In general, be sure to purchase your hard drive or SSD from a vendor that has tested the storage it sells with your particular type of Mac to ensure full compatibility and ideal performance. Also, be sure always to read the complete specs page for a specific Mac as some compatibility is dependent on OS version, firmware, or other details. Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.
For those who chose a MacBook over an ordinary laptop must be short for some storage space, right? Well, upgrading storage space through apple is as costly as purchasing a new laptop. In this case, an external hard drive is less expensive and beneficial for storage requirements.
You can switch your external hard drive from a Mac to a pc which makes data transfer for two different OS easier. Furthermore, external hard disks are less likely to get corrupted and are portable in nature.
Macbooks generally have SSDs which are capable of loading a program quickly but more likely to low on storage.
Furthermore, SSDs are quite costly and upgrading an SSD on a Macbook is definitely costlier than you could even imagine. An external hard drive is best for storing data such as photos, videos, movies, rendered projects and more.
Contents
- 1 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2021
- 1.3 3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
- 1.4 4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
- 1.5 5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
- 1.6 6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
- 1.7 7. Adata SD700 External SSD
- 1.8 8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
- 1.9 9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
- 1.10 10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
- 2 What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
- 3 External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2021
Although choosing an external hard drive is a complicated process but we have made a list of 10 best external hard drives for Mac that you should consider before your final decision.
1. Samsung Portable SSD T5
Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage device, it can reach up to a speed of 550 MB per second for data transfer which is amazing. You can directly plug it into a USB-C port or USB-A port.
It contains no moving parts therefore chances of getting damaged due to mishandling are less. Even though SSD is costlier than a hard drive, the speed it offers is commendable. You will notice a significant boost in the overall performance while doing stuff that requires you to load large files and programs.
Overall, the SSD is fantastic but only if you can spare a few more bucks than your actual budget. You can get the SSD ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB from Amazon with some additional discounts.
2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive
Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive is the newest generation of external hard disks and is available in capacities from 1 TB to up to 4 TB. It offers cloud storage and 256-AES encryption alongside WD's software for backups.
The data transfer speeds won't disappoint you and the drive offers speed similar to what an SSD provides. If you are looking for a drive with good data transfer rate and maximum storage, consider Western Digital My Passport 4TB as a choice.
3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
If you are looking for a reliable, portable, and affordable hard disk, Seagate backup plus slim is the thing you should have a look at. It supports Windows and Mac both and perfect for storing your essential data right away.
With the Seagate dashboard backup system, you can schedule backups and never lose your important files anymore. Backup automation can be set for daily, monthly, weekly or your desired time-frequency.
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Alongside, Seagate also provides a two-month membership for adobe creative cloud photography plan and a one-year subscription to Mylio create to manage your photo library.
- Affordable price
- Metal body
- Supports USB 3.0
- Comes with an automation backup software
- Doesn't support USB 3.0 cables
4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
This Hard disk is probably for creators and organizations that require a lot of storage for various purposes. Faster data transmission rate will let you transfer data in the meantime, all thanks to USB 3.0 support.
It also offers 256 AES encryption for securing your data and makes sure your personal data is secured in the storage device. Even though it meets the requirements of a regular user, the only thing where Western Digital My Book (8 TB) lacks is portability.
Therefore, if you are looking for a hard disk for work purposes and if portability is not an issue, Western Digital My Book (8 TB) is definitely the right choice.
- High storage
- Data encryption
- Compatible with the time machine
- Requires power source to work
- Not portable
5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt offers data transmission at a speed of twice of what USB 3.0 offers. You can enjoy this feature if your device has a thunderbolt port. Another good thing about Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt is its price. It is affordable and portable.
- Also Check: 10 Best Cooling Pads For MacBook Pro Reviewed
However, it is a hard drive, not a solid-state, therefore, the data transmission will definitely be high but the overall performance of your pc will remain unchanged. Lastly, if you don't have a thunderbolt port in your pc, you can use the traditional USB 3.0 port.
- USB 3.0 port
- Affordable
- Formatted for Mac
- Not a Solid State drive
6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
With the new products, Apple is on its way to completely shift to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports but there are still some people who are using old hardware and for them, G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB) is going to work like a charm.
The body of the HDD is made up of metal which makes it durable and strong against accidents such as dropping off the drive on the floor or whatnot. It runs at a speed of 7200 RPM and can transfer data at a rate of 195 MB/s which is efficient for transferring music, videos and software.
- Metallic body for durability
- High data transmission rate
- USB 3.0
- Should be reformatted for Windows OS
7. Adata SD700 External SSD
Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.
You can expect faster transfer rates and better booting speed if you are planning to install an OS on the SSD. Don't worry about the storage space as it is available in 1 TB capacity also. The maximum read and write speed is up to 440 MB/S, all thanks to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.
- Lightweight and portable
- Shock resistant
- Supports Android, Mac, and Windows
- 3 years of Warranty
- Mac users must format it to FAT32 to use this product
8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk can be distinguished easily because of its unique rubber casing that makes sure your hard drive doesn't get damaged when it drops from up to 1.3 m height. It can withstand rain, dust and can even survive 1-ton pressure. This is certainly the best choice for content creators.
Alongside hard disk, you will also get access to a one-month subscription to Adobe creative cloud all apps plan. The company also provides 3 years of warranty for the device and will also help you to restore the data if lost.
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In terms of speed, Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk is not very fast as it provides only 120 MB/s which is comparatively lesser than the HDDs mentioned in this listicle. However, there are various variants available for this hard disk on Amazon.
- Durability
- Affordable
- Resistant to water
- Lesser data transmission speed
9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
Samsung never disappoints with its amazing hardware capabilities. With Samsung X5, you can transfer data at a rate of 2,300 MB/s which is the fastest speed an SSD can provide you. The build quality is super amazing as it is made up of metal, making it stronger than storage disks that are made up of plastic bodies.
The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.
- High data transmission rate
- Supports thunderbolt 3
- Shock-resistant up to 2 meters
- Heats up really quick
- Comparatively expensive than the other disks
10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.
It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.
- Secure for handling user data
- Protects from water and dust
- Low-speed data transfer
What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:
1. Storage
One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.
For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.
Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.
2. Transfer speed
After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.
So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.
3. Compatibility
The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility.
Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.
4. Security
If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider the encryption feature, the backup feature is something that you must and should consider.
Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.
External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.
But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.
However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.
1. Storage Capacity
HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.
SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costs of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. How to boot from hard drive mac. Hence, if your main goal is to store a huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.
2. Speed
Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.
Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.
However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.
3. Reliability & Durability
There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.
But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.
Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.
3. Cost
Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.
In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.
Wrapping it up:
So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.
Mac External Ssd Boot Drive
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macOS Big Sur is still in pulic beta and not stable according to user feedback. We heard dozens of popular apps like Dropbox and Parallels Desktops not working properly in Big Sur. So it is not the perfect time to upgrade to Big Sur. Instead, you can test it out by installing the OS on an external hard drive or SSD.
Before moving ahead, you must be familiar with the task that you need to perform in the operation. In a glimpse, you will need an external hard drive and format it Disk Utility. Next, you need to download the installer (.dmg file) and then create a bootable USB drive and at last, you will learn the ways to install macOS Big Sur on an external hard drive. Now, you will have to go through each section one by one, and here, you will get the detailed instructions of each method.
Portable Hard Drive or SSD?
The first question comes to the selection of portable external drive, which is the final storage media to keep OS files. It could be a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or Solid State Drive (SSD). In simple terms, hard drive should be the your choice only if you had tight budget or looked for large volume disk (over 1TB). For rest of the cases, SSD is always the best chocie because of faster writing and reading speed. No one want to run macOS Big Sur on external drive but with weak performance, right?
Please note! No matter what kind of external drive you decided to buy, make sure the ports are compatible with your Mac. On modern Macs, it is usually shipped with USB 3.0 port and Thunderbolt 2/3.
Part 1: Format External Hard Drive or SSD
The default file system on portable hard drive or SSD is exFAT or FAT, which is used for Windows or Linux OS. macOS uses totally different file system so you have to format the external drive first in order to install Big Sur on it. Formatting the external drive (SSD) will wipe all the data associated to it. So, if you had important files, then make sure to take a backup first.
Step 1: Connect the external drive to Mac using the cable.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility and click on the view icon to select Show All Devices.
Step 3: Now, select your connected external drive and further click on the Erase button.
Step 4: You will have to fill the available boxes with the Big Sur or another name in the Name section. Select APFS from the drop-down menu in the format box and finally, select GUID Partition Map for the Scheme section.
Step 5: After completing the above task, click on the Erase button. Now wait for a few seconds as the format process is started and once it is completed, click on the Done button.
Your first task is done as you have formatted the drive to Mac supported format and now you need to download the macOS DMG file for creating macOS USB bootable drive.
Part 2: Download macOS Big Sur DMG File
DMG is the default file type on Mac for compressing files and macOS Big Sur installation file ends with .dmg. If you already got this file, then move to Part 3. If not, please download .dmg file of macOS Big Sur from here (Link 1 & Link 2). The installation file is 10GB so it could take some time to complete the download process. This is largely dependent on how fast your Internet connection is.
Your second task is done and you have successfully download the dmg file of macOS Big Sur. Now, you need software to burn macOS Big Sur dmg file to external drive. This part can be done with the help of UUByte DMG Editor.
Part 3: Create Bootable macOS Big Sur Installer for External Drive
To make a macOS Big Sur bootable drive, you have to burn .dmg file to it. However, this must be done with the right software. A single copy-paste won't work in this way. In here, we will use DMG Editor as example, which can directly write .dmg file to external drive like hard drive, SSD and USB stick. Moreover, DMG Editor allows the users to open and extract the DMG files on both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Step 1: Run UUByte DMG Editor and Connect External Drive
Download and Install UUByte DMG Editor on your Mac and make sure to perform the task from its official site. Plug your external drive to Mac and launch UUByte DMG Editor on your Mac. On the main interface, you will get Burn and Extract options. Click the Burn section, and then click on the Next button.
Step 2: Import .dmg File
Now, import the downloaded file of macOS Big Sur into DMG Editor by clicking on the Browse button. Also ensure that the external drive is detected by this application, if not, then reconnect the drive to Mac.
Step 3: Burn macOS Big Sur .dmg to External Drive
After uploading the OS files, you need to click on the Burn button and within a short time, the burning process will be completed. Once it is done, you will get a successful message on your Mac screen.
The burning process is completed and a bootable drive is ready to use. Now, you need to boot this drive to install macOS Big Sur. The comprehensive steps are provided below.
Part 4: Install macOS Big Sur on an External Hard Drive or SSD
Step 1: Connect the external drive to your Mac.
Step 2: Shut down your Mac and then turn it on. Make sure to press the Option key at booting. Now, select the bootable external drive and then press the Return key.
Step 3: Your Mac will restart few times, and then it will direct you to Recovery Mode; click on the Utilities, and further click on Reinstall macOS.
Step 4: Now, provide the installation path, i.e. your external hard drive, and then click on the Install button. Wait for a while as the installation process will take some time.
Step 5: Once the installation of macOS Big Sur on an external drive is completed, you will be directed to the setup page, and here you need to click on the Continue button.
Step 6: Next, you need to Sign-in with your Apple credentials to sync the files on the iCloud. Now, click on the Get Started button and configure the Big Sur as per your convenience.
Once the setup is completed, you can always boot into macOS Big Sur by pressing Option key at booting stage. This is much more safe and convenient to install macOS on internal drive of your Mac.
Part 5: Troubleshooting Guide
We have tested the whole process throughly on an MacBook Pro and iMac. However, you might experience some error before or after installation process. We have gathered a few common issues according to user feedback and provide useful suggestions to fix it. Please read more and check it out!
Note: macOS Big Sur can be only installed on supported Macs according to Apple Official document. You have to make addition adjustment if you want to install it on unsupported Mac. And you will receive error message more frequently than supported Mac. Please keep this in mind.
Q: External drive is not bootable
A: All Macs with T2 chip will have this issue if Startup Security Utility is enabled on your Mac. Intellicad for mac. This mostly happens on MacBook Pro with Touchbar. Please follow this guide to turn on the options to allow Mac booting from external media.
Q: The Operation couldn't be completed. (BIErrorDomain error 8)
A: Make sure your Mac is connected to Internet. If the error still exists, erase the external drive to HFS+ instead of APFS as we suggested in Part 1. After that, download the latest Big Sur beta and create the bootable installer once more time. Mac player iina.
Q: A software update is required to use this startup disk.
External Ssd Review
A: This error means you just try to install an out-dated version of Big Sur. Please download the latest version and follow the instructions to make a bootable installer.
The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.
- High data transmission rate
- Supports thunderbolt 3
- Shock-resistant up to 2 meters
- Heats up really quick
- Comparatively expensive than the other disks
10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.
It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.
- Secure for handling user data
- Protects from water and dust
- Low-speed data transfer
What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:
1. Storage
One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.
For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.
Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.
2. Transfer speed
After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.
So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.
3. Compatibility
The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility.
Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.
4. Security
If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider the encryption feature, the backup feature is something that you must and should consider.
Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.
External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.
But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.
However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.
1. Storage Capacity
HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.
SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costs of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. How to boot from hard drive mac. Hence, if your main goal is to store a huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.
2. Speed
Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.
Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.
However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.
3. Reliability & Durability
There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.
But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.
Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.
3. Cost
Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.
In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.
Wrapping it up:
So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.
Mac External Ssd Boot Drive
Related posts:
macOS Big Sur is still in pulic beta and not stable according to user feedback. We heard dozens of popular apps like Dropbox and Parallels Desktops not working properly in Big Sur. So it is not the perfect time to upgrade to Big Sur. Instead, you can test it out by installing the OS on an external hard drive or SSD.
Before moving ahead, you must be familiar with the task that you need to perform in the operation. In a glimpse, you will need an external hard drive and format it Disk Utility. Next, you need to download the installer (.dmg file) and then create a bootable USB drive and at last, you will learn the ways to install macOS Big Sur on an external hard drive. Now, you will have to go through each section one by one, and here, you will get the detailed instructions of each method.
Portable Hard Drive or SSD?
The first question comes to the selection of portable external drive, which is the final storage media to keep OS files. It could be a traditional Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or Solid State Drive (SSD). In simple terms, hard drive should be the your choice only if you had tight budget or looked for large volume disk (over 1TB). For rest of the cases, SSD is always the best chocie because of faster writing and reading speed. No one want to run macOS Big Sur on external drive but with weak performance, right?
Please note! No matter what kind of external drive you decided to buy, make sure the ports are compatible with your Mac. On modern Macs, it is usually shipped with USB 3.0 port and Thunderbolt 2/3.
Part 1: Format External Hard Drive or SSD
The default file system on portable hard drive or SSD is exFAT or FAT, which is used for Windows or Linux OS. macOS uses totally different file system so you have to format the external drive first in order to install Big Sur on it. Formatting the external drive (SSD) will wipe all the data associated to it. So, if you had important files, then make sure to take a backup first.
Step 1: Connect the external drive to Mac using the cable.
Step 2: Open Disk Utility and click on the view icon to select Show All Devices.
Step 3: Now, select your connected external drive and further click on the Erase button.
Step 4: You will have to fill the available boxes with the Big Sur or another name in the Name section. Select APFS from the drop-down menu in the format box and finally, select GUID Partition Map for the Scheme section.
Step 5: After completing the above task, click on the Erase button. Now wait for a few seconds as the format process is started and once it is completed, click on the Done button.
Your first task is done as you have formatted the drive to Mac supported format and now you need to download the macOS DMG file for creating macOS USB bootable drive.
Part 2: Download macOS Big Sur DMG File
DMG is the default file type on Mac for compressing files and macOS Big Sur installation file ends with .dmg. If you already got this file, then move to Part 3. If not, please download .dmg file of macOS Big Sur from here (Link 1 & Link 2). The installation file is 10GB so it could take some time to complete the download process. This is largely dependent on how fast your Internet connection is.
Your second task is done and you have successfully download the dmg file of macOS Big Sur. Now, you need software to burn macOS Big Sur dmg file to external drive. This part can be done with the help of UUByte DMG Editor.
Part 3: Create Bootable macOS Big Sur Installer for External Drive
To make a macOS Big Sur bootable drive, you have to burn .dmg file to it. However, this must be done with the right software. A single copy-paste won't work in this way. In here, we will use DMG Editor as example, which can directly write .dmg file to external drive like hard drive, SSD and USB stick. Moreover, DMG Editor allows the users to open and extract the DMG files on both Windows and Mac operating systems.
Step 1: Run UUByte DMG Editor and Connect External Drive
Download and Install UUByte DMG Editor on your Mac and make sure to perform the task from its official site. Plug your external drive to Mac and launch UUByte DMG Editor on your Mac. On the main interface, you will get Burn and Extract options. Click the Burn section, and then click on the Next button.
Step 2: Import .dmg File
Now, import the downloaded file of macOS Big Sur into DMG Editor by clicking on the Browse button. Also ensure that the external drive is detected by this application, if not, then reconnect the drive to Mac.
Step 3: Burn macOS Big Sur .dmg to External Drive
After uploading the OS files, you need to click on the Burn button and within a short time, the burning process will be completed. Once it is done, you will get a successful message on your Mac screen.
The burning process is completed and a bootable drive is ready to use. Now, you need to boot this drive to install macOS Big Sur. The comprehensive steps are provided below.
Part 4: Install macOS Big Sur on an External Hard Drive or SSD
Step 1: Connect the external drive to your Mac.
Step 2: Shut down your Mac and then turn it on. Make sure to press the Option key at booting. Now, select the bootable external drive and then press the Return key.
Step 3: Your Mac will restart few times, and then it will direct you to Recovery Mode; click on the Utilities, and further click on Reinstall macOS.
Step 4: Now, provide the installation path, i.e. your external hard drive, and then click on the Install button. Wait for a while as the installation process will take some time.
Step 5: Once the installation of macOS Big Sur on an external drive is completed, you will be directed to the setup page, and here you need to click on the Continue button.
Step 6: Next, you need to Sign-in with your Apple credentials to sync the files on the iCloud. Now, click on the Get Started button and configure the Big Sur as per your convenience.
Once the setup is completed, you can always boot into macOS Big Sur by pressing Option key at booting stage. This is much more safe and convenient to install macOS on internal drive of your Mac.
Part 5: Troubleshooting Guide
We have tested the whole process throughly on an MacBook Pro and iMac. However, you might experience some error before or after installation process. We have gathered a few common issues according to user feedback and provide useful suggestions to fix it. Please read more and check it out!
Note: macOS Big Sur can be only installed on supported Macs according to Apple Official document. You have to make addition adjustment if you want to install it on unsupported Mac. And you will receive error message more frequently than supported Mac. Please keep this in mind.
Q: External drive is not bootable
A: All Macs with T2 chip will have this issue if Startup Security Utility is enabled on your Mac. Intellicad for mac. This mostly happens on MacBook Pro with Touchbar. Please follow this guide to turn on the options to allow Mac booting from external media.
Q: The Operation couldn't be completed. (BIErrorDomain error 8)
A: Make sure your Mac is connected to Internet. If the error still exists, erase the external drive to HFS+ instead of APFS as we suggested in Part 1. After that, download the latest Big Sur beta and create the bootable installer once more time. Mac player iina.
Q: A software update is required to use this startup disk.
External Ssd Review
A: This error means you just try to install an out-dated version of Big Sur. Please download the latest version and follow the instructions to make a bootable installer.
Q: Installation completed successfully but frozen.
A: Wipe clean the external drive in Disk Utility and create a fresh bootable installer. And repeat the above process. If this does not work and you really want to use macOS Big Sur, please backup your internal drive and install Big Sur on it with a new partition (if the volume is big enough).
Summary
External Ssd Best Buy
So, these were all about the way to install macOS Big Sur on an eternal drive. The method is pretty simple and all you need a bootable USB drive and an external hard drive to accomplish the task. You can simply create a bootable USB drive using DMG Editor because it takes less time and gives the desired output.
