FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions - Knowledge Base
[Thunder Dock] Can I boot Mac OS from an external drive connected to the dock?
It depends on the computer's EFI Boot ROM and SMC firmware version as well as the interface that is used. Following are some examples that we have tested for reference.
EFI Boot ROM and SMC version | Mac OS X | Interface | Bootable |
Computer: Mac Pro 6,1 (late 2013) Boot ROM Version: MP61.0116.BO4 SMC Version: 2.20f16 |
10.9.2 | Thunderbolt | Yes |
USB 3.0 | Yes | ||
FireWire 800 | Yes | ||
eSATA | Yes | ||
Computer: MacBook Air 6,1 (11-inch) Boot ROM Version: MBA61.0099.B04 SMC Version: 2.12f135 |
10.9.2 | Thunderbolt | Yes |
USB 3.0 | Yes | ||
FireWire 800 | Yes | ||
eSATA | Yes | ||
Computer: Mac mini 5,1 Boot ROM Version: MM51.0077.B10 SMC Version: 1.76f0 |
10.9.2 | Thunderbolt | Yes |
USB 3.0 | No | ||
FireWire 800 | Yes | ||
eSATA | Yes | ||
Computer: MacBook Air 4,2 (13-inch, Mid 2011) Boot ROM Version: MBA41.0077.B0F SMC Version: 1.73f66 |
10.9.2 | Thunderbolt | Yes |
USB 3.0 | No | ||
FireWire 800 | Yes | ||
eSATA | Yes |