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Can older Intel Macs with USB2.0 boot from USB3.0 external hard drives?

Can older Intel Macs with USB2.0 boot from USB3.0 external hard drives?


I'm having troubles doing so using my 120GB LaCie Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt™ Series drive.


Thanks!

Posted on Feb 8, 2013 10:18 PM

Reply
17 replies

Feb 8, 2013 10:54 PM in response to mende1

Thanks for this mende1.


I have a 2007 MacBook (USB 2.0) and a 2011 MacBook Pro (also USB 2.0).


I have a LaCie Rugged drive with Firewire 800 and USB 3.0.


When I connect this drive to the older 2007 MacBook (USB 2.0) by FireWire it will boot fine. When I connect it to the older 2007 MacBook (USB 2.0) by USB it doesn't boot (I get the circle with a diagonal line through it icon).


When I connect this drive to the newer 2011 MacBook Pro (USB 2.0) by FireWire it will boot fine. When I connect it to the newer 2011 MacBook Pro (USB 2.0) by USB it also boots fine.


So as far as I can determine older Intel Macs can't boot from USB 3.0 drives. Or they don't support LaCie drives; or my LaCie drive is faulty.


Any other advice or experience would be gratefully welcomed.


Cheers,


Greg

Can older Intel Macs with USB2.0 boot from USB3.0 external hard drives?

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