Working between SSD and HD

[Ric Shaner]

Hello,

I recently add a SSD to my Mid-2010 MacBook Pro. I have not yet figured out how to access files from my HD while logged into the SSD. Some problem areas are, but limited to, iTunes, ham radio software, namely MacLogger DX, and Photos.

I also use Crash Plan and Quick Silver, both of which run automatically with in my HD however, I do know how to bring them over the SSD.

I would like, if possible, to use the SSD as my main drive and access all my files, SSD and HD from there.

Thank you for your help.

Ric

 

[honestone]

OK, some questions:

1. What exact Mac OS are you using?

2. Which device is your main one for starting up your Mac?

3. When you added the SSD to your machine, what did you "place" on it? And how did you do that?

4. Are you making backups to an external device? If you, what software are you using for that?

5. Given that you use some third party software, did you insure that all of it is compatible with whatever Mac OS you are using? This link can help you with that:

https://roaringapps.com/apps

However, even if an app shows "green" in that table with a Mac OS, it is still possible that an upgrade for the app is required to insure OS compatibility.

 

[Ric Shaner]

OK, some questions:

1. What exact Mac OS are you using?

2. Which device is your main one for starting up your Mac?

3. When you added the SSD to your machine, what did you "place" on it? And how did you do that?

4. Are you making backups to an external device? If you, what software are you using for that?

5. Given that you use some third party software, did you insure that all of it is compatible with whatever Mac OS you are using? This link can help you with that:

https://roaringapps.com/apps

However, even if an app shows "green" in that table with a Mac OS, it is still possible that an upgrade for the app is required to insure OS compatibility.

Thank you for the reply. I am at work and will answer the above questions when I get home this evening.

Respectfully,

Ric

 

[honestone]

OK, sounds good. Just hope you have been making backups! That is so, so critical!

 

[Ric Shaner]

OK, sounds good. Just hope you have been making backups! That is so, so critical!

1. What exact Mac OS are you using? MacOS: Sierra ver.10.12.6

2. Which device is your main one for starting up your Mac? The SSD

3. When you added the SSD to your machine, what did you "place" on it? And how did you do that? MacOS: Sierra ver.10.12.6 and the applications that come with the OS. Is that what you are asking?

4. Are you making backups to an external device? If you, what software are you using for that? Not of the software on the SSD. I have CrashPlan that automatically backs up my old HD.

5. Given that you use some third party software, did you insure that all of it is compatible with whatever Mac OS you are using? This link can help you with that: I did not search for all of my applications I use.

Hope this helps.

Ric

 

[honestone]

I am not familiar with CrashPlan, as I use SuperDuper! to make bootable backups/clones. Whenever I do an upgrade to a new Mac OS (or even sometimes upgrading "within" the same OS), I always do a clean, fresh installation of the new OS/new version, and then use Migration Assistant to "migrate"/copy needed "stuff" from the backup. That has always worked well for me.

Apparently, you just installed on the SSD. How exactly did you do that? Also, is the OS on the HD also OS 10.12.6?

If CrashPlan backs up the HD to another device, you should have access to it. I would thus suspect that you can "migrate"/copy all the "stuff" on the backup except the OS on that backup. Migration Assistant lets you choose what you want to migrate.

If you did need to recover from the CrashPlan backup, how would you do that?

If you get all the stuff you need onto the SSD, you really should start backing it up to an external device.

 

[Ric Shaner]

I am not familiar with CrashPlan, as I use SuperDuper! to make bootable backups/clones. Whenever I do an upgrade to a new Mac OS (or even sometimes upgrading "within" the same OS), I always do a clean, fresh installation of the new OS/new version, and then use Migration Assistant to "migrate"/copy needed "stuff" from the backup. That has always worked well for me.

Apparently, you just installed on the SSD. How exactly did you do that? Also, is the OS on the HD also OS 10.12.6?

If CrashPlan backs up the HD to another device, you should have access to it. I would thus suspect that you can "migrate"/copy all the "stuff" on the backup except the OS on that backup. Migration Assistant lets you choose what you want to migrate.

If you did need to recover from the CrashPlan backup, how would you do that?

If you get all the stuff you need onto the SSD, you really should start backing it up to an external device.

I think we are running down a rabbit trail. My SSD is not large enough to transfer all of my data from the HD. I am wanting to work between the two while logged into my SSD ie. using iTunes while the files remaining on my HD, the idea being not to fill up my SSD.

Ric

 

[honestone]

When you boot up your Mac (via the SSD, I presume), and with the external HDD plugged into one of the available ports, can you see that HDD on your desktop? If you can, can you read/write anything to that external HDD? Also, how does Disk Utility "see" that drive?

 

[Ric Shaner]

When you boot up your Mac (via the SSD, I presume), and with the external HDD plugged into one of the available ports, can you see that HDD on your desktop? If you can, can you read/write anything to that external HDD? Also, how does Disk Utility "see" that drive?

I forgot to mention, both drives are in m computer. I removed the CD player and installed the SSD I bought from Other World Computing (OWC). It came with the tools and bracket. From what I understand I can access my HDD files from within my SSD.

 

[honestone]

OK, good to know. But my question still pertains: can you "see" that internal HDD when you boot up your Mac? Also, can you place and remove files from it? Finally, if you can "see" it, click on it once, then go to the File Menu (while in the Finder) and select Get Info. That will show you the various permissions you have for that device.

 

[Ric Shaner]

OK, good to know. But my question still pertains: can you "see" that internal HDD when you boot up your Mac? Also, can you place and remove files from it? Finally, if you can "see" it, click on it once, then go to the File Menu (while in the Finder) and select Get Info. That will show you the various permissions you have for that device.

I can see my Macintosh HD within my SSD Finder:

I can move files back and forth, in that the files are copied.

Permissions:

I cannot open applications that reside on the HDD.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Here's a few pointers:
-Correct, you cannot open applications on another drive with OS X installed, as their support files reside there and not on the startup OS drive.
-You could simply use the SSD as the OS X startup and application drive, and use the HDD for files and storage. You can move your iTunes and Photos Libraries to the HDD, and run the apps from the SSD.

I would get all of the data off the HDD, perhaps Time Machine it to an external, then erase the HDD, and copy your iTunes and Photos Libraries, and other data on to it. Install the apps that you had on the HDD on the SSD drive, including CrashPlan and QuickSilver. Then, erase and use the external drive as a Time Machine drive to backup both the SSD (macOS and apps) and the HDD (files and data).

In summary:
-SSD - macOS and applications
-HDD - iTunes & Photos Libraries, and other files and storage
-External - Time Machine backup of both the SSD and HDD

Does that help?

C

 

[honestone]

Thanks, Cory, for that explanation. Very, very helpful!