Win8 in External USB2 HDD attached to Mac mini NOT detect Mac mini's native sata HDD
Tags:
- Hard Drives
- Mac OS X
- SATA
- Mac Mini
- External Hard Drive
- Macintosh
Last response: in Mac Os X
Peter Guan
December 9, 2013 8:44:26 PM
Hi, Mac Buddies
By following the Stephen's online instruction exactly, I managed to install Win 8 on the USB 2.0 external HDD (2.5' 40GB IDE) for my Mac mini (mid 2011).
However, when I go inside the Win8, I couldn't find the Native Mac mini Toshiba SATA HDD, not even in "Disk Management". I haven't tried with MacDrive yet, but I understood that, in order for MacDrive to open Mac Partition, MAC physical HDD should be at least detected in the Windows Disk Management, is that right?
The reason I want to install Win8 in external HDD is that, my MAC mini sata HDD is failing, can' t access to MAC OSX, (but can be detected in bootup or "Disk Utility"). Verify/Repair doesn't work, and took very very long time, it even could hardly be resized and repartitioned. So I decided to install Win8 on external HDD, so that I could retrieve some files with MacDrive, or probably use HDD regenerator to repair the failing disk. But if Win8 doesn't detect sata HDD, then this approach might not work for my situation. Perhaps the only way is to take out the sata HDD from Mac mini to repair.
BTW, Win8 does detect SDXC card, and external DVD drive
Much appreciate your replies....
Thanks
By following the Stephen's online instruction exactly, I managed to install Win 8 on the USB 2.0 external HDD (2.5' 40GB IDE) for my Mac mini (mid 2011).
However, when I go inside the Win8, I couldn't find the Native Mac mini Toshiba SATA HDD, not even in "Disk Management". I haven't tried with MacDrive yet, but I understood that, in order for MacDrive to open Mac Partition, MAC physical HDD should be at least detected in the Windows Disk Management, is that right?
The reason I want to install Win8 in external HDD is that, my MAC mini sata HDD is failing, can' t access to MAC OSX, (but can be detected in bootup or "Disk Utility"). Verify/Repair doesn't work, and took very very long time, it even could hardly be resized and repartitioned. So I decided to install Win8 on external HDD, so that I could retrieve some files with MacDrive, or probably use HDD regenerator to repair the failing disk. But if Win8 doesn't detect sata HDD, then this approach might not work for my situation. Perhaps the only way is to take out the sata HDD from Mac mini to repair.
BTW, Win8 does detect SDXC card, and external DVD drive
Much appreciate your replies....
Thanks
More about : win8 external usb2 hdd attached mac mini detect mac mini native sata hdd
Ijack
December 9, 2013 11:32:35 PM
I don't understand why you don't just install OS X on an external drive. Surely this would be easier than messing about with Windows 8? Anyway, I think you have answered your own question; the drive is failing, that's why you can't access it. You could try taking it out of the Mac and putting it in an external enclosure, but you'd probably have the same result.
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Peter Guan
December 10, 2013 1:01:09 AM
Thanks, Ijack
If the internal HDD could NOT be detected in Win8, but why could it be detected in Mac bootup and Disk-utility? BTW the SMART status in DiskUtility shows "verified" most of time, but sometimes it showed "not supported". This disk access is very very slow with doing anything.
Anyway, I will try other methods tonight, maybe try to install OSX in the external HDD, and post the update if any.
If the internal HDD could NOT be detected in Win8, but why could it be detected in Mac bootup and Disk-utility? BTW the SMART status in DiskUtility shows "verified" most of time, but sometimes it showed "not supported". This disk access is very very slow with doing anything.
Anyway, I will try other methods tonight, maybe try to install OSX in the external HDD, and post the update if any.
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Related resources
Ijack
December 10, 2013 2:24:44 AM
Peter Guan
December 17, 2013 9:59:13 PM
Since external Win8 doesn't help, so last weekend, I managed to install OSX (via online recovery, but it only installs 10.7 lion) on the external HDD. And I realized that the Mac mini internal HDD was very very slow reading files, even though Disk Utility Verify it was OK. Fortunately, I managed to retrieve some files, then reformat it (Erase). However, the internal HDD is still very slow. Really don't know why, perhaps, I have to take it out, and use windows/dos tools to repair it. If still can't make it, then I have to throw it away.
Anyway, thanks for all the support, esp to Ijack
Anyway, thanks for all the support, esp to Ijack
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Ijack
December 17, 2013 11:31:23 PM
Have you checked the cabling to the drive? A poor connection here, even just a bit of dirt, could cause those symptoms. Otherwise, I would suggest that the drive may be failing. You could try taking it out and connecting it to another computer if you have one (an easier task with a modern Mini than the original ones).
It is possible that there is some fault with the motherboard, but this is far less likely than a failing disk or cable. Luckily, new hard disks are cheap enough.
It is possible that there is some fault with the motherboard, but this is far less likely than a failing disk or cable. Luckily, new hard disks are cheap enough.
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Peter Guan
December 19, 2013 8:33:41 PM
Thanks again, Ijack, for your suggestion
BTW, I never use "Time Machine" for my mini. Do you think it is a good idea as a backup solution? The most importance to me is that, whether TM is running continuously at background? could it run per user requirement, or based on schedule? I don't want it to slow down the MAC performance. Thanks
BTW, I never use "Time Machine" for my mini. Do you think it is a good idea as a backup solution? The most importance to me is that, whether TM is running continuously at background? could it run per user requirement, or based on schedule? I don't want it to slow down the MAC performance. Thanks
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Best solution
Ijack
December 19, 2013 11:28:53 PM
Time Machine is an excellent backup solution. After the initial backup has run you won't notice it's there, until you need it. It does run semi-continuously (actually it's a schedule that runs once per hour or so). This means that normally it only has a very small amount of changed data to back up and so runs very quickly.
So, you just attach an external drive (or use an internal one if you have spare space), let it run for a couple of hours or so for the initial backup, and then forget about it. You can then recover individual files easily from any particular date you choose or the whole system if you need to reinstall the OS. I can't imagine any reason not to use it.
So, you just attach an external drive (or use an internal one if you have spare space), let it run for a couple of hours or so for the initial backup, and then forget about it. You can then recover individual files easily from any particular date you choose or the whole system if you need to reinstall the OS. I can't imagine any reason not to use it.
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Peter Guan
December 20, 2013 10:55:34 PM
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