Posted  by 

Mac Mini 2018 Boot Camp External Drive

BestCD Drives for Mac miniiMore2020

  • Jan 02, 2020  Best CD Drives for Mac mini iMore 2020. Optical drives went the way of the DoDo bird a few years ago on Mac computers due to most software, movies, and music all moving online, but sometimes you still need a good old fashioned CD drive. So, even in 2019, there are still situations when you need an external optical drive.
  • I have a 2018 Mac mini as well and always boot from my OWC Envoy Pro EX. What that drive is, is a Thunderbolt 3 external device with an internal NVMe SSD. Using Black Magic Speed Test, the Envoy Pro EX is about 33% faster than the internal Apple-branded SSD inside!
  • Aug 13, 2019 Make sure that your Mac is connected to the Internet. Open Boot Camp Assistant, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder. From the menu bar at the top of your screen, choose Action Download Windows Support Software, then choose your USB flash drive as the save destination. When the download completes, quit Boot Camp Assistant.
  • Dec 05, 2018  Installing Windows 10 on a 2018 Mac mini running macOS Mojave is simple using Boot Camp Assistant. In this tutorial, we show you how to download the Windows 10 ISO and how to install Windows 10 on.
  • Whether or not Apple's flash storage pricing on the new MacBook Air and Mac mini is worth it, is an exercise for the reader. Here are the best external drive enclosures for your new MacBook.

Adding an SSD to the new 2018 Mac Mini. The hard drives in the new 2018 Mac mini are PCIe which means they are very fast, but also expensive. Unlike previous models, you cannot upgrade the internal hard drive. It is soldered in. But thanks to the USB-C interface on the new Mac Mini, an external SSD drive is now a good option.

Optical drives went the way of the DoDo bird a few years ago on Mac computers due to most software, movies, and music all moving online, but sometimes you still need a good old fashioned CD drive. So, even in 2019, there are still situations when you need an external optical drive. That said, no matter what your needs are, we've saved you the trouble of looking around and grouped together some of the best CD drives to compliment your new Mac mini.

Home grown: Apple USB SuperDrive

This CD drive comes straight from the source. It's made by Apple and will work with any Mac that does not have an optical drive built-in, so basically any Mac within the past few years. It looks great, it's easy to use, it's compact and it's well made. It's completely plug-and-play so there's no need to download anything and it offers a lot of features for the creative types. The not-so-great? It's not USB-C (you'll need an adapter) and it's a bit pricey.

$79 at Amazon

Into the future: Nolyth USB-C Superdrive

If you haven't heard yet, USB-C is the way of the future, at least for I/O tech (think the stuff you plug into your computer). While the Mac mini still has a couple of traditional USB ports (thank all the things), USB-C will become the standard pretty soon. This drive from Nolyth is practically just as good as Apple's SuperDrive and it is USB-C out of the box, so no need for adapters. It also includes a USB-A adapter so you can use it with any standard ports (take notes Apple). Best of all, it's cheaper than Apple's.

$49 at Amazon

Everything for less: LG GP65NB60

This external CD and DVD drive from LG offers almost all of the same features as the more expensive models. Really the only difference is that this guy isn't made out of aluminum so it doesn't have quite as premium of a build. It's still very solid though and quite well reviewed so it's a still a great choice. The plastic build makes it more lightweight as well so it's easier to carry around in a bag, plus it comes in four different colors. At this price, it's hard to beat.

$25 at Amazon

Tried and true: Samsung TSST Optical Drive

You may not know it but Samsung makes a lot of the stuff that goes inside your Mac mini so it would make sense that they know how to make good stuff for the outside too. This drive is super slim so will fit quite easily on your desk without taking up too much space and it's completely plug-and-play for your Mac mini. With hundreds of good reviews, this one is well worth a look.

$60 at Amazon

Wood for the win: VersionTECH SuperDrive

I'm a big fan of wood accessories and now I can have a wood-covered CD drive to compliment my Mac mini. This will certainly class up any desk and be sure to draw a comment or two from the guests. It does all the things you would need an optical drive to do and it's not a bad price either. The best auto tune app for android.

$30 at Amazon

Which CD Drive should you choose?

Boot Camp On Mac

Even though it's 2019, there are still several instances where you might need to use an optical drive with your new Mac mini. Whether you're watching a movie that's not on Netflix, or you want to burn some music to relieve those 90's car rides, or you need to install some older software onto your new Mac mini, we've found some of the best options for you to consider. For most folks, the LG GP65NB60 will be the best option because it gets the job done without breaking the bank, but you can't really go wrong with anything on this list.

If you don't like the LG GP65NB60, then the next best choice I feel would be the wooden VersionTECH SuperDrive. It's nothing quite like it when you compare it to other choices, as its unique design brings a certain distinct personality for such an otherwise boring piece of equipment. Plus, it only cost a few more bucks than our best option.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

iPhones and Grills and Steaks.. OH MY!

7 ways to grill smarter with your iPhone

Check out these great iOS-compatible gadgets that are sure to deliver the perfect BBQ for your family and friends every time and earn you the title of Grill Master. No matter what your budget or needs, we have the tool for you.

Mac Boot Camp Drivers

When you install Microsoft Windows on your Mac, Boot Camp Assistant automatically opens the Boot Camp installer, which installs the latest Windows support software (drivers). If that doesn't happen, or you experience any of the following issues while using Windows on your Mac, follow the steps in this article.

  • Your Apple mouse, trackpad, or keyboard isn't working in Windows.
    Force Touch isn't designed to work in Windows.
  • You don't hear audio from the built-in speakers of your Mac in Windows.
  • The built-in microphone or camera of your Mac isn't recognized in Windows.
  • One or more screen resolutions are unavailable for your display in Windows.
  • You can't adjust the brightness of your built-in display in Windows.
  • You have issues with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in Windows.
  • You get an alert that Apple Software Update has stopped working.
  • You get a message that your PC has a driver or service that isn't ready for this version of Windows.
  • Your Mac starts up to a black or blue screen after you install Windows.

If your Mac has an AMD video card and is having graphics issues in Windows, you might need to update your AMD graphics drivers instead.

Install the latest macOS updates

Before proceeding, install the latest macOS updates, which can include updates to Boot Camp.

Format a USB flash drive

To install the latest Windows support software, you need a 16GB or larger USB flash drive formatted as MS-DOS (FAT).

  1. Start your Mac from macOS.
  2. Plug the USB flash drive into your Mac.
  3. Open Disk Utility, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
  4. Choose View > Show All Devices from the menu bar.
  5. From the sidebar in Disk Utility, select your USB flash drive. (Select the drive name, not the volume name beneath it.)
  6. Click the Erase button or tab.
  7. Choose MS-DOS (FAT) as the format and Master Boot Record as the scheme.
  8. Click Erase to format the drive. When done, quit Disk Utility.

Download the Windows support software

After preparing your USB flash drive, complete these steps:

  1. Make sure that your Mac is connected to the Internet.
  2. Open Boot Camp Assistant, which is in the Utilities folder of your Applications folder.
  3. From the menu bar at the top of your screen, choose Action > Download Windows Support Software, then choose your USB flash drive as the save destination. When the download completes, quit Boot Camp Assistant.

Mac Mini 2018 Boot Camp External Drive Download

Learn what to do if you can't download or save the Windows support software.

Install the Windows support software

Vocalsynth 2 vst free download. After downloading the Windows support software to your flash drive, follow these steps to install the software. (If you're attempting to resolve issues with a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard, it might be easier to use a USB mouse or keyboard until these steps are complete.)

Boot camp on mac

Mac Boot External Drive

  1. Make sure that the USB flash drive is plugged into your Mac.
  2. Start up your Mac in Windows.
  3. From File Explorer, open the USB flash drive, then open Setup or setup.exe, which is in the WindowsSupport folder or BootCamp folder. When you're asked to allow Boot Camp to make changes to your device, click Yes.
  4. Click Repair to begin installation. If you get an alert that the software hasn't passed Windows Logo testing, click Continue Anyway.
  5. After installation completes, click Finish, then click Yes when you're asked to restart your Mac.

Learn more

Mac Mini 2018 Boot Camp External Drive Reviews

If you can't download or save the Windows support software:

Mac Mini 2018 Boot Camp External Drives

  • If the assistant says that the Windows support software could not be saved to the selected drive, or that the USB flash drive can't be used, make sure that your USB flash drive has a storage capacity of at least 16GB and is formatted correctly.
  • If the assistant doesn't see your USB flash drive, click Go Back and make sure that the drive is connected directly to the USB port on your Mac—not to a display, hub, or keyboard. Disconnect and reconnect the drive, then click Continue.
  • If the assistant says that it can't download the software because of a network problem, make sure that your Mac is connected to the Internet.
  • Make sure that your Mac meets the system requirements to install Windows using Boot Camp.

Mac Mini 2018 Boot Camp External Drive Reviews

If a Mac feature still doesn't work after updating the Windows support software, search for your symptom on the Apple support website or Microsoft support website. Some features of your Mac aren't designed to work in Windows.