Leopard and HFSX questions

[bigwig]

Can a Leopard root filesystem be HFSX? If that will work, how do I tweak the installer to make it happen?

Also, can I make a user's FileVault be HFSX? I could never make that work in Tiger, weird things happened.

 

[MisterMe]

HFSX? I have used HFS+ since MacOS 8.1. What is this HFSX?

 

[bigwig]

HFSX? I have used HFS+ since MacOS 8.1. What is this HFSX?

Case-sensitive, journaled, HFS+.

 

[MisterMe]

Case-sensitive, journaled, HFS+.

OK. Of course, Leopard can boot from case-sensitive HFS+. However, it is a bad idea to use it unless you share files with other users of case-sensitive file systems exclusively. Since 1984, Mac files have been case-insensitive. Be advised that some of your mission-critical applications may not support case-sensitivity. If you store files from a case-insensitive FS on case-sensitive volume, then you will have surprises--and not the good kind.

 

[bigwig]

OK. Of course, Leopard can boot from case-sensitive HFS+. However, it is a bad idea to use it unless you share files with other users of case-sensitive file systems exclusively.

Good, I've heard that earlier versions of OSX don't work right with an HFSX root filesystem. The only person I'm sharing files with is me; my backup disks exclusively use HFSX. Does the Leopard install disk let you select HFSX?

By the way, I didn't invent the term "HFSX", Apple utilities like hdiutil use it.

 

[larkost]

I believe that it will install without any trickery, but Apple strongly discorages the use of Case-Sensitive HFS for boot volumes. There will be things that break (and Apple is not going to mark them to be fixed).

I don't believe that FileVault is going to like HFSX volumes, but you might be able to swap out the disk image.

But do you really have anything that needs case-sensitive file systems? Or are you just fixed on having it for no specific reasons. In most cases it is far better to use case-sensitive disk images for the very few things that need it (or update to a version of the software that gets away from the dependency).

 

[bigwig]

I believe that it will install without any trickery, but Apple strongly discourages the use of Case-Sensitive HFS for boot volumes.

Offering a feature and then telling users not to use it is nuts.

I don't believe that FileVault is going to like HFSX volumes, but you might be able to swap out the disk image.

No, it doesn't. FileVault refuses to start if your root volume is HFSX. Not only is this quite stupid, I can't think of any technical reason for it.

But do you really have anything that needs case-sensitive file systems? Or are you just fixed on having it for no specific reasons.

I prefer case-sensitive filesystems. I regard apps that don't work on them to be seriously broken.