Installing OS and Apps on to an SSD, while keeping everything else on HDD in a replaced optical drive

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Installing OS and Apps on to an SSD, while keeping everything else on HDD in a replaced optical drive

Hello, and thank you for reading.

I have a mid 2012 MacBook pro, non-retina. I purchased a 250GB Samsung EVO 850 which I would like to replace my current hard drive with. I also have a 1TB SATA HDD and an optical disk caddy that I would like to replace my optical drive with.

The idea is to have my OS and APPS running off the SSD, and all other media stored on the HDD.

I'm confident I will be able to install the hardware, but what I could use help with is setting everything up so that once it's installed I'm ready to go. Along with the OS, I have a number of APPS that are critical to my work, specifically Adobe CS6, Final Cut 7, and a few file conversion programs. I would like to have all of these running off the SSD. I'm currently running Mavericks 10.9.5, but I may upgrade to Yosemite in the future.

I have a voyagerQ external dock that I can mount the drives on to do all of the installing and transferring before physically putting them into the computer.

I've also done a lot of research regarding TRIM and have decided that for my purposes I will not be running TRIM enabler and disabling KEXT.

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Feb 12, 2015 9:48 AM

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Answer 1

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Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Feb 12, 2015 9:59 AM in response to MP_macbook

Install the SSD in the computer and move the HDD. Boot from the HDD to test the hardware.

Install OS X Using Internet Recovery

Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.

Boot to the Internet Recovery HD:

Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND-OPTION- R keys until a globe appears on the screen. Wait patiently - 15-20 minutes - until the Recovery main menu appears.

Partition and Format the hard drive:

Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.

After DU loads select your newly installed hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.

Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Quit DU and return to the main menu.

Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Install button. Be sure to select the correct drive to use if you have more than one.

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

This should restore the version of OS X originally pre-installed on the computer.

See the following about handling your Home folder:

How to use an SSD with your HDD

If you are going to use an SSD as a boot drive together with your existing HDD as the "data" drive, here's what you can do.

After installing the SSD you will need to partition and format the SSD using Disk Utility. Then, install OS X on the SSD. After OS X has been installed boot from the SSD. Use Startup Disk preferences to set the SSD as the startup volume.

Open Users & Groups preferences. Click on the lock icon and authenticate. CTRL- or RIGHT-click on your user account listing in the sidebar and select Advanced Options from the context menu. You will see a field labeled "Home dir:" At the right end you will see a Change button. Click on it. In the file dialog locate the Home folder now located on the HDD (HDD/Users/account_name/.) Select the folder, click on Open button. Restart the computer as directed. When the computer boots up it will now be using the Home folder located on the HDD.

Another more technical method involving the Terminal and aliases is discussed in depth here: Using OS X with an SSD plus HDD setup - Matt Gemmell. This is my preferred approach because I can select which of the Home's folders I want on the HDD and which I don't want. For example, I like to keep the Documents and Library folders on the SSD because I access their content frequently.

Be sure you retain the fully bootable system on your HDD in case you ever need it.

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Answer 2

MP_macbook Author

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Feb 25, 2015 7:52 AM in response to Kappy

Thank's so much!

It took me a while to try this out because I was waiting on an electronic tool kit to be shipped to me before I could start taking things apart.

Everything has worked so far.

I have one snag. I would like to set my system up the way you have suggested with this link http://mattgemmell.com/2011/06/21/using-os-x-with-an-ssd-plus-hdd-setup/ . BUT, this link is a how to on how to move things off the SSD and on to the HDD, and I need to do the opposite. Since I've never used terminal before, I didn't want to try troubleshooting this myself. My SSD is 250GB, and currently only has OS X 10.9.5 on it. My HDD has a complete reinstalled backup of my whole system on it.

I'd like to move my Apps (and any other files that the Apps require to work fast) to the SSD, and keep the HDD for all of my media. I do a lot of work with CS6 and FCP, and at any given time I have a 2-3 hundred GB of video footage and RAW image files on my computer (which I want to keep on the HDD).

Thanks for your help so far, if you could guide me on how to migrate my files properly that'd be great.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Feb 25, 2015 9:31 AM in response to MP_macbook

For applications that came with an installer use that installer to put them onto the SSD. For those that did not use an installer simply drag and drop them from the HDD to the Applications folder on the SSD. Support files and preferences will be in the /Home/Library folder in Applications Support and Preferences folders, respectively. Copy those over to the SSD preserving the locations.

The link may be how to move from the SSD to the HDD, but the procedure is pretty much the same going in the opposite direction.

Exposing the /Home/Library/ Folder

Pick one of the following methods:

A. This method will make the folder visible permanently. Open the Terminal application in your Utilities folder and paste the following at the command prompt:

chflags nohidden ~/Library

Press RETURN.

B. Click on the Desktop, press the OPTION (⌥) button, select Library from the Finder's Go menu.

C. Select Go To Folder from the Finder's Go menu. Paste the following in the path field:

~/Library

Press the Go button.

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Answer 4

MP_macbook Author

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Feb 26, 2015 7:22 AM in response to Kappy

K, I re-installed the CS6 suite onto the SSD, and everything is working great.

NOW, I've updated to Yosemite 10.10.2. I've installed Yosemite on both he SSD and the HDD. But now when I try to use the SSD as my startup disk, I'm unable to login. My password works, because when I type the wrong password in I get that shuffle on screen. But, when I type the right password in I get "You can not login because an error has occurred". I've have to change the start-up disk back to the HDD in order to login.

I can use my apps on the SSD once I'm logged in. But I'd really like to use the SSD as my start-up disk.

Am I missing a step or something?

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Feb 26, 2015 12:05 PM in response to MP_macbook

Did you use Startup Disk preferences to set the SSD as the startup disk? If the computer is trying to boot from the HDD, then do this:

Boot Using OPTION key:

1. Restart the computer.

2. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the

"OPTION" key.

3. Release the key when the boot manager appears.

4. Select the SSD to boot.

5. Click on the arrow button below the icon.

After booting from the SSD open Startup Disk prefs and set the SSD as the startup disk.

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Answer 6

MP_macbook Author

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Feb 26, 2015 1:16 PM in response to Kappy

I've been able to boot from the SSD.

I did what you suggested above, and I made sure I booted from SSD. When it comes to the login screen, I have the option of either logging in as myself or as 'guest'. When I try logging in as myself it says "You can not log in at this time because an error has occurred". I can login as a guest user though.

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Answer 7

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Feb 26, 2015 1:28 PM in response to MP_macbook

Then there is an issue with the installation. I suggest you reinstall Yosemite on the SSD:

Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive

Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

Reinstalling OS X Without Erasing the Drive

Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.

When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility and press the Continue button. After Disk Utility loads select the Macintosh HD entry from the the left side list. Click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If Disk Utility reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit Disk Utility and return to the main menu.

Reinstall OS X: Select Reinstall OS X and click on the Continue button.

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

Also see:

Reinstall OS X Without Erasing the Drive

Choose the version you have installed now:

OS X Yosemite- Reinstall OS X

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet

if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

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