maverick1987 Author

Level 1

34 points

Slow boot time after update to Mojave - External SSD

Hello!

I have a iMac 21" 4k 3,1ghz 2015. I installed an external SSD Samsung 860 Evo 512gb to avoid losing the Apple 1yr warranty if I opened my iMac by myself.

So when I was using APFS format and OSX High Sierra, my iMac used to start, then 2 seconds with a completely empty screen(black) looking for the boot SSD, then the Apple logo appear and it would take another 18 seconds for the system to start completely.

Total boot time = ~20secs.

Now I installed the new MacOS Mojave and my current boot time are very very slow; when I turn on the computer the screen stills black for 2 minutes more or less "looking for my external boot SSD" and then the Apple logo appear and +18secs the system starts.

My current boot time = More than 2~3minutes!!!!

I have also a MacBook Pro 2017 TouchBar and TouchID with 512GB integrated SSD also with APFS format, and update this from High Sierra to Mojave at the same day/time to the iMac. Fortunately the MacBook Pro booting done in about 20secs.

So... There is any solution for fixing this "everlasting" blank screen when booting the iMac with MacOS Mojave and external SSD with APFS format?

I've researched about this, but I can't find anything to solve it. So, I hope someone here may help me!

Thanks!

iMac, macOS Mojave (10.14)

Posted on Sep 28, 2018 8:34 AM

Top-ranking reply

_fiery

Level 1

9 points

Posted on Oct 16, 2018 4:22 PM

I can confirm that just moving my external SSD from USB to Thunderbolt enclosure solves the delay at Mojave startup. I use Delock 42510 (85 EUR at amazon.it + 11 EUR Standard shipping with DHL road) and an Apple Thunderbolt cable (35 EUR).

In my opinion UEFI bootloader either tries to recognize the drive as SSD or wants to read its Firmware revision. This looks like a problem in UEFI and most probably is related to the limit that Apple put on external HDDs to use APFS last year.

Looking at System Information and DriveDX logs, I found several differences. In the Thunderbolt enclosure, drive is recognized as SSD with its Firmware revision, non-Removable, with native S.M.A.R.T. support, Bus Type = SATA, ATA Features = 0x-1, SATA Features = 0x2e. TRIM is not enabled.

In the USB enclosure, drive is not recognized as SSD, it's Removable, there is no Firmware revision, no native S.M.A.R.T. support, Bus Type = USB, ATA Features = 0x20, SATA Features = 0x-1. TRIM is not supported.

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345 replies

Oct 3, 2018 12:14 PM in response to Northern315

And when you press "ALT" for the boot volume chooser, how long does it take your iMac to display the chooser? On mine it is minutes! Even with the external SSD unplugged.

Oct 5, 2018 12:31 PM in response to sterling r

Resetting the SMC seems to have fixed my 2017 MBP 13", thanks.

Oct 29, 2018 5:31 AM in response to kostasfromcholargos

Make a ticket to Apple.

Nov 18, 2018 1:47 AM in response to andywynn55

Used your workaround.

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Mid 2015) and OWC Envoy Pro EX built with Apple 256GB SSD.

Boot time back to 28 sec. Use the external SSD only as a start up disk.

Omar100

Level 1

4 points

Jan 23, 2019 7:49 AM in response to maverick1987

Same here! Works perfect now, boots pretty fast now with inateck enclosure, ssd samsung 850evo.

Would be interested what caused the problem? Apple didn't mention this fix?

Jan 25, 2019 12:49 AM in response to maverick1987

I've noticed that after Mac OS mojave update, version 10.14.3 my boot time has decreased to 20sec.

Before that update my boot time were 2 minutes too.

Hope this will help

arivag

Level 1

4 points

Sep 30, 2018 12:26 PM in response to maverick1987

I have same problem. I update to Mojave and my iMac boot in 4 mim (20 seconds in High Sierra).

Using TimeMachine to back High Sierra, iMac boot in 20 seconds. Then, I make a clean install of Mojave and I have same problem again. iMac 2015 boot in +-4 min.

My external ssd is Samsung 850 Evo.

Oct 1, 2018 4:11 AM in response to maverick1987

I have the same kind of issue, not with an external but internal SSD in my Mac Mini.

Observing the boot in verbose mode shows the hold-up occurs when the messages include 'com.apple.signature3 (flsymmetric-Pause=1)' and 'com.apple.xpc.launchctrl is not declared debuggermacOSTaskPolicy' and 'Debugger pci pause: SDXC'

Maybe that will help somehow..

Oct 3, 2018 4:56 AM in response to MadFisi

Interesting, so replaying the High Sierra Backup also turned back the Firmware? Because it is not a Mojave OS problem, I also have the 2-3 Minute boot delay when I remove my Mojave disk and boot from a Linux partition.

Oct 3, 2018 8:02 AM in response to maverick1987

This is a pity !

i upgraded Mojave to my macbook pro 15" running high sierra since beginning.

After the update my booting time took quite long (3-4min) and a lot of programs are not able to run anymore...

i have to rebuy / update this apps ?!

I'm very unhappy about this situation - apple - this is not user friendly - I'm not a beta tester !

i have restored my macbook to high sierra - now it is back running and fast again !

this was just a waste of time ...

Oct 3, 2018 12:10 PM in response to nivde

I have reset the smc and pram and same problem. Imac doesn't even recognize internal macos mojave or external ssd mojave boot partitions. It just boots to bootcamp windows now. I have to manually hold alt/option and it will show all 3 options to boot in that menu. all 3 are working when manually selected.

barcapat

Level 1

7 points

Oct 4, 2018 4:22 AM in response to maverick1987

I have the same slow boot problem on my iMac, since upgrade to Mojave.

Exact times are:

restart machine and screen black for 1 minute 16 seconds
Apple logo displays then password input appears, enter password
booting continues and can eventually use the Desktop after 2 mins 16 seconds

I tried resetting the SMC but that made no difference.

What's marked as 'solved' for this is a big workaround using another external drive - hardly a solution for most people.

This thread should be re-opened and hopefully Apple will sort it out in the next update.

Oct 5, 2018 4:10 AM in response to maverick1987

Same thing in here, after the update 2-3 minutes to boot.

Black screen 1st for quite a while and then Mac Logo.

I have tried:

unplugging all the cables and plug in again.
re-select the startup disk and selecting the external SSD disk again
Shutdown the iMac and then press and hold the power button until turns on

So far no improvement

Oct 17, 2018 5:24 AM in response to maverick1987

Well guys, MacBook Pro 15 2013, i7, 16gb, Dual video, 51 2gb SSD. After update my Mac to Mojave, boot take something like one minute or more to boot up. Try SMC Reset, Pram, nothing change. So I start to look the date of my files. And I found this guys (image). After moving this guys to trash, Mac speed up again! 23 seconds and voila! Everything ok. Hope this help! And sorry for my bad English, Brazilian here.

_fiery

Level 1

9 points

Oct 26, 2018 6:35 AM in response to maverick1987

If anyone is looking for a Thunderbolt enclosure that solves the boot delay in Mojave (< 20 sec. boot time), I'm selling a new Delock (42510) enclosure plus an Apple Thunderbolt cable (both for £128.00) on ebay.co.uk (shiping in Europe). Both the case and the cable arrived last week and work fine, but I just can't throw my old USB+eSata enclosure which was not cheap at all. So, I will settle with another solution Akitio eSata to Thunderbolt adapter, which I await to arrive.

My intention was to move away from USB interface long time ago (i.e. missing support for TRIM and reading S.M.A.R.T. status), so Mojave accelerated my decision.

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Slow boot time after update to Mojave - External SSD