LFGL
Level 1 (15 points)
Windows Software

Q: Run Windows 10 from an external SSD disk? Yes, it works!

This is what I have done to make it work. The whole process takes approximately, 45 minutes but I think it is really worth it if you want to run a fast and clean installation of Windows 10 on your iMac.

 

What you need:


  • An external SSD disk - Data will be erased  
  • An iMac 27" (Late 2013 in my case)


Temporarily, for the installation, you will also need:


  • A running computer with Windows 7, 8 or 10 to copy the right files onto the SSD disk and make it bootable
  • A running computer with OS X to download the BootCamp software
  • A USB thumb drive - Data will be erased


First, in Windows, get yourself an ISO file of Windows 10. You can use the Media Creation Tool provided at https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10 and choose to save it as an ISO file (do not create a bootable USB media).

 

  1. Double click on the .ISO file. This will mount the installation disk onto a drive (in my case, letter E).
  2. Plug the SSD drive onto a spare USB port
  3. Open a Administrator command prompt and type:
    1. diskpart
    2. list disk (identify the number of your external SSD drive)
    3. select disk 2 (or another number for your external SSD disk, be careful not to wipe your internal disk, usually on 0).
    4. clean - Be careful, if you have selected the wrong disk, it will erase all the data on it
    5. create part pri
    6. format quick
    7. assign letter=Y (or another letter if already used)
    8. active
    9. exit
    10. dism /apply-image /imagefile:"E:\sources\install.esd" /index:1 /ApplyDir:Y:\ (change E to another letter for the mounted ISO file)
    11. BCDBOOT.EXE Y:\WINDOWS /S Y: /F BIOS (this will make the drive bootable in BIOS only (not EFI)
    12. exit
    13. Eject all drives cleanly or simply shut down your PC.

 

Secondly, on your Mac, open BootCamp assistant (click on Launchpad and type "bootcamp" to find it)  and ONLY tick "Download the latest Windows support software from Apple". Save it all on your USB thumb drive. Shut down your iMac. Remove the USB thumb drive and keep it in your hand.

 

Power up your iMac by pressing the option key (alt). You will see an orange icon with Windows. Select this and wait until you see "Getting devices ready", wait a little bit longer until you hear the startup chime and press the option key  (alt) again to make sure you boot on the external drive. That's it!

 

Now you have a copy of Windows running from your external USB drive. You just need to install the BootCamp drivers on your USB thumb drive (\Bootcamp\Setup.exe). Reboot.


That's it, you've got Windows 10 running natively on your beautiful iMac.


Enjoy!

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), Windows 10, null

Posted on Jun 10, 2016 1:56 AM

by LFGL,Solvedanswer
LFGL LFGL
Level 1 (15 points)
Windows Software
A:

The reply is in the answer. I do not know how to post a tip!

Posted on Jun 10, 2016 2:06 AM

Close
LFGL

Q: Run Windows 10 from an external SSD disk? Yes, it works!

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by LFGL,Solvedanswer

    LFGL LFGL Jun 10, 2016 2:06 AM in response to LFGL
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Windows Software
    Jun 10, 2016 2:06 AM in response to LFGL

    The reply is in the answer. I do not know how to post a tip!

  • by Digitalclips,

    Digitalclips Digitalclips Jun 10, 2016 6:06 AM in response to LFGL
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Jun 10, 2016 6:06 AM in response to LFGL

    I've posted this before but in less detail:  This for Mac folks not familiar with using Windows commands (or would rather not).  This is all done on the Mac until you actually boot into your new Windows USB.

     

    For anyone with Parallels or VMWare Fusion it is extremely simple too.  Get two free apps for Windows (I used the Mac to get them and download,  to avoid crapware and then transferred the .exe once unzipped on the Mac to the Parallels.)  The two apps are WintoGo (free) which uses an ISO of Windows 10 (or 8.1) to transfer to your USB3 attached external.  I use an SSD and a $10 cable from Amazon.  The other app you need to set up the drive without needing any knowledge what-so -ever about Bios etc. is called MiniTools Partition (free version) which allows you from Parallels to set the USB disk to MRB (essential) then partition the drive for the WintoUSB installation.  Mac users are not familiar with all this stuff but two are required and it is like using Mac's own Disk Utils.  You make two partitions, one small one, I use 200 MB (note that's MB not GB) and format as Fat32.  Then the rest as NTSF.  You then set the Fat32 partition as Primary and active then the NTFS one as active too.  It all sounds complicated but it isn't really.  All the options are simply there in the menus.  The big difference with MiniTools Partition compared to Apple Disk Untilitiesis that it gets a little 'getting used to' in that every time to select an action, such as partition the 200 MB area, until you click the 'Apply' button nothing happens.  If you do a few selections then click 'Apply' it does them sequentially.  I prefer to apply each one as I go as sometimes options are not available unless the previous one is applied, e.g. you can't make a partition primary until it is formatted and so on.

     

    I have several SSDs made this way and find a paid for utility on the Mac worth the $20, NTFS for Mac.  This allows tou to mount multiple Windows bootable disks on the Mac desk top and have full read and write access.  This means you can copy programs and data between then using the Finder on the Mac and not have to deal with Windows.  I copy my entire Steam folder over for example.  This saves hours of re-downloading.

     

    Lastly AMD in May 2016 released Crimson Drivers for Macs running Windows.  On my new Mac Pro I get full double GPU performance with AMD Catalyst now.

     

    http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop/bootcamp

     

    Install this before anything else. 

     

    BTW I add a tild ~ in front of the AMD drivers folder in Bootcamp drivers (to prevent them even trying)  if I install them later, as well as the Realtech driver folder. they both suck at time of writing.  Windows installs better drivers itself.  The only Apple drivers I use are the ones for the Apple keyboard.  I bought a three button mouse too.