[Nobody]

OK so I bolloxed up my OS X Partition and ended up with a too small (5 GB) X partition on my 40 GB HD.

Since I plan on an upgrade to 10.1 and simultaneously installing SuSE linux soon, I think i may as well just reformat.

I'd prefer not to limit my OS10.1 partition any more than necessary as I have experienced how fast it can grow with the addition of X-Windows etc.

Does OS 10.1 need to be in the first 8 MB? does it still have to be in the first partition? What are the limitations you have encountered? Can you install it into a partition of any size?

Appreciate any advice on whatever convoluted configs worked best for y'all.

iMacDV G3 400 320 MB ram

[Nobody]

If you plan to install OS 9, it needs to be in the first partition.

That said, you can set up a three-partition scheme (OS 9, OS X, Linux) rather easily using the Drive Setup utility that is found on the OS X or OS 9 full install discs, or, in the alternative, the Software Install disc that shipped with your Mac.

From Drive Setup, you can configure the different file systems used by each partition, as well. For the OS 9 and OS X partition, make sure you select Mac Extended. For the Linux partition, I believe there are a few Linux options to choose from.

With respect to size, it all depends on what you use each OS for. The bare minimums in my own opinion are as follows:

OS 9 : 1.2 gb
OS X : 10 gb

Drive Setup will let you move the sizes any which way you like. Be careful of moving the size dialog box and getting stuck with "free" or "unused space." Make sure all of your hard drive is used.

Good luck,
ps

[Nobody]

The only issue I'm aware of involving OS X and partitions is that some applications won't function properly if they are not installed on the same volume. It is particularly true of applications that rely on the system clock, such as calendar apps.

Personally, I've six volumes on my 30G drive. One for OS X, another for a swapfile/scratch disk, one for Classic (bare bones OS 9.2.1), temp files such as downloads and caches, OS 9.1, and back up files.

[Nobody]

Thank you peoples,

I do hope that first partition / first 8 GB limitation is gone

Anyone else care to share partition details/size/order/type I'm all ears partic if you are running Linux, VPC and, various webservers.....

Thanks

[Nobody]

Basically I like a 3 partition set up.

Partition 1: 9.2.1
Partition 2: 10.1
Partition 3: Swap Disk for 10.1

A seperate partition swap disk is important for speed increase.

NOTE: Some people also have another partition for downloads, application installers, etc. That way if you want to clean install a system you have want saved.

[Nobody]

Please explain what a swap disk is for.

Thanks!
peter

[Nobody]

A swap disk is used for virtual memory. You can find more at the excellent site Resexcellence URL:
blank>http://www.resexcellence.com/hackhtml_01/09-14.01.html

not for the feint of heart really, so if you don't feel comfortable - don't do it! This article will at least be able to explain it to you.

[Nobody]

quote:

---

I do hope that first partition / first 8 GB limitation is gone

---

I understand that the 8 gig requirement is only on earlier G3s such as the beige one I have at work. I had a heck of a time (still not running on my internal drive) getting 10.0 on my internal, until I partitioned it down below 8 gigs.

OTOT: my G4 at home is running on a 10 gig internal with no problem at all.

[Nobody]

Thanks folks

I wonder how many more intriguing partion schemes there are out there?!

Any one with VPC - Linux etc - on other volumes?

[Nobody]

Well, I've partitioned the admittedly moderate 10gb on my ice book as:
4gb OS X
650Mb Os 9
3gb users
1.75gb free
(Hmmm. I just noticed that that doesn't add up to 10. strange...)
I haven't actually tried booting os 9, but for classic mode it works quite happily in partition #2. Moving the users folder over to a different partition involved a small hiccup (there's a thread on the topic elsewhere...) and I still may want to install Linux on the free partition. Though as I was thinking about it, the linux installers generally seem to edit your firmware and I wasn't sure how reversible that would be... For now, figuring OS X out seems to be enough fun, and if I can do everything I want to with it, I may not bother with linux...

[Nobody]

>>>I wonder how many more intriguing partion schemes there are out there?!<<<<

As many as there are computers, probably......

Mine is as follows:

20GB boot drive
5GB = 10.1
3GB = bare 9.2.1 OS, only for classic environment
12GB = OS 9.2.1 + all OS 9 apps

20GB second drive
10GB = back-up drive for OS 9.2.1 and all apps
5GB = downloads, trial apps ect
5GB = documents, movies, ect

20GB 3rd drive
15 GB Desktop Publishing scratch disk
5GB OS X swap file (VM)

6GB 4th drive
maintenance & repair apps/utilities

[Nobody]

Any tips on partitioning for a G4 with 2 hard drives? I'll want OS 9, OS X, possibly OS X Server.

[Nobody]

Thanks again all,

It's interesting to see others ideas of how much certain partitions might grow to.

My experience has been - one day you find that OS9 boot or OSX boot partition is too small. That's the downside of partitions i guess - either too much or too little to something or other.
I guess there's always soft links but...

Lotman --- enlightening to see what someone does when they have a lot of space and drives. I tend to be a packrat rather than a minimalist so i took note of your 15 GB desktop pub files!

Again, 5 GB for VM is definitely food for thought:
I read this on resexcellence.com:

"If only one swapfile file has been created, then your partition will be adequate at 80 Meg. If you see, however, that your system is almost out of RAM ...the swapfile partition will need to be enlarged (in 80 meg increments) .. If you have adequate drive space and have not yet used MacOS X to obtain a feel for whether the system is paging out, a default setting of 500 meg is more than sufficient."

I also thought I read somewhere - can't remember where - that 1.5 GB is the max usable by a swapfile though I don't know why that would be.

As far as other bootable partitions I've been able to use other bootable stripped OS 9 partitions on this iMacDV 400 outside of the first 8 GB, phew!

Anyway almost everything is backed up on to a Firewire HD & I go ahead and repartition this week as i clean install 10.1 & SuSE linux - fingers crossed.

I was also curious about what one poster said about linux installers editing your firmware! Hmmm.

[pigeon]

Hi!

I'm preparing to make the switch from 9.2 to X. I have a '99 iMac DV, 400 Mhz, 256 MB ram, 8 Gig hard disk (I know, pathetic) from the first "fruit flavor" line.

Since I have a measly 8 Gig hard disk, how should I partition this? (include swap disk and virtual memory- I currently have that set to 193 MB) I will be running Photoshop 5 in Classic. (later on when I come into extra money (ha) I want to buy a new full version OSX native)

Besides obviously backing up everything, what other preparations do I need to make?

Thanks!