I've been thinking about downloading macOS (to use GarageBand) and possibly trying out Linux, so I bought a SATA SSD to run these OSes without affecting my main SSD. I'm curious if I can set up this SATA SSD on Windows, install macOS on it, and then boot from that SSD. If that's possible, what steps should I take to make it happen?
2 Answers
Theoretically, you could take out your current SSD, install the new OS on your SATA SSD, and then put your original SSD back in. You'd then access the boot menu when your computer starts to select which drive to boot from. As for macOS, it's a bit trickier since setting it up on non-Apple hardware (Hackintosh) is a complex process and can be really challenging. If you're just starting out, maybe try it on an old PC so you won’t mess up your main setup. Also, have you considered using a virtual machine? Programs like VirtualBox could let you run another OS inside your existing system.
Yes, you can definitely install Linux on your SATA SSD. Just keep in mind that when you set it up, it might reset the disk, so make sure you've backed up anything important. If you're really looking to dual boot or switch between OSes, you zoom in on managing your boot menu when you restart your PC, and you can pick the drive you want to boot from.
Got it! But I was more concerned about actually launching Linux from that drive. You think that’ll work?
I mainly want macOS for GarageBand since it's free and has great guitar effects. Is using macOS really that complicated?