Hanuman Hoffman
Level 1 (33 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Two bootable partitions on new iMac?

I just got a new 27" iMac with 1TB hard drive.

I would like to partition it to have my current 500GB hard drive as a bootable system.

It has software I don’t want to lose; and I would like to keep what came on the new iMac.

I am running latest version of Mavericks. I keep bootable backups using CCC.

I partitioned my wife’s 15” MacBook Pro with 750GB HD into two and haven’t had any issues so far.

Is there a good reason not to do this on my new iMac?

Thanks!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.3), 21.5 inch; i5 2.5Ghz 16gb RAM

Posted on Aug 26, 2014 1:22 PM

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Hanuman Hoffman

Q: Two bootable partitions on new iMac?

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  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Aug 26, 2014 1:24 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman
    Level 9 (54,085 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 26, 2014 1:24 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman

    What version of OS X is your current Mac running?

  • by Kappy,Helpful

    Kappy Kappy Aug 26, 2014 1:31 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman
    Level 10 (271,811 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 26, 2014 1:31 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman

    Go right ahead. Since you've done this before there's no reason you cannot do it again. But keep in mind that the OS X version installed on your new computer is not the same as on your old computer, so I recommend you restrict what you copy from the old drive to just your data that is in your Home folder. Any third-party applications should be reinstalled on the new computer.

     

    The usual way to do this is to connect the two computers by Firewire or Thunderbolt cable and use Target Disk Mode for the transfer. If the old computer has Firewire but does not have Thunderbolt, then you will need a Thunderbolt to Firewire adaptor along with the Thunderbolt cable.

  • by Hanuman Hoffman,

    Hanuman Hoffman Hanuman Hoffman Aug 26, 2014 1:48 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (33 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 26, 2014 1:48 PM in response to Kappy

    Thanks Kappy!

    My _old_ iMac is a 2011 21.5" running latest Mavericks OS. Just got a 27" for more real estate. Gave up the FW port, sadly as external HD's (4) are FW. Got adaptor.

    I have Final Cut Studio 3 that I have used extensively for years.

    This is my 3rd or 4th time that I have just overwritten everything on a newer computer from my bootable clone in order to preserve the FCP as I don't have install discs. I don't think FCP will maintain its integrity by just copying in the manner you suggest. Am I wrong?

     

    I do appreciate your help.

     

    Regards

  • by Kappy,Helpful

    Kappy Kappy Aug 26, 2014 1:58 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman
    Level 10 (271,811 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 26, 2014 1:58 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman

    I doubt it, but I really don't know. The reason overwriting the new OS with another one even of the same version, is that newer hardware often requires a newer build than the release build. If you overwrite with the older build you find you no longer can boot the new computer. However, if the installed version of OS X on the new computer is, say, 10.9.2 or 10.9.3, then you can safely use 10.9.4 because it is a later version.

  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Aug 26, 2014 2:02 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman
    Level 9 (54,085 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 26, 2014 2:02 PM in response to Hanuman Hoffman

    I have not tried Setup Assistant on FCP. So far it has worked for me on all the applications I have tried it with.

     

    Try OS X: How to migrate data from another Mac using Mavericks to see if it works for you.