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Relocate the WHOLE home folder just part of it?

2contagious

2contagious

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 29, 2008
755
0
UK
Hi,

I read this article last night on separating the home folder from the boot drive:
http://macperformanceguide.com/SettingUp-Relocating-HomeDir.html

I have a Mac Pro coming in any day now and have already received my 120GB OWC SSD. I am wondering what would be the best set up: Is it better to separate the WHOLE home folder from SSD and put it on an HDD or just parts of it? I am asking because separating my data from the boot drive makes sense to me, but there is also a user specific "Library" folder in the home folder which contains files used by certain applications. Won't it affect application launch speed if I separate this Library from the boot, too?

see you,
2c
 
I think keeping data off the SSD is good but keeping the home folder on is best ? thats why I bought the SSD I like having my mail etc. snappier etc..

main stuff music photos etc.. all go on data drive ?
 
From that article:

"There are good reasons to leave your home directory in the default location:

If the Boot drive is a fast SSD, moving the home directory can be self-defeating for performance."
 
What?! What was all that fuss on this forum about moving the home folder to another drive then? I thought it was supposed to be better for the SSD because it writes less to the SSD? :confused:
 
From what I've read the OWC SSD that you're using shouldn't have problems with degradation that many other SSDs have.

Moving raw data off the SSD definitely makes sense, like music, videos, pictures, etc. But I think I'd keep my home directory on it, and just separate out specific data files.
 
Why did I read about so many people relocating their home folder? Are they just extra careful? :rolleyes:
 
2contagious said:
Why did I read about so many people relocating their home folder? Are they just extra careful? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

By relocating you separate OS and your data. In case you have to reinstall, replace drive, etc, data is not effected.
I think another reason to move your home folder is because SSDs are expensive and ppl can afford only smaller sizes and dedicate it only for OS, so apps start faster. If you keep everything on SSD, your home folder may grow and you run out of space very quickly.

Read that article, you can move individual folders only by creating symbolic links.
 
I don't think relocating your home directory is dangerous, assuming you know what you're doing, I just think the best opportunity for a speed increase is for loading files you're actually going to use....

It's all well and good that your computer starts up fast, but once programs are loaded into memory the speed of an SSD does nothing for you. What will help more is quickly accessing data in their libraries. Mail, for example, I would imagine would benefit hugely from being on an SSD.
 
A note about the Lightroom library.

I'm probably going to actually buy an SSD because I WANT to have my Aperture library on it. I just don't want to have all my RAW images on it. I plan to have my images on my other internal drive, and have my library on the boot drive.

Why? Because I want the performance gain of having faster read and write access to those non-sequential small database files which are a pain to access on regular HDDs.

Consider keeping your library in place, but moving to a Referenced Master system. In fact, most people I know already use a referenced system with Lightroom, so you may not have to change much. I don't know much about Lightroom, but above is what I would do with Aperture.
 
2contagious said:
Why did I read about so many people relocating their home folder? Are they just extra careful? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Because some people have a music folder that's 120 GB's alone and maybe another 50 GB's of stuff between their desktop and downloads folders.

I simply kept my home folder on the SSD, but direct all music and downloads to mechanical.
 
reel2reel said:
Because some people have a music folder that's 120 GB's alone and maybe another 50 GB's of stuff between their desktop and downloads folders.

I simply kept my home folder on the SSD, but direct all music and downloads to mechanical.
Click to expand...

Okay, I guess I will keep all system files, libraries, databases etc. on the SSD and only move my documents, media, files etc.

I wonder how long the OWC SSD will last me before it gets slower/gets weird/stops working :confused:
 
2contagious said:
Okay, I guess I will keep all system files, libraries, databases etc. on the SSD and only move my documents, media, files etc.

I wonder how long the OWC SSD will last me before it gets slower/gets weird/stops working :confused:
Click to expand...

I think like everything, it's probably way over exaggerated. I think the key is to not use it for high-write activity, like a scratch disk. Honestly, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just the same as a mechanical disk, make sure you don't fill it up. That's the only reason I'm directing music and downloads to mechanical disks, because that bulk can add up fast.

I wouldn't waste anytime worrying about it and just enjoy all the improvements it will add. Remember, many people are using them as their only disk on laptops. The Mac Pro gives you the luxury of using additional disks so you can reserve the SSD for maximum benefit (fast boot, fast app launch, snappier UI).

By the time it starts slowing down (if ever becomes noticeable) SSD's will have surely dropped in price and you'll just swap it out. Thing I love about the OWC drive is they included an external enclosure with the SSD (if you got the kit).

Seriously, though, don't stress about it. I used to stress myself about everything (a hot pixel on my phone :eek:) but after a while I learned 99% of that worrying was pointless. Okay, I've got to go dust my Mac Pro now. I see a spec or two.
 
I moved my home directory because I wanted an SSD for my Apps and OSX, but my system drive was 90gigs and I only wanted to buy a 60gig drive.

So now, I slimmed my system drive down to around 30gigs, and can easily fit it on a 60gig SSD with room to spare for maybe some high-frequency access files.

The only reason to move your home directory is if you HAVE a reason that it can't be on the same drive as OS X and your Applications.

Me personally, I don't use the home directory for anything really. Everything I have is on different internal drives in other folders, so my home directory was only like 30gigs of junk, whereas my files, music, movies, work files, pictures, those are several hundred gigs or more, all on 3 different internal drives and 2 different externals.
 
Also remember mechanical drives

a) lose speed as they fill up

b) can die anytime

c) all die eventually

I'm betting my SSD will outlast most of my mechanical drives, if not all of them.
 
reel2reel said:
Because some people have a music folder that's 120 GB's alone and maybe another 50 GB's of stuff between their desktop and downloads folders.

I simply kept my home folder on the SSD, but direct all music and downloads to mechanical.
Click to expand...

Hi again Reel. I know we've had this discussion before but this topic still interests me greatly. :)

I think your setup is exactly what I would do as well. But I'm curious: how do you direct safari to download elsewhere? How do you just move the download folder?
 
Icaras said:
Wow, that was so easy that I apologize for even asking. :p
Click to expand...

Haha. That's exactly what I do, simply set my Safari and Firefox pref's to download to another drive. I also set iTunes (Advanced > iTunes Media Folder Location) to use another drive.

If you use Final Cut Pro, remember to set your System Settings to capture/render to another drive (it defaults to the boot drive)!
 
This is going to drive you crazy, but remember that your computer is going to use that SSD for virtual memory, which almost by default is going to get written to a lot.

I really wouldn't worry too much about all this. Moving downloads to another drive does sound like a good idea though, especially if you download lots of stuff.
 
I moved my home directory to a Caviar Black. Boot drive is an OWC SSD. Have not had a single problem or slow down.
 
reel2reel said:
Because some people have a music folder that's 120 GB's alone and maybe another 50 GB's of stuff between their desktop and downloads folders.

I simply kept my home folder on the SSD, but direct all music and downloads to mechanical.
Click to expand...

I'm just wondering, does time machine still backup your music when it's located on the mech hdd?
 
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