Moved OSX to smaller SSD, kept original HDD intact, strange boot issues

[peter321564]

So I finally got a 180GB Vertex 2 SSD, which I want to use as boot/OSX drive, while keeping the current 750GB HDD intact in my Mac Pro, which is also ideal to separate the /Users folder from the boot drive. If the SSD ever dies, I still have the original HDD to boot from as a backup (This HDD Volume is actually a RAID1 made by 2 identical HDDs).

Here's what I prepared: via Chronosync I copied my original boot HDD to a bootable SSD volume, excluding the /Users folder (as that folder is over 400GB). On the SSD, I created a symlink referring to the /Users folder of the original HDD, in order to keep that folder accessible, while being on the original HDD. All the /System /Application /Library etc folders and hidden files/folders have been duplicated from the original HDD to the SSD.

Then I selected the new SSD drive in the SystemPrefs as startup disk, and restart the system.

Here's the issue: while being able to boot, the SSD drive is just partly being used as startup disk. It seems that a lot of system files and application are simply still being loaded from the original HDD (I can hear that, and notice that due to the lack of performance gain).

When I examine both Volumes via the Finder, I notice the SSD Volume has a path start with "/Volume/OSX SSD", while the original HDD has "/" as path (Volume is called OSX). Looking at the startup preference pane, I still see the SSD as boot disk selected.

I guess OSX keeps the original paths to system and application files still stored somewhere, which is causing a conflict as I have 2 semi identical volumes now in my system (SSD + HDD both have identical OSX files, with the exception of the /Users folder).

Any ideas what I might be missing here during the migration of OSX to a smaller SSD?

 

[MacForScience]

So I finally got a 180GB Vertex 2 SSD, which I want to use as boot/OSX drive, while keeping the current 750GB HDD intact in my Mac Pro, which is also ideal to separate the /Users folder from the boot drive. If the SSD ever dies, I still have the original HDD to boot from as a backup (This HDD Volume is actually a RAID1 made by 2 identical HDDs).

Here's what I prepared: via Chronosync I copied my original boot HDD to a bootable SSD volume, excluding the /Users folder (as that folder is over 400GB). On the SSD, I created a symlink referring to the /Users folder of the original HDD, in order to keep that folder accessible, while being on the original HDD. All the /System /Application /Library etc folders and hidden files/folders have been duplicated from the original HDD to the SSD.

Then I selected the new SSD drive in the SystemPrefs as startup disk, and restart the system.

Here's the issue: while being able to boot, the SSD drive is just partly being used as startup disk. It seems that a lot of system files and application are simply still being loaded from the original HDD (I can hear that, and notice that due to the lack of performance gain).

When I examine both Volumes via the Finder, I notice the SSD Volume has a path start with "/Volume/OSX SSD", while the original HDD has "/" as path (Volume is called OSX). Looking at the startup preference pane, I still see the SSD as boot disk selected.

I guess OSX keeps the original paths to system and application files still stored somewhere, which is causing a conflict as I have 2 semi identical volumes now in my system (SSD + HDD both have identical OSX files, with the exception of the /Users folder).

Any ideas what I might be missing here during the migration of OSX to a smaller SSD?

I have no idea what you did but it sounds like you tried to copy your OS the problem is you did not change the SSD to the root volume because you essentially did a copy of your data not a clone of the volume. You would have been better off cloning the volume without the user data.

I would also approach the user issue by changing the file path for the user in the user advanced options rather then doing a symlink.

Cheers

 

[peter321564]

I have no idea what you did but it sounds like you tried to copy your OS the problem is you did not change the SSD to the root volume because you essentially did a copy of your data not a clone of the volume. You would have been better off cloning the volume without the user data.

Maybe Chronosync isn't the right tool after all, although I did select the BOOTABLE option, which I assume would result in cloning the entire volume, except for the /Users folder.

I tried SuperDuper and CarbonCopyCloner as well, but didn't see any options to exclude /Users from the cloning process. I can't use those tools, as the destination SSD is smaller (180GB) than the source HDD (750GB).

 

[dusk007]

I guess you only have one Partition on the 750GB drive. That sucks.
I installed the same drive in a 2010 15". Vertex 2 180GB.
In Disk Utility I set up a 115 GB HFS and a 64GB NTFS partition.
Installing bootcamp was a pain but OSX was simply. All I did was clear out enough of the movie and downloads folder until my OSX was only 104 GB and used CarbonCopyCloner.
Worked fine and it boots insanely fast. Windows boots maybe 3 times faster with the SSD but OSX is seems like 10sec. I have to measure it sometime.

Did you try pressing ALT and selecting the SSD. Give it a better name I called mine MacSSD. The SSD is usually bootable as the necessary system files are there and the whole thing is formated right with EFI and stuff. Disk Utility does it automatically.

If you have a backup of your User Data just use it or put the probably huge movies, picture folders to some external drive. After that clone the drive. Check if it works, earse the 750GB and copy data back.

Don't move all the User folder to the HDD. 180GB SSD is plenty space for most of the folders. Only the truly huge folders should move. What is the point of an SSD if a big project folder is on the HDD and takes for ever to load.
Also the download folder should be on the SSD. The hdd can sleep while web surfing and downloading stuff and installs are blazing fast.

 

[peite]

I don't really get why I should have My Users folder on the HDD, I got double User Libraries and many problems with the folder permissions.

Also I got two User folders on each drive so now I will try all over again and clone the HDD to the SSD including the Users folder which has the imprtant Users Library folder.

Also I will try bringing the iTunes folder( except iTunes Media) which has the iTunes library data which I believe should benefit on the SSD.