Do you partition your HD?

[Aktchi]

I am moving to a new Imac (500GB). I have never partitioned my HDs before but realize that if I am ever going to consider it, now is the time.

So my question to the more experienced people here:

Do you partition your HD?
How do you see pros/cons?
How many partitions do you use, what for, what sizes?

I guess I am looking for "best practices" advice.

Thanks.

 

[Hellhammer]

I don't unless I install secondary OS like Windows. The only wise way to partition is to make OS X and app partition and then data partition so in case you need to reinstall OS X (boot issue for example), you data is safe in the other partition so you can wipe that OS X partition and still have your data. If you have a backup, that is meaningless as you have everything in the other HD anyway.

 

[zaffle]

The only wise way to partition is to make OS X and app partition and then data partition so in case you need to reinstall OS X (boot issue for example), you data is safe in the other partition so you can wipe that OS X partition and still have your data.

i agree with this. Hellhammer, what would you say is a good (conservative) size for a system partition? i'm not low on space.

 

[Hellhammer]

i agree with this. Hellhammer, what would you say is a good (conservative) size for a system partition? i'm not low on space.

How big is your app folder? I would say ~50GBish, but it's personal. It can easily be resized though so it doesn't really matter

 

[Aktchi]

This may reflect the enthusiasm of a newbie, but I was considering a partition scheme like this:

P1. A working copy of OSX
P2. Another bootable copy of OSX, as backup (more convenient than dvd)
P3. Non-Apple apps I buy or download
P4. My own work

Would my home directory /Users/Myname have to go into P1, along with the OS, or can it be anywhere?

Basically, I thought it might be good to separate my work from the rest, and Apple stuff from non-Apple stuff. Bootable partition on HD might be an unnecessary luxury as I have the dvd, but it would be faster.

 

[Hellhammer]

This may reflect the enthusiasm of a newbie, but I was considering a partition scheme like this:

P1. A working copy of OSX
P2. Another bootable copy of OSX, as backup (more convenient than dvd)
P3. Non-Apple apps I buy or download
P4. My own work

Would my home directory /Users/Myname have to go into P1, along with the OS, or can it be anywhere?

Basically, I thought it might be good to separate my work from the rest, and Apple stuff from non-Apple stuff. Bootable partition on HD might be an unnecessary luxury as I have the dvd, but it would be faster.

Buy an external HD and keep a clone of your HD there, that's the best thing you can do. You can move your home folder. I wouldn't do anything else but have OS X partition and Home partition, 500GB isn't that much anyway

 

[aki]

It's a matter of personal choice, but I vote against partitioning your internal HD. Especially if it's on the small side.

The thing is partitioning -sounds- all neat and organized and makes you feel like you are running a clean and efficient system; but actually it just gets in the way. What tends to happen is the number of partitions and sizes you guestimate at the start end up being off or wildly off, and you end up having to resize partitions live (eek) or shuffle files back and forth to make things fit and it all just gets silly very quickly.

It's true, if your concern is backups and suchlike, it's simpler to just buy one or a few external drives, which are very cheap these days, and keep a clone of your "clean" system or whatever on those.

I know people used to like "data partitions" because the OS used to save files and erase files and fragmentation became an issue; but modern OSes like OSX don't have this problem to anywhere the same degree. If you really really really need a "clean" defragmented partition for HD video data or something, you'd be better off using an external firewire 800 anyway.

So yes basically I suggest you consider not partitioning. Especially when it's only 500GB. All depends how you use your machine of course.

Oh, for reference - I have two partitions, one OSX and one bootcamp. Along with a row of external HDs .

 

[Aktchi]

Thanks to all who replied to my question. I am persuaded to play safe, that the best "partition" would be an external drive.

I do have another question. If you don't mind please respond in my thread, "Best strategy for migrating settings and files to a new Imac?" I shall be most grateful.

 

[Hellhammer]

I do have another question. If you don't mind please respond in my thread, "Best strategy for migrating settings and files to a new Imac?" I shall be most grateful.

If you already have a Mac, just connect them with either a FireWire cable or Ethernet cable and then use Migration Assistant