IMac – Boot 2010 iMac from 2007 MacBook Pro’s drive

bootimacmacbook prostartup

I am considering purchasing a 2010 27" iMac to replace my 2007 MacBook Pro as my everyday development machine. Ideally, I would like to work on the iMac when I am in my home office and work on the MacBook Pro when I am out at a clients office, coffeeshop, etc. I would like both machines to be in sync so I don't have to worry about not having an application installed, missing project files, etc.

Is it possible to use the internal drive on the MacBook Pro as the boot drive of the iMac? This would enable me to simply shut the machines down, disconnect my MacBook Pro and have a less powerful but functionally equivalent machine to go. If it is possible what are the drawbacks? Are things like system updates machine specific which would prevent me from updating the OS using the iMac and then trying to boot into the MacBook?

I am not interested in using an external drive to boot the MacBook as it would be too cumbersome, nor am I interested in using the iMac as merely a display for the MacBook since the iMac will be significantly faster.

If using the laptop as a boot drive is not feasible are their other options I should consider?

Best Answer

It may be possible, but not recommended. While you don't really have to worry about drivers so much - there may be minor incompatibilities. That is if you get it to boot - especially if the MacBook Pro isn't running the latest version of the OS thats after whatever originally came on the iMac.

System updates can be used across machines, but when the install is being done it does check the hardware. You may end up installing iMac specific things on your MacBook Pro, which may cause issues.

You really have two routes:

  1. Buy a new MacBook Pro instead, and an external monitor. Therefore you have the same machine, and can go wherever.
  2. Sync the two machines using items like Dropbox, etc. I understand maybe application differences, but thats a very small issue (almost a non issue). Keep most of your files on dropbox, and everythings always in sync.

I would go (and do use) the second solution. My primary machine is a 27" iMac, but I constantly use my wifes 13" MacBook Pro when going out or not at my desk. I then keep most all active documents in Dropbox and sync between. Both are outfitted with the software I need (in my case, Aperture, TextWrangler, Xcode, etc).

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