How do I make a scratch disc?

Question

How do I make a scratch disc?

I have two hard drives, an 80gb (contains apps and OS, 30gb used,) and a 120gb (iTunes, iPhoto, Video library, folders) which is full.
I am adding a 500gb external firewire HD, (do I have to install an operating system on this?)
Once I have moved contents of 120gb over to external HD how do I make 60gb of the now empty 120gb available to Photoshop as a scratch disc?
Regards
Robert.

PS thank you to all those who have helped me in the recent past, hopefully I should be gone soon!!

Powermac G4 Giga-ethernet Dual 450 100 bus 2 Gig Ram, Mac OS X (10.4.9), wireless network

Posted on Apr 23, 2007 3:08 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 23, 2007 3:17 PM in response to Robert Gillam

Hi! You don't have to install an OS on the external HDD. You may need to use disk utility and format it. The only way to make 60GB of the 120GB HDD is to use disk utility and partition the drive. That way you would have your 60GB HDD, the 120GB split into two 60GB (one for photoshop) and the external 500GB. Hope that helped 🙂

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Answer 2

Apr 23, 2007 6:17 PM in response to Frozen_Apple

Thanks for that, if I make a scratch disc for Photoshop does it show up on my desk top as a drive symbol like I have at the moment?
Also does one have to instal Photoshop onto the scratch disc? or keep the folder with it in there?
Confusion reigns...

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Answer 3

Apr 23, 2007 8:07 PM in response to Robert Gillam

"f I make a scratch disc for Photoshop does it show up on my desk top as a drive symbol like I have at the moment?"

Yes of course, as it's just a regular hard drive formatted like any other mac hard drive. You can use it for whatever you want. You don't specifically make a scratch disk. You just designate any drive you want to be one in Photoshop's preferences. Even then, nothing is changed on the drive. It's still the same hard drive as before.

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Answer 4

Apr 24, 2007 4:26 AM in response to Templeton Peck

Thanks for that Templeton, (A) If I were to Install an operating system on the external drive could I use it as a boot up disc (holding the option key down in start up?)
(B) Could I use the external as the "main drive" (with op system installed on it)
and the 80gb and 120gb as storage discs?
Disc is firewire 400 capable.
Apologies for my knowledge shortfalls.

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Answer 5

PrDm

Level 2

385 points

Apr 24, 2007 12:51 PM in response to Robert Gillam

A; yes
B; yes but I believe externals run slower which may be a problem with Photoshop.

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Answer 6

Apr 26, 2007 8:14 AM in response to PrDm

So, the ideal solution would be to have the OS on internal 120gb and install Photoshop on the 80gb internal and designate it as a scratch disc and use 500gb external as "back up" disc and library?.... If I drag and drop my disc icon into the external HD will it clone itself onto the external (inc OS)?
Am I being completely dim here?
Thanx

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Answer 7

PrDm

Level 2

385 points

Apr 26, 2007 9:23 AM in response to Robert Gillam

The OS and Photoshop and scratch disk can all be on the same internal HD space allowing. Separating them on the internals will also work. The drag and drop question is a little more complicated.

If you are moving only data yes it will copy nicely but with this caveat: iPhoto may lose its association of folders to photos. I'm not using the current version so maybe that's no longer true. iTunes will just have to be redirected to the new library location. You can't drag and drop the OS and expect it to work - it won't. For that you need a clone tool such as Superduper! which does a splendid job of cloning HDs. Not free though.
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/22126

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