Using former startup disk internal HDD as external?

[RedCroissant]

Hello to all.

I recently sold my desktop setup and am now using my laptop as my main machine. What I want to know is, can I easily delete certain directories from the former boot disk to free up some space and simply use the disk as an external drive from there on? For example, can I easily delete the: Applications, Developer, Library, net, and system directories?

 

[pastrychef]

Yes. You can also format it and start fresh, if you like.

 

[RedCroissant]

Yes. You can also format it and start fresh, if you like.

I wish I could, but my iBook only has a 60GB HDD and my iTunes library on the now external HDD is more than 600GB. So since I can delete those directories now and just have the library, that's great!

And thanks for responding!

 

[pastrychef]

My pleasure.

 

[Fishrrman]

[[ I wish I could, but my iBook only has a 60GB HDD and my iTunes library on the now external HDD is more than 600GB. So since I can delete those directories now and just have the library, that's great! ]]

Just a word of caution here.

Do you value those 600gb of iTunes files on that drive?

If so, you had better get it backed up, and SOON.

Eventually, that drive is going to go belly-up. Without a backup, you'll lose all those songs if it does.

You can assemble a backup strategy cheaply and easily.

I'd suggest buying a "bare" drive. A 2.5" form factor drive should do fine.

You can either put it into an external enclosure such as this:
http://oyendigital.com/hard-drives/store/U32-M.html
(assembly probably just requires a small screwdriver)

Or, consider a USB3/SATA "docking station". Check out plugable.com products here:
http://plugable.com

(disclaimer: no financial interest in the above products, other than being a paying customer)

The easiest tool for copying the contents of one drive to another is to use CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. CCC is free to download and use for 30 days (version 3.5.2). Tip: if you download version 3.4.7, it is free to use forever, but you'll have to "click through" the disclaimers each time you launch it.

The smartest thing you can do is get those external data libraries backed up as soon as possible!

 

[RedCroissant]

[[ I wish I could, but my iBook only has a 60GB HDD and my iTunes library on the now external HDD is more than 600GB. So since I can delete those directories now and just have the library, that's great! ]]

Just a word of caution here.

Do you value those 600gb of iTunes files on that drive?

If so, you had better get it backed up, and SOON.

Eventually, that drive is going to go belly-up. Without a backup, you'll lose all those songs if it does.

You can assemble a backup strategy cheaply and easily.

I'd suggest buying a "bare" drive. A 2.5" form factor drive should do fine.

You can either put it into an external enclosure such as this:
http://oyendigital.com/hard-drives/store/U32-M.html
(assembly probably just requires a small screwdriver)

Or, consider a USB3/SATA "docking station". Check out plugable.com products here:
http://plugable.com

(disclaimer: no financial interest in the above products, other than being a paying customer)

The easiest tool for copying the contents of one drive to another is to use CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper. CCC is free to download and use for 30 days (version 3.5.2). Tip: if you download version 3.4.7, it is free to use forever, but you'll have to "click through" the disclaimers each time you launch it.

The smartest thing you can do is get those external data libraries backed up as soon as possible!

I do value the data in my library, but the problem at this point is that I have to sell things and the drive just came out of my PowerMac G5 quad. I don't have the money to spend on anything at the moment and am currently selling pretty much everything that I have of value that won't negatively impact my needs for school.

The better thing is that the majority of those files are backups of my physical DVDs and CDs. I think there are only 60GB of data on there that was purchased through iTunes and so far.

As of right now, the former internal HDD in a Thermaltake USB 2.0 docking station that I got about 2 years ago from Best Buy. It's not the fastest and won't boot PPC Macs due to the lack of Firewire connectivity, but has been more than sufficient to serve as my media hub and transfers fast enough to allow for home sharing.

If you know of an internal HDD for my iBook that would make the external unnecessary, then I would sell other stuff just to pay for that. As far as I know though, the highest capacity HDD for my iBook is 320GB. Unless of course there is a larger HDD that is SATA and comes with a PATA adapter.

That being said, I really do appreciate your advice and when I do have the money, I have no doubt that those items will be on the list.

And Carbon Copy Cloner has been my friend now since 2010 when I had to clone my OS on my former 2009 iMac.