Multiple OS clones on one external?

[RedCroissant]

Hello everyone.

I want to consolidate my cloned OSes so that I don't have to hold on to multiple external HDDs.

On a 1TB WD firewire400/eSATA/usb 2.0 I currently have a backup of OS X Tiger, and OS X Leopard.

On my former internal 320GB WD HDD, I have a clone of OS X Lion.

My question is, can I copy those clones to separate partitions one one drive regardless of whether it is formatted as Apple Partition Map or GUID? The reason I think this could work is because I have my original MAC OS X Leopard installation disc from my iMac that I can boot up either a PowerPC or Intel Mac with and use disk utility to erase and restore each individual partition.

Does this make sense or is the partition scheme very essential?

My goal is to have all of these clone copies on my former 320GB WD drive that I connect via usb when it's in a bare drive docking station.

Thanks in advance for any advice, and please feel free to ask questions if this post seems confusing in any way.

 

[phoenixsan]

If my memory works....

Intel Macs can boot only from a GUID partitioned disc. PowerPC Macs can mount and see the disc, but not boot.

PowerPC Macs can boot only from an Apple Partition Map disc. Intel Macs can see the disc and mount, but not boot.

Maybe I am wrong, tough.....

 

[RedCroissant]

Intel Macs can boot only from a GUID partitioned disc. PowerPC Macs can mount and see the disc, but not boot.

PowerPC Macs can boot only from an Apple Partition Map disc. Intel Macs can see the disc and mount, but not boot.

Maybe I am wrong, tough.....

You're completely right about that, and that I know, but I was wondering if I can place the clone on a drive that's formatted GUID and just use the MAC OS X install disc to boot the computer and then copy the cloned OS to the main HD from there, regardless of the partition scheme.

This way, I wouldn't have to boot from any of the cloned OSes.

 

[phoenixsan]

I suppose then....

all boils down to the way you put the clone OS back onto the HDD you want to use to boot. Some utilities are strict in kinds/types of partitions. So, I will think a GUID clone to a GUID HDD will work, by example. Not so sure about Apple partition to GUID HDD and viceversa.

 

[GGJstudios]

You're completely right about that, and that I know, but I was wondering if I can place the clone on a drive that's formatted GUID and just use the MAC OS X install disc to boot the computer and then copy the cloned OS to the main HD from there, regardless of the partition scheme.

This way, I wouldn't have to boot from any of the cloned OSes.

You can backup multiple drives to the same external drive in one partition, but if you want bootable clones, such as those created by Carbon Copy Cloner, they require separate partitions.

 

[RedCroissant]

all boils down to the way you put the clone OS back onto the HDD you want to use to boot. Some utilities are strict in kinds/types of partitions. So, I will think a GUID clone to a GUID HDD will work, by example. Not so sure about Apple partition to GUID HDD and viceversa.

You can backup multiple drives to the same external drive in one partition, but if you want bootable clones, such as those created by Carbon Copy Cloner, they require separate partitions.

Thank you both for your responses. The issue I'm having now is whether or not you can have both GUID and APM partitions on the same drive. Do either of you know if you can do this?

 

[Fishrrman]

"Thank you both for your responses. The issue I'm having now is whether or not you can have both GUID and APM partitions on the same drive. Do either of you know if you can do this?"

Only way to know is to try, so give it a try. If it fails, then you know.

Having said that, I believe that if you're just going to clone OS's to external drives or partitions, you can use Apple Partition Map -- even though to INSTALL a clean copy of the OS, you'd be required to use GUID.

You'll still be able to mount and boot from the APM clones.
You WILL NOT be able to install a clean OS to them, however.

This was true for some earlier versions of the Intel-based Mac OS.
It -may have- changed for the most recent versions. Haven't tried doing it myself. It may be worth a try for you.

 

[RedCroissant]

Only way to know is to try, so give it a try. If it fails, then you know.

Having said that, I believe that if you're just going to clone OS's to external drives or partitions, you can use Apple Partition Map -- even though to INSTALL a clean copy of the OS, you'd be required to use GUID.

You'll still be able to mount and boot from the APM clones.
You WILL NOT be able to install a clean OS to them, however.

This was true for some earlier versions of the Intel-based Mac OS.
It -may have- changed for the most recent versions. Haven't tried doing it myself. It may be worth a try for you.

Well...it worked! I was able to clone the OSes from my external to my former internal HDD and even booted the PowerPC version of Leopard on my Intel iMac.<---I'm thinking it worked because the Intel and powerPC architecture was included in the clone while the OS X Tiger clone was not shown because I removed the Intel architecture before cloning the OS.

This makes me happy because I'm pretty sure I can just hold on to that HDD now and reinstall the OSes as I see fit. Now all I have to do is find a reason to keep the 1TB external.