Best Way to Install Lion with SSD + HDD Combo?

[sidgriffey]

I have a 2007 Macbook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz with a 40GB SSD that I boot snow leopard and apps from and a 160GB HDD that is in an optibay and stores my data/ holds my home folder (i.e., my superdrive is in an external enclosure).

If I want to install Lion, what is the best way for me to do this without losing my snow leopard setup? I have some 25GB left on the SSD last time I checked. Should I partition it? If I have a Mac Mini with snow leopard and all my stuff should I just install Lion clean over snow leopard on my MBP or is Lion too buggy?

Thanks.

 

[Hellhammer]

I would install it in the HD. It's not that buggy but I wouldn't keep it as my only OS.

 

[sidgriffey]

A friend told me I can't boot OSX from Raid. So would that mean I cannot install Lion on my HD if it is currently in the optibay where the superdrive used to be?

 

[Hellhammer]

A friend told me I can't boot OSX from Raid. So would that mean I cannot install Lion on my HD if it is currently in the optibay where the superdrive used to be?

You don't have any kind of RAID in your computer and your friend is wrong too. OS X should boot fine from the ODD bay, Windows not so well.

 

[sidgriffey]

OK, so to recap:

I can leave my SSD as is (that is, I can continue to choose to boot from that and have it run Snow Leopard).

I can installed Lion on the Hard Disk and choose to boot from that if I want.

Question: If my home folder is stored on the Hard Disk for when I run Snow Leopard with the SSD, how do I prevent home folder complications when I install Lion on the Hard Disk? Don't want it to mess up the snow leopard experience.

 

[Hellhammer]

I can leave my SSD as is (that is, I can continue to choose to boot from that and have it run Snow Leopard).

I can installed Lion on the Hard Disk and choose to boot from that if I want.

Yes.

Question: If my home folder is stored on the Hard Disk for when I run Snow Leopard with the SSD, how do I prevent home folder complications when I install Lion on the Hard Disk? Don't want it to mess up the snow leopard experience.

Lion will create a new Home folder to its own partition. You can, however, change the location of the Home folder to be the same as Snow Leopard's. I have done that since my Lion partition is only 50GB. That way all your data will be in the same location, no matter what OS you use.

 

[sidgriffey]

Is that done just by going to accounts, unlocking the lock, right clicking the name and selecting the home folder -- and I presume just making sure it's the same folder that is selected for SL?

Also, given my setup (SSD booting and running SL with my apps) what is the best way to install Lion? I have the dmg. file, so what would I do to make sure I don't wipe out my SSD situation?

 

[Hellhammer]

Is that done just by going to accounts, unlocking the lock, right clicking the name and selecting the home folder -- and I presume just making sure it's the same folder that is selected for SL?

System Preferences > Accounts > Click the lock and type your password > Right-click the user and select "Advanced Options..." > Home directory

You just select the same folder as in SL. If your username is Steve, then it would be Macintosh HD/Users/Steve, assuming Macintosh HD is the volume where SL is installed.

Also, given my setup (SSD booting and running SL with my apps) what is the best way to install Lion? I have the dmg. file, so what would I do to make sure I don't wipe out my SSD situation?

Create a new partition to the HD (e.g. Mac OS X Lion) and when installing Lion, it will ask you where do you want to install it. Select the volume you just created and that's it. You don't need to boot from the DMG, just open it while running SL

 

[sidgriffey]

I decided to just install it on my SSD since I want to take advantage of the speed of it. This no longer seems as buggy as it did when I installed Lion a few weeks ago and got rid of it. I can now run the VNC app "iTeleport" without problem!

Thank you for taking the time to lay out these instructions, as it is invaluable to me as I install for future partitions down the road. Cheers.