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Going from large to small drive

bigfatipod

bigfatipod

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 22, 2011
359
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My current 2012 mini uses an internal 2TB ssd. With the 2018 mini, I'll get either a 256 or 512gb drive. The 2tb drive will turn into an external drive where i plan to store the majority of files.

I'd like to keep it as simple as possible... to me, that *might* mean having just the OS internally and photo/movie libraries on the external. Or, is it possible to store the entire user directory on an external drive?

Most of my space is filled with:
Aperture Libraries (close to 1tb; gosh, this makes me realize that i really need to find a supported alternative to aperture soon...)
Photo Library (about 100gb)
iTunes library (maybe 40-50gb)

Looking for any rules of thumb or experiences from other users.

Thanks!
 
bigfatipod said:
I'd like to keep it as simple as possible... to me, that *might* mean having just the OS internally and photo/movie libraries on the external. Or, is it possible to store the entire user directory on an external drive?
Click to expand...

It is
https://www.macworld.com/article/1164891/mac-apps/keeping-mac-os-and-data-on-separate-drives.html

But I would first look at how easy it is to move specific folders instead. If photos and songs leave you with 100gb, its probably easier to just move photos and songs.
 
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OP wrote:
"Most of my space is filled with:
Aperture Libraries (close to 1tb; gosh, this makes me realize that i really need to find a supported alternative to aperture soon...)
Photo Library (about 100gb)
iTunes library (maybe 40-50gb)"

This is exactly the kind of stuff that belongs on an external drive.
You want to keep the boot SSD "lean and clean", not clog it up with files that aren't accessed routinely.

Having two (or more) drives isn't hard to manage.
One soon learns "where things are supposed to go".

Of course, this also means that there are more drives to BACK UP. ;)
 
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I agree with the others that this is relatively easy to do, and why I got a new mini with the 128 SSD. However, moving your iTunes library is and can be a pain. Unless this has changed in the past few years, you want to do this inside iTunes (so not using the finder) by moving and then consolidating the library to a new location.
 
I use OS and programs on the system drive. Lightroom cache and catalog. Everything else, all actual data goes on externals.
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ElectronGuru said:
It is
https://www.macworld.com/article/1164891/mac-apps/keeping-mac-os-and-data-on-separate-drives.html

But I would first look at how easy it is to move specific folders instead. If photos and songs leave you with 100gb, its probably easier to just move photos and songs.
Click to expand...
Is it possible to move the home folder to one external but the photos folder to a different external?
 
If its anything like Apple's Photos, you could just move the library to another drive, delete the original then open your app and hopefully it'll ask you where the library is.
 
archer75 said:
Is it possible to move the home folder to one external but the photos folder to a different external?
Click to expand...
The general rule with apple media apps is to hold down the option key while launching and specify a new folder or location. And this should work independently from the location of the home folder and can be changed after the fact.
 
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