iMac can't boot from FW external HDD

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The only thing that shows up when booting with the Option key held is the Macintosh HDD. This is using the FW800 port and a bootable WD My Studio drive, using a disk backup made with SuperDuper. Identical setup works on my new MacBook Pro.

Can't find any setting that might be inhibiting an external drive boot.

Tom
 
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With iMac running - can Superduper still see the Ext HD? if not run disk Utility and does the HD show up there?
Try swapping cable end for end or another cable (FW400) if u have one.
 
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T
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Yep, drive still works fine otherwise. Just want to make sure there is not a system setting that can preclude the drive from being used as a boot drive.

Tom
 

chscag

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As a test, see if you can boot with the drive attached to your USB port. There may be a problem with the FW 800 port on the iMac.

Regards.
 
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Update - switching the cable around end-for-end did it. Boots fine. Thanks for the help troubleshooting.

Tom
 

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