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Question About Storage

S

SIRmisterD

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 8, 2013
67
2
Hello,

I have a 2009 Mac Pro with a 640GB HDD (OS's), 1TB HDD, and a 240GB HDD (pictures and music). I have Mac OS X Yosemite, and almost an even partition split for a Windows 7 OS running on the 640GB HDD. I've recently been considering upgrading my boot drive to an SSD because I cannot stand the slowness of a hard drive anymore.

My plan is to purchase a Samsung 850 EVO 500GB (maybe 250GB, I'm not sure yet) SSD and use my 1TB HDD to house files I don't necessarily need on the SSD. I would like to partition the SSD into a 250/250 (or a 125/125 if I go with a 250GB SSD) partition, one for Yosemite, and the other for Windows 7. I would like to house all my games, excess documents, and not-so-needed applications on the 1TB HDD, while keeping important, everyday use programs, on the SSD. Likewise for my OS X partition, however I wouldn't be storing any games (Xcode files primarily).

Where I'm stuck at is how would I go about setting up the operating systems while having everything save to the 1TB HDD. I don't think it would be as simple as just changing the save directory for each download, because in windows applications save to 'Program Files (x86)' and that is setup when the OS is installed. Same would go for OS X I assume as downloads save where the OS is installed (i.e. 'Library'). Can someone help point me in the right direction to setting this up properly? Also, if someone has a different suggestion on what type of SSD to buy, by all means please let me know. Right now I am open to suggestions because I haven't purchased anything yet.

Thank you for any help.
 
SIRmisterD said:
Hello,

I have a 2009 Mac Pro with a 640GB HDD (OS's), 1TB HDD, and a 240GB HDD (pictures and music). I have Mac OS X Yosemite, and almost an even partition split for a Windows 7 OS running on the 640GB HDD. I've recently been considering upgrading my boot drive to an SSD because I cannot stand the slowness of a hard drive anymore.

My plan is to purchase a Samsung 850 EVO 500GB (maybe 250GB, I'm not sure yet) SSD and use my 1TB HDD to house files I don't necessarily need on the SSD. I would like to partition the SSD into a 250/250 (or a 125/125 if I go with a 250GB SSD) partition, one for Yosemite, and the other for Windows 7. I would like to house all my games, excess documents, and not-so-needed applications on the 1TB HDD, while keeping important, everyday use programs, on the SSD. Likewise for my OS X partition, however I wouldn't be storing any games (Xcode files primarily).

Where I'm stuck at is how would I go about setting up the operating systems while having everything save to the 1TB HDD. I don't think it would be as simple as just changing the save directory for each download, because in windows applications save to 'Program Files (x86)' and that is setup when the OS is installed. Same would go for OS X I assume as downloads save where the OS is installed (i.e. 'Library'). Can someone help point me in the right direction to setting this up properly? Also, if someone has a different suggestion on what type of SSD to buy, by all means please let me know. Right now I am open to suggestions because I haven't purchased anything yet.

Thank you for any help.
Click to expand...

You can install almost all of your apps to whatever disk you want, for both OSX and windows, I know because that's what I'm doing too.
In windows you have to choose your 1TB disk when installing, and in OSX you just copy a folder most of the times.
Some installers do put stuff in the system for both OS's but the 125 GB per OS will be more than adequate.
Microsoft apps won't update if they're not installed in tha applications folder in OSX but you can always copy then to your boot disk, update and copy them back to your HDD. Same goes gor any other such app.
There are also ways to move your home folder out of your SSD and onto the HDD but I don't recommend it and it doesn't make much sense too either.

You'll also find that you'll be copying current games and other stuff onto the SSD for faster operation.

Hope that covers you.
 
Thessman said:
You can install almost all of your apps to whatever disk you want, for both OSX and windows, I know because that's what I'm doing too.
In windows you have to choose your 1TB disk when installing, and in OSX you just copy a folder most of the times.
Some installers do put stuff in the system for both OS's but the 125 GB per OS will be more than adequate.
Microsoft apps won't update if they're not installed in tha applications folder in OSX but you can always copy then to your boot disk, update and copy them back to your HDD. Same goes gor any other such app.
There are also ways to move your home folder out of your SSD and onto the HDD but I don't recommend it and it doesn't make much sense too either.

You'll also find that you'll be copying current games and other stuff onto the SSD for faster operation.

Hope that covers you.
Click to expand...

For both OS's, what if I wanted to create a folder on my desktop but store it on the HDD? Would I have to create the folder, and then create a shortcut to it on the desktop? On the Windows side, you're saying if I just change the install directory to the HDD, then I won't need to worry about the Program Files (x86) folder? Unless I wanted to update an application, in which case I would need to copy the application's folder into the Program Files, and once it is completed updating move it back to the HDD? Also, one last question (it may be silly, but I just want to be sure), I would have to organize where each folder, or installed application, saves to in the HDD, correct (i.e. 1TB HDD > Documents (a folder that I would create) > [name of document])?

Thank you for your help.

----------
tigerintank said:
would fusion help in this scenario?
Click to expand...

I've thought about it, but I think I'd prefer to have a straight SSD for performance.
 
Sounds like everyone is putting in Apple SSD with PCIe cards. From my limited understanding, your read / write can be around 700+MBs with the Apple SSD cards, and a normal SSD plugged into one of the HD trays is going to be more like 250MBs or less.

Not sure how to handle the setup since I haven't done that with a windows partition.
 
sammyman said:
Sounds like everyone is putting in Apple SSD with PCIe cards. From my limited understanding, your read / write can be around 700+MBs with the Apple SSD cards, and a normal SSD plugged into one of the HD trays is going to be more like 250MBs or less.

Not sure how to handle the setup since I haven't done that with a windows partition.
Click to expand...

Do you have a link, or model number of which Apple SSD people are using? I'll definitely look into it, and if it is better cost per speed wise then I may do it.
 
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