Downgrade Woes

[kkachurak]

So I recently "downgraded" from an octocore Mac Pro to a AluMacBook 2.4. All sadness aside, I'm loving the form factor, the portability and the light up keyboard (ooo aaaahh)!

Anyway: I have a series of questions for any smart ones out there to help with my overflowing media library (as my Mac Pro was acting as my media server).

1. I've become attached to the idea of installing two disks into my MacBook by removing the optical drive. I've done the appropriate amount of research to determine feasibility (it IS indeed possible). But I wonder, could I RAID these disks together in a striped array (0?). I tried launching the RAID Utility on my MacBook and it says "it is not supported with this computer".

And before anyone says anything, yes I am aware that RAID 0 is dangerous. I plan on maintaining a Time Capsule backup of the RAID as often as possible to minimize data loss should something happen.

2. The reason I'm looking to RAID is because my iTunes library is currently just a bit bigger than any 500GB disk I could fit into my MacBook. So as a "just in case" question, does anyone know if I can spread my iTunes library across multiple places? Say, for example, I want iTunes to manage all my "audio" files on my internal disk and all my "TV shows and movies" on an external or the other internal... is that possible?

 

[finnschi]

I dont Know about switching the optical drive for a second HDD but you could certianly let iTunes manage all your files spread across all places you could think off. you can also have your most commonly used files on your macbook and the rest on a External HDD! just change the iTunes setting to not copy files to media library and then you can have your media all over the place (even other places in the network)

 

[kkachurak]

I realize that. But at this point, if I were to move say, all my audio tracks over to my internal, iTunes would tell me that it couldn't locate any of those files, and I'd have to link up about 2000 songs. Am I correct?

 

[finnschi]

I realize that. But at this point, if I were to move say, all my audio tracks over to my internal, iTunes would tell me that it couldn't locate any of those files, and I'd have to link up about 2000 songs. Am I correct?

Imagine iTunes beign an Index for your CD-Collection, so if you move your cds anywhere you should change the index!
so if the index knows where your fi8les are its all good.

I would recommend you to basically move all files wherever you want them, then delete your itunes library, and then re-import them (without having itunes copying the songs...) So then iTunes knows where your files are...

 

[kastenbrust]

Its a laptop, it doesnt have a RAID controller card, what your asking is nearly impossible. I did it a few years back with an older Macbook and it took me nearly 2 months, but this may give you some encouragment:

http://lifehacker.com/software/how-to/install-a-raid-on-your-macbook-pro-256546.php

 

[finnschi]

Its a laptop, it doesnt have a RAID controller card, what your asking is nearly impossible. I did it a few years back with an older Macbook and it took me nearly 2 months, but this may give you some encouragment:

http://lifehacker.com/software/how-to/install-a-raid-on-your-macbook-pro-256546.php

Read : Software Raid

 

[kastenbrust]

Read : Software Raid

oh yeah sorry, wasnt thinking, went into obvious ironic response mode.

To answer your question, you can spread your itunes music around if you set up the two hard drives in a raid formation, thats mainly the point of raid 0, i would look around ifixit.com because they used to sell hard drives especially for being placed in the Macbooks DVD drive bay.