I've upgraded a late 2009 3,1 with 8GB of RAM and a 240GB SSD. I've installed El Capitan on the SSD. I'd like to migrate Applications to the SSD but would like to keep my Home folder on the spin drive that's still in the computer. Can I do this without first migrating it to the SSD?
Yes, you can either manually copy Apps from the HDD to the Applications folder on the SSD or re-download them from the App Store.
As for accessing your User Libraries like iTunes, Photos, iMovie that are still stored on the HDD, all you need to do is open the Application on the SSD and tell it to access the User Library on the HDD.
FWIW it is a good idea to now backup both the SSD and HDD, because you will now have important data on both drives.
Thanks. Will this work for Apple Mail as well? I thought I'd have to use Terminal or symlinks to move the Home folder to a different drive, and at the very least migrate the Library folder to the SSD boot drive?
I'm either not explaining myself very well, or I'm misunderstanding the replies.
What I did was to follow your Feb 1 suggestions:
"Yes, you can do it with both installed.
Yu can first upgrade RAM and install the SSD as a second disk.
Then boot normally to the old disk.
Go to the Mac App Store and download the El Capitan installer.
Run the install and select the SSD and the location to install EC. You will have to use Disk Utility to format the SSD in journaled format if the SSD is not an option for install location.
After installing EC on the SSD yo can either copy data from old disk to new dis or use:
Move your content to a new Mac - Apple Support
To select which disk is the boot disk go to System Preferences>Startup disk and select the one yo want to normally boot.
You can always boot with the Option key depressed to select the boot disk"
This left me with my original Home folder on the (old) spin disk, and the new OS on the (new) SSD. My original Home folder is too large to migrate to the 240GB SSD if I add Applications as well. And what I would like to have on the SSD is the OS (El Cap) + Applications + my Users/Library folder, leaving the rest of my Home folder on the (old) spin drive that used to be my boot disk. I'd prefer not to move my original Home folder to an external drive, but to leave it where it is, on the (old) spin drive, but telling the new OS and boot disk (SSD) where to look. From what I understand, the (new) SSD with El Cap installed has created a new Home folder/identity, so I can't access the various files in my previous Home folder on the (old) disk when I start up with the (new) SSD. (By the way, my Home folder on the (old) disk is about 160GB. The Library folder alone is 100GB.)
So what I'm trying to do is to find a way to let the new OS/SSD, as boot disk, access my original files and documents on the (old) spin disk.
Freeflight wrote:
I'm either not explaining myself very well, or I'm misunderstanding the replies.
Probable a little of both. I have a difficult time with words here.
Currently I am doing exactly what you are proposing with a dual SSD / HDD setup in my 2012 Mac Mini.
I boot and run OS X from the SSD and access most all of my user data that is stored on the HDD.
(there has been very little need to manually move or do anything, except to just enjoy the speed)
If you notice, I did not even move all of the App's that are on my HDD to my SSD.
(but that's no problem, because I can still open and use those whenever I want)
Also notice, that there is small amount of other on the SSD.
(that is normal and it will grow the longer you run the setup)
If at some point Other becomes a problem for you.
(just hunt them down and manually move some of them to the HDD)
My advice is to put as little as possible on the SSD and leave everything else on the HDD. I think that you will find that OS X does a pretty good job keeping track of both new and old files without much outside help from the user.
Again it is a good idea to backup both the SSD and the HDD just incase you overthink things and make a mistake
Late 2009 SSD Drive and Home folder
