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After installing Windows on an external drive, it crashes when connecting via a SATA case. (Crashes when booting Windows, Linux, and macOS). The installation was based on the answer from Drivers not working on Windows 10 installed (CLI process) on external SSD running on MacBook Air 2018. However, the exact procedure, including additional steps taken, is documented in a secret gist on GitHub.

I have tried multiple different cables and cases. I am using an Imac18,3. I have tried plugging the SATA case into the mac via USB-C to USB-C and USB-A to USB-C. All of these cables should allow data transfer.

The Cable that it works with is a USB-A to SATA cable.

The device crashes when plugging the drive in from boot. (Only if booting from that drive though)

Does anyone know why this happens? Is there a way to fix it?

David Anderson
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Vakror Alor
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1 Answers1

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I feel somewhat obligated to post a response, since you have referenced by answer. I am doing so in the form of an answer instead of a sequence of lengthy comments. 

I have read your original deleted question and your current question. Below is what I assume you have done.

  1. Installed Windows 10, macOS and/or Linux operating systems on the external drive. The drive was connected to the Mac using a USB-A to SATA cable. I do not know which macOS or Linux. Nor do I know if the installations were done individually as a single boot or as some form of multiboot arrangement. The make/model of the USB-A to SATA cable was not specified. I do not know if the cable was powered. The drive is a 512 GB Samsung, but the model was not given. Knowledge of whether drive is a HDD versus SDD and 2.5" versus 3.5" is omitted.
  2. The drive was put in a case with a USB-C port. The make/model of the case was not specified. I do not know if the case was powered.
  3. The case was connected to the Mac using either a USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to USB-A cable. I assume the cables are rated for the connection speed. For USB-C to USB-A this could be up to 5 Gb/s and for USB-C to USB-C this could be up to 10 Gb/s. Any available specifications regarding the cables were not included in the question.

I would conclude that the problem was not caused by the Windows 10 installation, but rather from a hardware incompatibility. User Tetsujin posted the following comment to the original question.

SATA case may change the block size advertised to the computer.

The drive uses either a 512 byte or 4096 byte sector size. If the case reports the wrong sector size to the Mac, then one could get a message stating a volume will not mount. Another possibility is the case cannot accommodate a drive as large as 512 GB. Or, you need to use a case that is powered.

Note: In my posted answer, one can find the following image.

from my answer

This a 500 GB Western Digital external HDD. The drive came in its own sealed case with a non-detachable USB-A cable. The drive was powered from the USB-A port on the 2018 Mac mini. The transfer speed is up to 480 Gb/s (USB 2.0).

Additional Windows Installation Steps

You may have covered this issue in your gist.

When I posted my answer, the 2018 Mac mini was fairly new. The (U)EFI booting installation used a recent release of the Windows Support Software for the 2018 Mac mini. Installation problems have been known to occur when the Windows Support Software for a given Mac has aged. For example, there is this question involving a BIOS booting Windows 11, where the solution was to enter Audit mode to perform an early install of software updates from both Apple and Microsoft.

References

deleted question

David Anderson
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