Procedure for SSD boot drive in Mac Pro?

I just purchased a 115GB SSD that I want to use as the boot drive in my Mac Pro running OS 10.6.8. I've read several articles about how to set this up but none seem to be working for me. On the SSD boot drive I want only the essentials: OS, Home Folder, Apps. Everything else (docs, downloads, music, photos, movies, etc.) needs to go on my 1TB storage HD. The problem I'm having using Carbon Cloner and Super Duper to copy the OS, HF and apps to the SSD is they're copying too much data, filling up the SSD with non-essentials (there should only be about 90GB of data being copied but much more seems to be transferred). I can't seem to lean-down what's being moved. Would doing a new install with the Snow Leopard DVD and then copying over only the essential files/folders with Migration Assistant be better, more specific?
Has anyone perfected this procedure, and can give me step-by-step instructions? All help is greatly appreciated!

There are dozens and dozens of threads, MPG, MacRumors and elsewhere.
don't move anything from "home" except the bare essential ~/Library (1GB at most) with CCC and deelect everything else. That should get you down to size.
Before you bought I hope you asdded up the /applications and good estimate. most users can get an OS/apps into 60GB or less (the max I would want to see on SSD you have) FCP and some others or if you hae a lot of large apps - some allow for installing in alternate locations as well as into system/library.
Some - there are always some - have had trouble cloning. Some had trouble with installing, too. Can't win for losing at every turn sometimes.
Been there, but look again at MPG series.
How To Clone a Volume
How to upgrade your system/boot drive
Using Cloning as a Backup Strategy

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Upgrade boot drive in MAC PRO Early 2008 to SSD

Looking to upgrade my boot drive on Mac Pro Early 2008.
Possibly with SSD, but wasnt sure of compatibility. Also, is it a huge sacrafice in storage?
I'd appreciate any assistance.
Thank you!!!
Lyle

Establish a Boot Drive on the fast SSD, and move all User files off to other drives. These articles may help:
Japamac's Blog: Make space for performance -- Moving the Home Folder
http://chris.pirillo.com/how-to-move-the-home-folder-in-os-x-and-why/
OSX Tips: Setting-up a new Mac from an old one or its Backups
Transferring Home Folders not on a Startup volume
be sure to heed Pondini's warning:
If you do put home folders on a separate volume, it's strongly recommended that an Admin account and its home folder remain on the Startup volume. If there isn't one, and you have a problem with the separate home folder volume, you cannot log on to your Mac! And in some cases it will greatly complicatetransferring to a new Mac.
So if you're transferring from an available Mac that doesn't have an Admin account on its Startup volume, create one via System Preferences > Accounts before starting.
I have created a new User Tip with this information in it:
User Tip: Creating a lean, fast Boot Drive

Is it OK to use USB 2.0 connection for Glyph external drive and Mac Pro as project drive?

Is it OK to use a USB 2.0 connection for Glyph external drive and Mac Pro as project drive? I was told by Sweetwater tech support to use Firewire, but both the FW400 and FW800 connections crash my audio interface software mixer (Presonus' "Universal Control" software).
Both Firewire connections also create a 10 second hang for each Command-Save that I do.
USB 2.0 for the external drive seems to be working so far, but is there some reason I should be wary of using this as my go-to project drive? In other words, I am imagining that there was probably some definite reason that the tech support guy mentioned not to use it. But maybe not. It's a brand new Glyph. In any event, it's nice to have the 10 second hang eliminated, and I was just looking for some advice, since digging into the Presonus software issue could take some time.

If you have a mac pro, why not stick the external HDD inside via one of your many SATA cables & have it run 9 times faster than your USB?
Or stick a HDD CADDY in your mac pro, so you can slot in a full sized 3TB HDD for recording, and when you are done, pull it out & slip it in an external enclosure if you need to take it places?

Living with a small SSD Boot Drive on New Pro??? Migration?

Hi Folks, I am seriously considering moving to a new mac pro from my 2008 tower. Aside from peripheral issues, my main concern is how to use the smaller SSD boot drive vs. my now current 2T drive? I've been a mac user since 1985 and my user folder with gigs of mail, documents, pictures (iPhoto and Aperture) and videos, etc., plus my application folder, is much larger than a 512 SSD. I now use a 3T drive as a separate movie/video FinalCut drive, so I've stored that separately. It just seems that if I try to do a migration of my current mac to a new one, I'm going to be creating major headaches and problems.
Before I buy something like that, I need to have a good strategy for a move.

You should try your cyrrent system and clone the OS to a 250GB SSD and 2-3TB data drive
The difference is nothing but remarjabke znd easy to do.
The 2600xt really should have been retured already and confivurd your system with 16GB RAM or more
Might be able to get more out if your Mac and get another year or more
Using one drive only is never a good idea.
System - data - projects - media - scratch - time machine
And putting scratch and system on multiple SSDs and on PCIE controller card
And then a GTX 680 or AMD Mac 7950 graphic card
The nMP is faster but it still needs work and yiurs isn't dead

Best size for SSD boot drive?

Hi,
I am looking to replace my optical drive from my iMac 27" with an SSD to be used as a boot drive and to hold my applications for faster loading etc..
I was wandering what would be the best size for a boot drive so that I dont overspend as SSD's are expenive.
Thanks for any help in advance.

The best size is the size you need to store OS X and your apps without getting the SSD full. For example, if OS X and your apps take less than 100 GB, you should consider a 128 GB SSD, and if they take 150 GB, go for a 256 GB SSD.
You can buy the SSD at OWC to guarantee the compatibility > http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/SSD/OWC/

Can I move boot drive from Mac Pro 2006 to Mac Pro 2008?

I currently have a Mac Pro 2006 (3Ghz Quad) and am thinking about buying a 2008 (3.2Ghz Oct).
Can I simply swap out the boot drive and not have to reinstall all of the programs (and the de-authorizing and re-authorizing of computers involved), or is the software somehow tied to the CPU itself?

Are you running 10.5.7 on the 2006 MP?
The easiest way would be to simply clone the drive (superduper, CCC, etc.)to the new 2009 drive.
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/7032/carbon-copy-cloner
I have heard bad things about migration assistant (system slowdowns, etc).
Truthfully though, you're moving to a new system, new drivers, etc, do it the right way. fresh install.
Fresh installs always are the best. And if you can, pick up Alsoft Disk Warrior to run after install and updates etc. Makes the computer run a whole lot better.

Creating external ssd boot drive on mac mini late 2012

I just bought mac mini (i7) late 2012 and have ordered Lacie rugged 120GB ssd. I would like to create the new ssd as a boot disk. I have already installed quite a few applications on hard drive. What should I do in order to create the external boot disk? I have for instance Adobe Photpshop, Adobe Premiere Elements and o course Apple's video and photo editing software. Should I also transfer the applications (and which) to the new SSD and how should I do it in order to keep activations etc. Detailed instructions are wished, because I am newbie with Mac,

I am not clear why you want to do this, because it sounds to me like you want to make the new drive a complete duplicate of the internal drive. I do not see the point of this. If it is for security reasons, you need only an inexpensive external drive to serve as a Time Machine backup.
However, if that is indeed what you want to do, all you need is a program like Carbon Copy Cloner. Use it to make a copy of the internal drive on the external. CCC will make it bootable.
As far as Adobe activations are concerned, your copies on the same computer will retain their activated status.
Detailed instructions:
1. download CCC
2. connect the external
3. run CCC to duplicate the internal to the external.

GT683: swapping RAID0 HD config for non-RAID/AHCI SSD boot drive

A question re: MSI skus which come with 2x HDs in RAID0 config. My system (GT683DXR-603US sku) came with 2x 500GB HDs (WD5000BEKT) in RAID0 config.
First thing I did was to replace this with a Crucial M4 256GB ssd, though prior to this I took an image of the stock system (prior to even booting it up the first time) and restored said image onto the SSD.
The first time I booted off the SSD (no other HD in the unit, as I pulled both of the WD 500GB out to try the SSD alone), I went into the BIOS and changed the SATA config from RAID to AHCI. But Win boot cycle almost immediately resulted in a blue screen. I then changed SATA config from AHCI to IDE, w/the same boot result. Finally, set the BIOS config back to the original RAID, and Win7 booted fine.
Upon confirming SSD Win7 boot and testing operation successfully, I pulled the SSD, place the 2x 500GB HDs back in the system, just long enough to break the RAID 0 array.
Replaced the SSD in the primary bay, and left one of the 500GB HDs in the 2nd bay, and that's how I'm using the system now: Crucial M4 SSD boot drive, WD Scorpio 500GB data drive ... with the BIOS SATA config set to RAID mode.
So the system is working now, but question is - should I pursue trying to change the BIOS setting from RAID to AHCI mode? I'm thinking that in order to get the SATA 6Gbps performance out of the Crucial M4, the Intel SATA config needs to be set to AHCI ... yet apparently I first need to modify the Win7 config (the SATA driver, perhaps?), before I can modify the BIOS sata config?
Any suggestions would be appreciated!

bump ... any thoughts? I'm thinking to leave my sysetm in RAID mode, as from what I've read recently Intel storage mgr supports TRIM in RAID mode as well as AHCI.

Is OCZ Vertex Turbo 60GB 2.5" SSD compatible with my Mac Pro, or do I need

Is OCZ Vertex Turbo 60GB 2.5" SSD compatible with my Mac Pro, or do I need the Vertex Mac Edition?
I have decided to purchase a SSD to use as a boot drive in the spare optical drive bay.
There are so many brands available, and Intel X25-M 'G2' seems generally to be the most highly rated overall. However, there is virtually no stock of 80GBs in the UK at present, except at extortionate prices, and I don't need 160GB.
Kingston SSDs are very reasonably priced, but seem to be a bit of an unknown quantity, although I rate their DDR3 memory very highly.
I have visited the websites of several manufacturers, and read various online reviews, and the recently introduced OCZ Vertex Turbo has had some good reviews, albeit on PC forums.
At the moment I can buy the 60GB Turbo for £170.66 inc.VAT from ebuyer.com, whereas their price for the standard Vertex 60GB is £193.99 inc. VAT, which seems very strange!
When I googled "OCZ Solid State Drives +UK", Amazon UK appeared on the listings, but there was a footnote which said " not suitable for use on Mac".
OCZ list a Vertex Series Mac Edition on their website, and that is why I am asking this question.
Unfortunately, there are no UK listings when I google the Mac Edition, and I am hoping that somebody of the ilk of "the hatter" or "samsara" will be able to answer my question.
If anybody else is using the Vertex Turbo in a Mac, I would be very grateful for your input. Likewise if you have had bad experiences with OCZ SSDs.
If I wait 3-4 weeks I should be able to buy an Intel X25-M G2 80GB for round about the same price as the Vertex Turbo 60GB, i.e. if prices remain the same as currently being quoted by vendors who are out of stock.
All input will be very gratefully received. If it is positive, I will go ahead and order a Vertex Turbo from ebuyer, in case they run out of stock (which is 16 at present).
Many thanks in anticipation, guys!

Hi Samsara,
Many thanks for your advices once again.
60GB will be more than adequate as my boot drive. At the moment I am using a VelociRaptor 300GB, and I have used less than 30GB of space. That is after reinstalling all my applications and software, and includes all my files, folders, and printer drivers etc.
I have utilised under 50GB of the original 640GB hard drive, but that includes a lot of photo images which I imported into both iPhoto and Aperture.
When I receive my Agility EX SSD I will clone from the VelociRaptor using Super Duper, and I will then set up a 4 drive RAID 0 using 4 VelociRaptor 300GB disks. That set up should suit my needs for many years to come, even when I eventually upgrade from Photoshop Elements 8 to CS5.
I will back up the Agility EX to the 640GB hard drive using Super Duper Smart Update, and that will be my spare boot drive.
The 4 drive RAID 0 will be backed up to the My Book Studio Edition II 2TB, using Time Machine.
In your experienced opinion, do you think that set up will be satisfactory?
The Agility EX is actually the latest generation of OCZ SSDs, and it is one of only 2 models in their "Maximum Performance" range, whereas the original Agility was only a "Mainstream" model.
The key factor is that the Agility EX uses single-level cells (SLC), instead of multi-level cells (MLC). It is second only to the Vertex EX Series in terms of performance per GB in the OCZ range of SATA 2.5" Solid State Drives.
In very recent reviews it has outperformed both the Vertex Turbo and Vertex 120GB models from the OCZ "Performance" range in most of the test benchmarks.
http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum/hardware-canucks-reviews/24507-ocz-agility- ex-60gb-ssd-review.html
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=oczagilityex&num=1
http://www.guru3d.com/article/ocz-agility-ex-ssd-60gb-review-test/3
The above are just a few of the very favourable reviews of the Agility EX SSD.
I preferred to buy a 60GB SLC, rather than a 120GB MLC, because SLCs reputedly have 10 times more life expectancy, and performance wise per GB there is no comparison.
Only time will tell if I have made the right decision!

Cloning Hdd to SSD boot drive and what happens with Music/Logic Plugins

Hi, my computer is a mid-2012 Mac Pro 12 Core
It's a great computer but I'm considering upgrading my main boot drive (WD Caviar Black 1TB HDD) to a 1tB Samsung EVO 840 SSD drive (I'm using a sonnet tempo PCI card to mount an SSD that holds audio at the moment and will add another SSD for the boot drive I'm referring to) so I just had a question - if I clone the HDD to the new SSD, what happens with things like licenses for my audio plugins, such as Native Instruments Komplete, programs by IKMultemedia. programs that use an ILOK such as Steven Slate Plugins and also, WAVES plugins? Will this info all carry across to the new SSD drive or do you think I'll need to reauthorise some things? I have all the serials etc so this shouldn't be an issue, but just wondered.
Any help would be appreciated as it feels like quite a big step in that it's my main system drive!
Thanks in advance
Sam

CCC is excellent. If it doesn't work then sure, just always have a safety net of your system that is untouched.
Also, after a clean install, CLONE it!
And then use Setup Assistant. Migration Assistant.
Clone of the system can go on sparse disk images too so you don't have to partition (should have at least one though) and you can have clone from different stages and versions: 10.9.4, without Setup Assistant, migrated, full loaded with all your apps. Multiple versions.
CCC is designed to make a working bootable copy of a system so you can move the system to another boot device like hdd and SSDs without the worry.
But I think we were talking about a system that did not see a clean install of Mountain Lion or Mavericks so it is over due for one!

Using existing 1Tb Home Folder from new SSD boot drive

So, I am completely stuck.
My plan;
Mac Pro (2008) with RAID card. 4x750Gb drives as RAID5, Home Folder is resident there at 1.25Tb.
Purchased 160Gb SSD. Performed clean install of 10.6.7 on it connected by e-SATA.
Migrated Applications. Booted into SSD; Used Advanced Users from System Preferences to point at original Home Folder on RAID.
My result ;-)
50% success but many of the sub folders in ~Library are locked with permissions. Preferences, Mail etc.
Everything is 100% OK when I boot from the original Raid (which is great as a fallback)
My hope;
That there is some way that the original Home Folder would be 100% fine when referenced from the new SSD boot drive.
£1,000,000 to the first MacWiz to help me solve this... (joking about the £1,000,000 but I would be very, very grateful indeed)
Cheers

Hi all,
I just went through a similar issue and solved it with a little persistance.
Follow these steps:
1) All you need to do is cmd + i or "get info" on the folders you want access to
2) in the bottom right of the window that pops up click the small padlock symbol
3) enter your password (the login password for you mac) to "authenticate"
4) Click the arrow by "sharing and permissions" to open that drop down
5) click the + button in the bottom left corner
6) in the new window that pops up click administrator or your specific user (both work fine)
7) when it adds that user click the "privilege" and choose Read & Write
Hey presto, when you refresh the finder window the folder will be accessilble!!!
Yay

NEW - 2.4 Westmere 8 Core, 240 SSD boot drive won't start

Brand new, out of the box 2.4 Westmere 8 Core with a 240 SSD boot drive and 12GB RAM will not boot up.
Safe mode won't work.
Boot from disk won't work.
I can't even get the DVD tray to open. I hear no chime on startup then, it goes as far as the gray apple screen then....nothing.
CrN.

Who sold you this?
You dont' get 3rd party from Apple. And who installed the OS?
Pulling the SSD would still let you boot from a DVD as long as it is your Mac's OEM.
Then you can install OS to a drive of your choice that you have on hand.
Yes, take it back.
For $2100 Mac Pro 2.8 4-core, upgrade to 3.3GHz $590, add OWC SSD $240 (120GB, usually more than enough for OS and apps, all the data goes to WD Black 1.5TB $109) and 3 x 8GB RAM (high capacity ram shows 15% boost in memory bandwidth and performance).
I strongly recommend against 2.4GHz - unless you plan a DIY to dual 3.3's - then yes. 2.4's on a PC are good for OC'ing to near 4GHz speeds so they are easy to sell.

How do I put windows on a seperate internal drive in mac pro

how do I put windows on an internal drive in mac pro (not the OSX drive)

Take out all your other drives.
Boot Windows installer DVD like Windows 8 or 7 64-bit Pro.
Install.
Not so hard.
In fact installing on another drive w/o taking out others is much much more complicated and you have to jump through a hoop. And is not even documented! And there is a forum for Boot Camp aka Windows on Mac.
Mac 101: Using Windows on your Mac via Boot Camp
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT1461
Boot Camp, Windows 8
General installation questions
What is Boot Camp 5?
Boot Camp 5 is not a release of OS X software. Rather, it is a release of the Windows Support Software (drivers). You will need to use this software on your Mac with Windows 8 or Windows 7. For more information on Boot Camp 5, see this article.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5639
Which Macs support Windows 8?
Mac Pro (Early 2009 or newer)
For more information, see this article.
What are the System Requirements for Windows 8?
Please see this article.
How can I install Windows 8 on an eligible computer?
Use the Boot Camp Assistant. The assistant will partition your internal hard drives and install Windows 8. For more information on Windows 8 installation, see the Boot Camp Installation & Setup Guide.

Installed new SSD boot drive, Time Machine won't backup

I installed a new 240 GB SSD boot drive (cloned using Super Duper) in my Mac Pro and want to use it as my startup disk. When I boot up using the new 240 SSD drive and try to start Time Machine to back it up onto a 500GB external drive it tells me it failed because the estimated backup size is over 2 TB. I suspect that Time Machine still has the last backup from my old boot drive, which was a 3TB hard drive. I go to Options and tell it not to back up any of my other hard drives but that doesn't help. So now what? How can I get rid of the last backup, which was from my 3 TB hard drive, so that I can backup a 240 GB SSD on a 500 GB external drive? Or is it another problem? Help!! Thanks!!

Problem solved, wasn't using Options/Exclude items properly.

New SSD boot drive. Confused about "Incompressible Data Rates"

Hi everyone,
My editing machine is a 2011 17" MacBook Pro with the OEM 128GB SSD. I'm getting close to filling this drive and so I was thinking of upgrading to a larger capacity and faster SSD for my boot drive. (All my media storage, caches and whatnot are stored on FW800 drives). I was looking at the OWC Mercury 6G drives. For the price, I'd love to get the 480GB Mercury Electra drive, but I see that it states that the read/write speeds are severely lessened for "Incompressible Data Rates" such as photos and video. The OWC people obviously recommend to me to buy the Extreme. Is it necessary to get the Extreme? I find that even the OEM SSD I use now allows me to run PPro CS5.5 perfectly fine. I'm not editing 4K footage or more than 2-3 camera angles (I primarly do news video production).
Thank you,
William

If you don't keep footage on the drive (and you shouldn't), then you don't need to worry about it.

Procedure for SSD boot drive in Mac Pro?

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