Partitions and Moving User Data

sideshowbobsideshowbob
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
The company I work for is about to make the leap to OSX (about 500 computers) and is thinking of partitioning each users machine into System+Apps & User Data. This would include moving the user folder from the system partition.



I personally disagree with the partitioning idea.

I have also read that some people have had problems when running some apps by moving the user folder from the system disk..





What are your thoughts and hints if any?



Thanks in Advance!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    gardenofearthlydelightsgardenofearthlydelights Posts: 963member
    Ich habe keine Ahnung.



    However, I do have an opinion, which is not to have separate partitions between the User data and the Applications. Many programs expect the Home directories under the boot drive. I've had issues with this back in the 10.1 days. I'm sure it's better now, but you never know.



    What's the rationale for partitioning? Is the User Data partition also the Home folder? Just curious.
  • Reply 2 of 9
    sideshowbobsideshowbob Posts: 26member
    The reason for partitioning and seperating the user/home data is to make it easier to re-install a machine.



    My feeling is that we can also do this on a single partition by dragging the user/home folder to another folder or moving it to a firewire drive.
  • Reply 3 of 9
    roveroneroverone Posts: 9member
    The different partitions thing works fine for every application I and my friends have used...



    BUT -- there is a subtle issue that made me recently stop doing this -- many Apple applications will only install or (like burning a DVD) will use significant amounts of space on the system partition. The tendency is to want to make the system partition as small as possible so you have the most available user space, but after going through the arduous task of increasing the system partition size for the third time with iLife '04, I finally gave up and reconsolidated everything.
  • Reply 4 of 9
    mr beardsleymr beardsley Posts: 365member
    I used to partition and move my user data. With Panther I said screw it, and have it all on one. I have not regretted it.
  • Reply 5 of 9
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    In my experience, partitioning regularly causes more headaches and hassles than help.



    As mentioned above, the system's partition will be required for installation of many titles. Pick a size too small for the long-run and you're out of luck. There are also those apps that are still occasional hard-coded to look for /Users and that won't operate properly if you move Users somewhere else (either via symlink or NetInfo editing).



    Reinstalling Mac OS X is pretty easy. A simple "archive and install" or "upgrade" installation will preserve all of your existing users, applications, and data files.



    My two cents:

    Don't partition.
  • Reply 6 of 9
    sideshowbobsideshowbob Posts: 26member
    Thanks for your responses.



    I guess you have all pretty much said what I think, which is nice .



    If any of you can think of examples of programs which are hard coded it would help my argument even more..



    Thanks Again!
  • Reply 7 of 9
    sideshowbobsideshowbob Posts: 26member
    One thing I should also add is that we are just going to be installing OSX with Disk Images (semi configured but with all programs that we use installed). So we wont be able to archive and install in that way.



    Also do any of you know if there is a way to reserve some space on the drive purely for system use?



    Or can anyone think of an applescript that would lock the machine (mouse disabled) and prompt for a password to unlock the machine if it got below a certain amount of free space. We have a limit on the size of peoples mail accounts, when they get to 90% full they receive a mail telling them to clean up their accounts as it is almost full but surprise, surprise most of the users don't do anything about it.



    From what I understand OSX (UNIX in general) can be rendered permanently unstable if the machine ever gets to the point where there is not enough space left on the drive.
  • Reply 8 of 9
    s.metcalfs.metcalf Posts: 972member
    I was considering partitining the 160Gb drive on my new iMac when it gets delivered, but reading these comments makes me think why bother? I guess I thought it would be useful in terms of re-installing the system not to have to back up to external media. I thought it helps with each major .x release of MacOS to probably do a fresh install but that's a lot of effort every year if the backup process is long and painful. But then I don't install that much software either and am unlikely to have too many compatability/system issues, though I have read some people who report on degrading performance over time. How much is this an issue with Mac OS X? How often would you recommend a fresh install of the OS? If you've had MacOS on a machine since the .0 version and updated with every major and minor update would there be much unnecessary/outdated system stuff lying around that could cuase problems??
  • Reply 9 of 9
    dobbydobby Posts: 797member
    We have 100+ macs ranging from B&W G3 to G5's.

    All machines have 2 partions OS & OSX with OS being the startup disk. All apps are installed on OSX(AdobeCS/MSOffice/Quark/suitcase etc).

    We use LDAP logins with all user directories being stored on an XServer+XRAID.

    Originally the startup disk was OSX running Jaguar. We created a disk image contain 10.3.3 and ran a perl script to move all data from the data partition OS to OSX then installed the 10.3.3. disk image on the OS partition.

    We will be doing the same for 10.4.

    Saves loads of time and the users can sit at any mac and login with their own id's. We use Exchange2003 weboutlook for e-mail.

    Users also know they must not put files on their desktop as it takes ages for the login/logout to complete!



    Just my 2c.



    Dobby.
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