Is it possible to make a sparse disk image that's larger than the HD it's located on?

[Obioban]

I have a drobo, so the disk gets larger as I need it to.

I'd like to put a encrypted sparse image on it, and they grow up to the size you set them to be. Currently my drobo is 8tb, but I don't want to create a system with an expiration date. Could I make, say, a 500tb sparse image on it?

Sparse images grow up to the size of what you put on them, up to the premade cap.

Thoughts?

 

[Intell]

Yes, but it would not be able to grow beyond the confines of the physical drive. An attempt to grown beyond it will result in an error message.

 

[Obioban]

Yes, but it would not be able to grow beyond the confines of the physical drive. An attempt to grown beyond it will result in an error message.

Clearly

Just wanted to know if I could create it. Would add space as needed.

Thanks!

 

[Intell]

You can also shirk the physical space that is used by it as well. Just delete things from the disk image and empty the trash. There's a Terminal command you then run on the disk image that will compress out the extra unused space.

 

[Obioban]

You can also shirk the physical space that is used by it as well. Just delete things from the disk image and empty the trash. There's a Terminal command you then run on the disk image that will compress out the extra unused space.

Okay... follow up question. When I make encrypted sparse disk images, they're the size I set their capacity at. If I make an unencrypted on, it's small and expands up to my target, but not with the encrypted version.

Thoughts on why that's occurring/what I'm doing wrong?

edit: never mind