SD Card to Boot MBP?

Looking for help with a Wintec 48GB SSD Express Card 34 drive.
I cannot install or update the OS while the drive is in the express card slot, only when connected by USB.

It works great as a boot drive and the speed is incredible. However the above issue makes it tedious to maintain the drive and OS.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

JR

I have not tried this yet but I am planning on doing so in the near future. It is the only use I will have for the SD card slot (My camera uses a CF card...why did Apple get rid of the express card slot?)

As far as I know it should work.
If and when you try it, let us know if it worked or not. I will do the same.

According to Apple, it will work just fine:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3553

*Can I install Mac OS X on an SD storage device and use it as a startup volume?*
Yes. Change the default partition table to GUID using Disk Utility, and format the card to use the Mac OS Extended file format to do so.

I tried this yesterday, and I can report that you can indeed install onto a SD card and then boot from that SD card. I found the resulting install to be a bit sluggish (especially compared to my SSD drive as one would expect). However, it does seem usable in a pinch to get online or access files on the internal HD and possibly repair that disk.

I actually installed the OS to a portable HD first and then used Carbon Clone Copy to move that to the SD card. The reason I did this was that when I started to install directly to the SD card, the installer predicted it would take 18 hours to complete. By doing the intermediate step, I did the whole thing in about 2 hours. Since this then became a two step process, I didn't really time it but that's what it felt like. (I wasn't sitting there when the install was done so I don't know how long it sat.)

Here are the steps I did. They are not action by action, but if you have enough experience with each action (or Google the general ideas), they should be repeatable.

1. Obtain a 32 GB SD card. The base OS install takes over 11 GB, so I don't think a 16 GB card will give you enough room for the OS and virtual memory. However, those better at clearing out installed components (like unused printer drivers) can probably get it to work on a 16.

2. Format the SD card as GUID. This was trickier than I thought (or I missed how to do it in one step). Using Disk Utility, you Erase the card as Mac journaled extended. This will create a single Master Boot Record partition. You then have go into the partition option and replace the partition with a GUID one (using the options button to select GUID). I couldn't find a way to format and end up with the GUID partition in one step. This doesn't take too long, so it's ok in any case.

3. Insert your OS install DVD and select install. The system will reboot after obtaining confirmation.

4. Once the OS disc boots, select the SD card as the target. If you can't install on it (! showing), then the GUID partition step didn't work. Try that again.

Wait patiently while the OS copies over. (In fact, also wait while the DVD integrity is checked which also takes a while.) *See alternative below

5. Once the install is done, go through the few questions about transferring files and settings. You won't have enough room for files or applications, but you should copy the settings so your wireless works etc.

6. The system will boot to the SD card now.

7. When satisfied, restart and hold down the option key so you can select the internal drive as the boot drive.

*Alternative
As mentioned above, instead of installing directly to the SD Card, use a USB HD as an intermediate step. After formatting it (or a small partition) for the GUID, install the OS here. This will take a lot less time than to the SD card directly.

Then using Carbon Copier (or various Terminal commands such as rsync with the right boot and permission settings), copy the new install to the SD card. This will take a ton less time overall and works fine. You can now reformat your HD if you want it for something else. I believe Time Machine can also work as an intermediate as well to move the install to the SD card.

I now have a SD card that I can keep with me as an emergency back up start disc. I hope I don't have to use it of course, but it's easy to carry around and a lot more flexible than a small HD.


Laird

Message was edited by: lairdo

I am currently trying to install Snow Leopard on my 8gb SD card. I have fully installed Snow Leopard on the card, but it will not show up in the Startup Disk utility, or by holding alt/option key at startup. It is formatted to GUID and Mac OS Extended

D/FW,

Yes I did it on a PNY SDHC 16GB Class 4 card and as others said it is sluggish but works. I didn't install any printer drivers or extra language to save space. There is 6.5GB unused. I didn't install any utilities yet but there is room. Also as noted, you need to format and partition using GUID. I have 4 GB RAM and it is still slow with beachballs often. I have noticed that it seems faster when I use the 9600 discreet video card, but maybe not. I have wondered if I used a Class 10 card if it would be faster but other threads I've read about class stuff seems unclear. You wouldn't want to use it for everyday stuff, but to boot to get at your hard drive for repairs it works fine.

I tried to put Leopard on an 8 GB card, but it wasn't big enough. The smallest installation I could come up with was 6.2GB, and the installer only recognized 6.1GB of available space on my 8GB card (even though disk utility said it had over 7GB of "free" space. Snow Leopard should be smaller, but I don't know if 8GB will work even there.

I am looking through the forum, to try and find out why the Express Card Slot was removed in favour of the SD card slot. What people were asked?, because this is not a good idea. My camera uses Memory Stick Duo's. So I use a USB Stick multi card reader. Using the Express Card Slot for Firewire 400 and SATAe Adapters. I'll wait until this is bought back, before changing this Macbook Pro unibody. Dave

Getting current flash memory format usage data for free is pretty much impossible; however, manufacturers (like Apple) are willing to pay for such data and have the current figures to base their decisions on.

As of a report from the SD Card Association, "SD technology is the de-facto industry standard for mobile phones, digital cameras, MP3 music players, personal computers, printers, car navigation systems, electronic books, and other consumer electronic devices."

Obviously, they might be biased, but there are many other such reports on the web.

(I have a Firewire 800 reader for my high-speed Compact Flash cards.)

You, personally, might not use SD cards, but I have 4 digital cameras that DO use SD. I think Apple made a good choice for photographers.

(I have a Firewire 800 reader for my high-speed Compact Flash cards.)

I agree that SD cards are "de-facto" standard, but for under $30.00 you can get an Express Card 34 that will read "21" card types. In reality it is 4 card types (SD, MMC, xD, and Sony Memory Sticks) with the "21" being the different versions of the listed 4 types of cards.

Currently I am using the Wintec 48GB SSD drive in the Express Card slot and have NEVER seen such an improvement in performance from ANY other upgrade! This now gives me the speed of an SSD drive for under $200.00 and the capacity of 500GB internal hard drive.

I don't know if SD cards will ever be able to meet the speed capability of an SSD card. I wish they had added a second Express Card slot. Then I would have my SSD and SD/xD/MMC/Sony card reader too!!! 😉

JR

JR: Have you solved the problem with the Wintec SSD that you posted about in this thread on Sept. 12, or are you just living with the slight inconvenience for the sake of the speed?

I returned the original SSD to Wintec. They sent me a new one.

No problems. Cloned the drive once and have been running on it ever since (about 3 weeks now).

Works like a dream. I would encourage Apple to install a 48 to 64 GB SSD drive in all of their machines to act as a boot drive! Keep the spinning HD for size and economics. They could probably do it for less than $100, but of course would probably charge 3-4 times that at the retail end. ;-(

I am glad I got this MBP when I did. I have been watching the prices on the refurbished MBP 2.93GHz with the Express Card slot for 6 months. Purchased mine 9/1/09, and within the next 3 weeks they were sold out and I have not seen it back on the refurbished list!

Definitely the best speed / performance boost for the dollar that I have ever spent. I paid $170 for the SSD and last week the price was down to $140. If you have the Express card slot I would spend the bucks for the SSD and keep the internal HD for storage.

Going to Internal SSD for main drive is very expensive and then you have to sacrifice storage space!

JR

To all,
http://www.macworld.com/article/141401/2009/06/mwvodcast114.html?lsrc=nlmwweek_hcbstories

Hi
Have just gone through all the stages. When I came to putting SnowLeopard onto the 8gig Kingston SDHC. It showed that there was still not enough room as 8.1gig was needed for "Essential Software" So I don't seem to be able to do this, until I get a bigger stick.
I have put one of my DVD's onto the stick and play back is just as good as the DVD. So I'm sure that there will be no problem. By the way, this card is playing through both an eco multicard reader and also an integral, so I still don't see the need for a built in SD slot. Is there a great gathering of SD card user's that will not buy a macbook/pro imac unless it has this slot in? Still not convinced of the benefit over a good Express slot, of which I have a good number of Express cards to use. I have eSATA Firewire 400&800. Much more versatile than a card slot. Dave

Could someone explaine to me and i'm sure i'm not the only one.

What is the advantage or purpose of doing this. Why would you want to boot from an SD card or have it as a backup.

thanks in advance, just trying to learn here.