SSD, clean install, in a Mac Pro (early 2008)

[danrad]

My Crucial M4 256 gig SSD is on its way. I want to do a clean install of Mountain Lion to see if that gets rid of some chronic, intermittent bugs (screen saver doesn't activate some times; other times machine will not wake up from sleep) and general sluggishness, excessive beachballishness.

My question is this: What's the best way to do a clean install on the SSD, then incorporate the SSD with my 2 terabyte HD? My user folder is 380 gigs, so I'll definitely need applications/system on one disc and user folder on another.

So what's the best way to do that with a clean install?

Should I create users that mirror existing user names, then link them somehow (I've seen "symlink" or something referenced, but don't know how to do that.) Any advice on the best approach?

 

[dkred]

My Crucial M4 256 gig SSD is on its way. I want to do a clean install of Mountain Lion to see if that gets rid of some chronic, intermittent bugs (screen saver doesn't activate some times; other times machine will not wake up from sleep) and general sluggishness, excessive beachballishness.

My question is this: What's the best way to do a clean install on the SSD, then incorporate the SSD with my 2 terabyte HD? My user folder is 380 gigs, so I'll definitely need applications/system on one disc and user folder on another.

So what's the best way to do that with a clean install?

Should I create users that mirror existing user names, then link them somehow (I've seen "symlink" or something referenced, but don't know how to do that.) Any advice on the best approach?

Install OS X on SSD along with apps and files you need quick access to.
Move the 2 TB Disk to bay 2 and use for Large file storage.

If you leave your current install intact, you can always transfer user data and files afterwards.

 

[danrad]

I was hoping to make this as painless as possible without having to reinstall a bunch of apps and recreate a bunch of settings, but if I use Migration Assistant or other tools to transfer apps and settings, I'm probably just risking inadvertently bringing over whatever caused the issues I've been trying to fix.

I think you're right: Clean install of the system; reinstallation of apps; transfer of small documents, etc., from the old installation. Then eventually prune that down to where it's only holding iTunes libraries, and other large files.

Thanks!