Install Mountain Lion on external hdd?

[mariuste]

Hello

I have got an early 2011 Macbook pro 15" 2 GHz intel core i7 8 gb ram running Snow Leopard (version 10.6.8). I am considering an upgrade to preferably Mountain Lion now because I will likely going to have some compatibility issues in the near future with my current setup, although SL has been very stable. I have been using this computer more or less for music production only and I have been kind of ignorant about if I should leave Snow Leopard or not because of the stability of the system.
I then found out through reading various threads about the possibility to run separate partitions on the same computer to run two different OS on, if I want to test Mountain Lion before making a permanent move.
I thought I maybe should try that out but I then read again that partitioning the internal drive is bad for system performance in general.
So I have kind of ruled that out.. So I was wondering if I install and run Mountain Lion for example off an external hdd will that likely slow down the performance when I switch to that os? I have also read that if switch to ML it is better doing a clean install than upgrade.
If I do go that route, what external hds is best suited for this? I already use the only FW800 port I have on the soundcard, so it have to be an external drive that can be daisy chained, possibly thunderbolt?

Regards

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I thought I maybe should try that out but I then read again that partitioning the internal drive is bad for system performance in general.

Where have you read this? Unless you have that many partitions on one physical storage device, that system partitions have no room for temporary files, using two or three partitions on a single HDD or SSD will not slow down the performance.

Using Disk Utility - Formatting, Partitioning, Verifying, and Repairing Disks

which includes:

• Format, Erase, or Reformat a Drive
• Erase or Reformat a Partition
• Add a Partition
• Deleting and Resizing Partitions
• Disk Formats

If I do go that route, what external hds is best suited for this? I already use the only FW800 port I have on the soundcard, so it have to be an external drive that can be daisy chained, possibly thunderbolt?

Firewire also allows daisy chaining, thus you could use a 2.5" Firewire enclosure with an SSD or 2.5" HDD. But Thunderbolt is also an option, though a bit more expensive.
If you go the external HDD route:

How to format a new HDD to install Mac OS X onto (or make a bootable copy onto)​

 

[Fishrrman]

[[ I thought I maybe should try that out but I then read again that partitioning the internal drive is bad for system performance in general. ]]

That's nonsense.
You -can- partition the internal drive and have two individual systems on it, if you wish. I'm typing this on a 2010 MacBook pro that has been set up this way since I bought it, no problems at all.

If you wish, there's no problem in installing and booting from an OS installed on an external drive. I've been doing that for years, as well (with my iMac and with my new Mac Mini).

You should be aware that if you install Mountain Lion on an external firewire 800 drive, the boot time -will- be a little slower than booting from the internal bus. That's to be expected, because the internal bus is faster than FW800. Once the computer is up-and-running, however, you'll notice little if any difference than as if you were "booted internally"...

 

[mariuste]

Where have you read this? Unless you have that many partitions on one physical storage device, that system partitions have no room for temporary files, using two or three partitions on a single HDD or SSD will not slow down the performance.QUOTE]

I think I read it on the Logic pro forum, but maybe I misunderstood.. I think it was about partitioning an external hd, not internal - is that any different?
It was basically said that the computer will not see the two partitions as separate drives, but as separate volumes of the same drive, which tend to slow down system performance..
But I am probably on deep water here because as you understand I dont know anything about this. Can you clearify this?

I already got a Glyph GPT50 7200 rpm 1 TB HD connected to the FW800 port on the mac, this Glyph drive is then daisy chained with my audio interface which is last in the chain.
I run Logic projects off this drive aswell as storing audio files and samples. So I would probably need another drive if I go the external route..
In your opinion, what is best for performance then - install and run a second OS on a new partition internally or do this from an external?

 

[mariuste]

[[ I thought I maybe should try that out but I then read again that partitioning the internal drive is bad for system performance in general. ]]

That's nonsense.
You -can- partition the internal drive and have two individual systems on it, if you wish. I'm typing this on a 2010 MacBook pro that has been set up this way since I bought it, no problems at all.

If you wish, there's no problem in installing and booting from an OS installed on an external drive. I've been doing that for years, as well (with my iMac and with my new Mac Mini).

You should be aware that if you install Mountain Lion on an external firewire 800 drive, the boot time -will- be a little slower than booting from the internal bus. That's to be expected, because the internal bus is faster than FW800. Once the computer is up-and-running, however, you'll notice little if any difference than as if you were "booted internally"...

I did not see your post before after my last one..sorry..please read my latest and I appreciate if you answer to my questions there (above this one).

Thanks