Booting iBook from External Drive

[DRAYKKO]

Hi All:
Here's the scenario: the hard drive in my iBook is hosed and I'm unable to boot from it. I did some research online and found sites that explain how to switch out the hard drive, but the trouble is I just don't have the time. I was wondering if it's possible to boot my iBook from an external drive, and if there is any DYI instruction on how to do so. I'd appreciate any help you could offer.


Dre

 

[DeltaMac]

easy - if you have an external hard drive, with a Firewire interface.
If you don't have a hard drive with a Firewire interface, you'll need to get one.
Boot to your installer DVD, and install OS X, selecting that external firewire HD as the destination for the install.
And, you can use that external as your normal drive, if you like.
One thing that might upset that idea, is that your internal HD is failed in a way that prevents booting to anything.
You may find that you still have to disassemble the iBook, just to disconnect the hard drive to prevent that dead hard drive from interfering with other operations. That doesn't always happen, but I have seen it often enough that I needed to mention that.
And, if you need to disconnect the internal, you might as well just replace the hard drive with a good one (you would already be there, eh?)

 

[DRAYKKO]

easy - if you have an external hard drive, with a Firewire interface.
If you don't have a hard drive with a Firewire interface, you'll need to get one.
Boot to your installer DVD, and install OS X, selecting that external firewire HD as the destination for the install.
And, you can use that external as your normal drive, if you like.
One thing that might upset that idea, is that your internal HD is failed in a way that prevents booting to anything.
You may find that you still have to disassemble the iBook, just to disconnect the hard drive to prevent that dead hard drive from interfering with other operations. That doesn't always happen, but I have seen it often enough that I needed to mention that.
And, if you need to disconnect the internal, you might as well just replace the hard drive with a good one (you would already be there, eh?)

Thanks for the feedback, Delta. That's just the information I needed.


Dre