptop hardware I'd probably spend a lot of time booting it from external media as part of the design process. It would accidentally be the most tested feature of the hardware aside from maybe turning it on.

Re: Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

#13

Post by nyxaiur »

im_down_w_otp wrote: post #6
NKosmatos wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Once again Apple is showing how to do things stupidly. They won't allow you to boot from an external HDD/SSD if the internal one fails. On top of that they make it extremely difficult to replace the internal disk on your own. Carbon Copy Cloner has been my number one program all these years, but I think that Apple is pushing us loyal and technical competent people away. They just want "simple" users.

They want you to take the device to the dealership.

The SSDs of 2015-2017 macbooks start failing and they are soldered on the board. I have a 12" that I can only boot from external now otherwise the device would be dead. With the M1 models you don't even have the chance to do this. Apple won't even change the failed ssds they will sell you a new logic board for the prize of a new machine. It's infuriating and the only reason I won't buy a machine until they make user replaceable storage the norm again.

Re: Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

#17

Post by GhettoComputers »

gameswithgo wrote: post #7

Consider options like Framework laptops that let you actually own your hardware, and repair it.

Silly idea in tech, the hardware will be long outdated before someone look for parts which are going to be overpriced, and the company might be gone forever. You can buy common business laptops such as thinkpad and swap the parts easily and cheaply. People aren’t swapping their 2011 i3 for a 2011 i7 if they care about performance; they’re getting an i5 from 2018.

None of these swappable parts are unique aside from the processor (mine is soldered), I can replace all my parts and my laptop cost under $200.

Re: Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

#18

Post by rvz »

Unsurprising.

Given the countless times I have warned about the risks of going 'all in' on an Apple Silicon Mac and now they realise.

Good luck with your files if the internal hard drive is dead. Consider creating regular backups otherwise your can say goodbye to your files.

No thanks and absolutely no deal to that.

Re: Apple Silicon Macs can't boot from external drive if internal drive failed

#20

Post by fartcannon »

GhettoComputers wrote: post #17
gameswithgo wrote: post #7

Consider options like Framework laptops that let you actually own your hardware, and repair it.

Silly idea in tech, the hardware will be long outdated before someone look for parts which are going to be overpriced, and the company might be gone forever. You can buy common business laptops such as thinkpad and swap the parts easily and cheaply. People aren’t swapping their 2011 i3 for a 2011 i7 if they care about performance; they’re getting an i5 from 2018. None of these swappable parts are unique aside from th…

Thinkpads are owned by Lenovo, a known bad actor who installed, for example, rootkits on their own hardware.
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