Replacing Boot HDD with SSD

[Dadioh]

I am thinking of adding an SSD as a boot drive that would hold applications and system files only. I would keep my 1TB Caviar Black with all of my user files (documents, music, video, etc...).

Would I be able to do a fresh install on the SSD and then, in the newly created user folder just replace that with aliases pointing to the user folders on the 1TB Black?

Or are there any other suggestions on how to split up my OS and user files in a way that is fairly seamless.

Also, I am assuming I can just reinstall Parallels and point it to the old bootcamp partition on the 1TB. Probably requires a reactivation I suspect.

I am looking at a pretty good deal on a 60GB Sandforce SSD and I think system files plus apps only equals about 16GB on my system so should have lots of spare unless I am overlooking something.

Any ideas or comments welcome.

 

[Dalton63841]

I prefer to use this method in order to put /Users on a seperate drive. Symlinks tend to have weird side effects that I am not a fan of. The method I pointed you to makes it act like /Users is the same as on a normal install. You don't even have to go into account settings to change the user folder location.

With this method you set it up once, and then you are good to go, no making symlinks, or changing settings, or etc, etc...

BTW, if you want to know how big of a drive you need, right click on your boot partition icon and see how much actual space is used. Then do the same with just the User folder. Now subtract them. Remember to give yourself plenty of breathing room on the space.

 

[Dadioh]

I prefer to use this method in order to put /Users on a seperate drive. Symlinks tend to have weird side effects that I am not a fan of. The method I pointed you to makes it act like /Users is the same as on a normal install. You don't even have to go into account settings to change the user folder location.

With this method you set it up once, and then you are good to go, no making symlinks, or changing settings, or etc, etc...

BTW, if you want to know how big of a drive you need, right click on your boot partition icon and see how much actual space is used. Then do the same with just the User folder. Now subtract them. Remember to give yourself plenty of breathing room on the space.

Thanks for the quick reply. I will do some reading of your link.

I have an image of my basic SL installation with applications that I created with SuperDuper and it is 11.74GB. I have a few more apps on here than that basic installation so I am guessing less than 16GB total.

 

[tomllama]

Why would you want to do a clean install? it's a lot more work. I simply installed the SSD in the lower optical area and used Carbon copy to clone the OS to the SDD. Then followed the steps to point to the user file files on the HDD (and make the HDD the default for them). After all was working fine I went back and deleted all the user files from the SSD.

A google search or a search of these forums will provide a lot of info about moving the user files to a different disk than the boot drive. It is very easy to do and takes little time.

 

[WardC]

I have all my OS X System and my Applications on my SSD. I simply made an alias of my iTunes folder (which is on my 2TB RAID now), and I keep the alias in my "Music" folder in the "Users" folder. The alias points to the actual iTunes folder which contains the iTunes library, which is on my 2TB RAID. It includes all my iTunes music and movies.

It works perfectly. Everything plays from the RAID, downloads to the RAID, and any downloaded MP3 opens and goes directly on the RAID. Also, I keep my "Downloads" folder on the RAID so when I download files in Safari or FireFox it goes directly on the RAID. You can do this for an HD as well. It works very well.

Good luck!

 

[WardC]

Sorry I accidentally reposted.

 

[Dadioh]

Why would you want to do a clean install? it's a lot more work. I simply installed the SSD in the lower optical area and used Carbon copy to clone the OS to the SDD. Then followed the steps to point to the user file files on the HDD (and make the HDD the default for them). After all was working fine I went back and deleted all the user files from the SSD.

A google search or a search of these forums will provide a lot of info about moving the user files to a different disk than the boot drive. It is very easy to do and takes little time.

I have a bunch of other stuff on the 1TB disk right now so if I do a CCC (or in my case SuperDuper) copy it will not fit on the tiny 60GB partition. Unless I move everything off the 1TB except system files, do the clone, and then copy the files back. Or maybe there is a setting in SuperDuper to exclude certain folders. Will have to check.

 

[Dadioh]

I ended up doing a bit of a hybrid. I took one of my Macbook images I had created with 10.6.5 with most of the apps already installed. Then I followed the instructions a few posts up to create my user folder on my 1TB black. Then I reinstalled Parallels and pointed it to my bootcamp already on the 1TB.

Everything working like a charm. Gotta love SSD's. My Mac is flying now.

Thanks Guys and Gals

 

[Olegphoto]

Then followed the steps to point to the user file files on the HDD (and make the HDD the default for them). After all was working fine I went back and deleted all the user files from the SSD.

How do you point out to the user files on the HDD and make them the default?
Once I clone my boot drive to the SSD, then what? Do I take out the boot drive and see if it boots fron the SSD after restarting?

Thanks

 

[Dadioh]

How do you point out to the user files on the HDD and make them the default?
Once I clone my boot drive to the SSD, then what? Do I take out the boot drive and see if it boots fron the SSD after restarting?

Thanks

See second post. There is a link to a method to create an alias to the user folder on a separate hard drive.