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User profile for user: Chavista
Chavista Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Dual boot on partitioned hard drive?

Suppose I bought a new 16" MacBook Pro with an 8 TB hard drive, then partitioned the hard drive into four partitions of 2 TB each and installed Mac OS on two of those partitions.


Would I be able to start and operate my laptop from whichever partition I choose?


Also, can anyone point me to a reference that explains some of the advantages or cool tricks such a system would allow (if any)?


I should add that I use my laptop primarily for web design, along with some graphics and video development, using Adobe software. I just wondered if there might be some advantage to having two operating systems, one optimizing a different function or type of software.


Thanks.

Posted on Apr 16, 2020 9:17 PM

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User profile for user: babowa
babowa
User level: Level 9
78,447 points

Posted on Apr 16, 2020 10:29 PM


Yes, you can partition a drive; however, on a brand new Mac, you can only install the OS it came with (or newer) - which would be the same one you already have. So, I cannot see a logical reason why you would want the same OS on the same Mac twice?


I would suggest a much better solution: instead of a super capacity drive, get a regular one and then buy an external SSD and store all your files, etc. there. Don't forget to backup the external as well if the content there is your only copy.

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User profile for user: babowa
babowa
User level: Level 9
78,447 points

Apr 16, 2020 10:29 PM in response to Chavista


Yes, you can partition a drive; however, on a brand new Mac, you can only install the OS it came with (or newer) - which would be the same one you already have. So, I cannot see a logical reason why you would want the same OS on the same Mac twice?


I would suggest a much better solution: instead of a super capacity drive, get a regular one and then buy an external SSD and store all your files, etc. there. Don't forget to backup the external as well if the content there is your only copy.

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User profile for user: ClassicII
ClassicII
User level: Level 4
1,097 points

Apr 16, 2020 10:11 PM in response to Chavista

Yes


You could technically install 4 different versions 10.15 starting with the factory installed version of 10.15.1 that the 16" MacBook pro was shipped with.


I only do this for testing. On some older MacBooks like the 2016 MacBook Pro, I can run 10.13, 10.14, 10.15 and 10.15 Beta all on one drive.


To select which one you want to boot to, just hold down the option key after booting your mac. All 4 will show up, just be sure to name each partition something other than Macintosh HD.


You can even select the default hard drive that you want your Mac to always boot from by hitting the option key.

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Dual boot on partitioned hard drive?

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