Can I run software from an external drive?

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giuseppe_fl
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Can I run software from an external drive?

Post by giuseppe_fl » Mon Feb 18, 2008 10:27 am

My core machine is an older PowerBook G4 and its drive is almost full. I've already got enough software to max it out and I plan on buying a number of other packages that will simply not fit on there.

I wanna keep as much of the core G4's drive open as possible, so all "taping" will (obviously) happen on one external and I'd like to set up a second dedicated external for the storage of software and large MIDI libraries.

Any experts here see any reason why this won't work?

I'll be running both externals through one double PCMCIA P2 slot==>FireWire 400 adapter, as the G4's native FireWire slot will have to link to the Digi002.

Any info'd be much appreciated. Thanks!

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Post by sonikbliss » Tue Feb 19, 2008 11:32 am

Technically it can be done with some software, but generally it's a bad idea. Performance will suffer because the path will become more convoluted and not as high performing as if it was coming from your computers internal drive bus.

Also, if your drive is almost full already your performance is already compromised. Once your system drive is over 50% full, it's performance will decrease drastically.

Offhand I don't know how easy it would be to replace the internal drive in your particular machine with a larger one, but that's what I would try to do. Use a program like SuperDuper! to make a boot-able copy ofyour current system drive to an external firewire, pop in your new drive, boot from the firewire backup you just made, format the new drive with disk utility, and then use SuperDuper to copy the OS back to the new drive.

Being an an older PowerBook G4 I'm sure your system drive is pretty small, you should be able to get a substantially larger one for pretty cheap.

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giuseppe_fl
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Post by giuseppe_fl » Tue Feb 19, 2008 5:51 pm

Actually, that's why I was thinking external, was to protect that other 50% of the drive (or more) as much as possible.... But you're right, tossing in a new hard drive might even be cheaper than buying a big new external. I'm nervous about the procedure, and messing it up, but I'm gonna have to try. I haven't done that kind of upgrade since I messed with a blue & white G3, back in like 2000 or something..... But, I mean, it's gotta be doable, right?

Thanks!

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Post by @?,*???&? » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:02 pm

A Mac will allow you to make ANY drive the start-up disc. The times I've done this, I've not had ANY issues doing so.

I would recommend though that you continue running your software off your main 'system drive' and designate a second drive as 'data only' for sessions and audio files.

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Post by giuseppe_fl » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:55 pm

Thanks again. Does anybody have opinions as to the best drive to use to replace the internal drive on the Titanium?

Based on what little I know I'm leaning towards a Western Digital Scorpio 120 or 160...

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Post by No Wave Casio Kitsch » Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:58 pm

sonikbliss wrote:Offhand I don't know how easy it would be to replace the internal drive in your particular machine with a larger one, but that's what I would try to do. Use a program like SuperDuper! to make a boot-able copy ofyour current system drive to an external firewire, pop in your new drive, boot from the firewire backup you just made, format the new drive with disk utility, and then use SuperDuper to copy the OS back to the new drive.
Not to wander too off course, but I'd like to echo sonik's recommendation of SuperDuper. It is an excellent application and well worth the $30 registration fee.

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Post by sonikbliss » Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:18 pm

giuseppe_fl wrote:Thanks again. Does anybody have opinions as to the best drive to use to replace the internal drive on the Titanium?

Based on what little I know I'm leaning towards a Western Digital Scorpio 120 or 160...
Choose your computer model and see what it recommends here: http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/index.c ... =1&TI=1445

I haven't personally used the Scorpio but I've heard good things. Seagate is always quality as well.

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