macOS won't open

[Alwyn]

I use an external SSD loaded with macOS Ventura. Because my Time Machine won't backup both the internal and the external drives I have to restart to Macintosh HD, eject the external drive, then backup to Time Machine having cloned the external drive to the internal one.

Until today this has always worked. All I need to know is how to start from the external drive instead of the internal one.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

During startup of the Mac, if you hold down the OPTION key, you will see a pop-up allowing you to choose which drive to boot from.

 

[Alwyn]

During startup of the Mac, if you hold down the OPTION key, you will see a pop-up allowing you to choose which drive to boot from.

Thanks Ashwin. I've now erased what was a partitioned ™ so that 1TB is available. I presume the internal HD is shot so I probably should get another external SSD and load it with MacOS Ventura so that I can eventually sell my 2017 iMac.

The 2020 iMac would suit me perfectly and last me long enough so it might make sense to buy one and get an internal SSD installed as there seem to be businesses that charge reasonable prices in the UK to do that.

 

[pm-r]

The 2020 iMac would suit me perfectly and last me long enough so it might make sense to buy one and get an internal SSD installed as there seem to be businesses that charge reasonable prices in the UK to do that.

I purchased such a i9 2020 27 inch iMac in January which suits me just fine replacing my older 2011 27-in iMac, but I didn't think the internal hard drives of the 2020 I'm at models could be replaced or upgraded, at least not easily and I don't know what they cost to do so would be.

As the web says:

The internal hard drive in a 2020 iMac is generally a soldered SSD and not easily replaceable, according to EveryMac.com. To upgrade the storage, you'd typically replace the entire drive with a new SSD, which might require professional installation, especially if the existing drive is soldered.

Anyway, I find the 1 TB SSD quite adequate for storage, but I don't do a lot of Photography or video storage or large files.




- Patrick
=======

 

[Alwyn]

I purchased such a i9 2020 27 inch iMac in January which suits me just fine replacing my older 2011 27-in iMac, but I didn't think the internal hard drives of the 2020 I'm at models could be replaced or upgraded, at least not easily and I don't know what they cost to do so would be.

As the web says:


Anyway, I find the 1 TB SSD quite adequate for storage, but I don't do a lot of Photography or video storage or large files.




- Patrick
=======

Thanks Patrick. I phrased that rather badly as I meant to say replacing the internal drive of my current 2017 iMac with an SSD before selling it especially if the HD isn't working.

 

[MacBiter]

Thanks Patrick. I phrased that rather badly as I meant to say replacing the internal drive of my current 2017 iMac with an SSD before selling it especially if the HD isn't working.

Good plan - SSD drives are so much faster than HDDs, especially since Apple replaced the 7200 drives with 5400 drives after 2011.