No more CD-RW confusion!

[Audone]

Well, I spent so much time researching burners, and ended up buying a new machine instead!! I've got a 500Mhz iMac on order, that should be here early next week, and it has it's own burner!

While I'm truly excited at the prospect of my new toy, I'm quite apprehensive about all that needs to be done, to get it to the stage where I'm happy with it. It has a 20GB drive that is not partitioned, even though it comes with OS X and 9.2 installed. And he says there's no need to partition! Now, from all I've read, I'd be a fool not to partition......so I'll do the dirty deed right off the bat and save myself some grief further down the road!

And I'm going to try and network the new and the old, to transfer files with a crossover cable......that could be an exercise in total frustration, ending likely in insanity, but try it I will!!

I'm sure I'll have a million questions (my mom always told me not to exaggerate, so I'm not!), and will be looking or a little help!! ;)

[Buzz]

Well Congratulations!!!!!

It's not mandatory to partition. However, to partition you have to wipe a drive clean so it's generally best to do it right at the beginning. Backing up 20gigs so you can partition later can be a nightmare.

As for the network.... nothign could be easier. Just plug an RJ45 crossover cable into the ethernet ports and set apple talk on both iMac to use Ethernet for the networks.... voila!

Congratulations again Audrey.

[Audone]

Gee whiz Scott! If I'd have known it was that easy, I might have got some sleep last night!!

Because I don't run any graphic-heavy apps, what would you suggest for partitions on the 20 GB?

[Buzz]

No graphics apps.... You can probably get away with 5-6gb for the OS and all your applications. And the remaining 115-14gb for your files.

If you want to keep OSX on it, you might want to split the drive in half 10gb for each OS.

I've got a couple of bigger drives, but generally I use a 10gig partition for my OS and application. I also use a lot of large, heavy graphics apps though.

[Audone]

I think I'll try the 10 and 10. So when I install the OS, do I put 9.2 in one and X in the other? And then where do I keep all my files.....probably with 9.2 right? Or is there some "crossover" between partitions?

[Steven.Bentley]

I've got both 9.2 and X on the one partition and I'm regretting it because you can't choose which one you boot on the fly by holding option(alt) during boot, which you can if you put them on seperate partitions, but that said I only venture into 9 very rarely - last time was when I wanted to send a fax as I don't have any X compatible fax software.

[Audone]

Hi Steven!! It's going to take me so long to get comfortable with X that I think I'm going to wipe the drive right off the bat and partition. I'm really looking forward to learning, but don't expect it'll be a walk in the park!

[Steven.Bentley]

I didn't find X that difficult to get to grips with, sure it's moved a lot of stuff around but they're in fairly obvious places, I hate having to go back into 9 now :)

I'm finding that I'm using the Terminal a lot more than I ever though I would - but if you don't want/need that kind of complexity there's no need to use it, on a day to day basis there's nothing that you can't do with a mouse :)

[Audone]

Do you happen to know, Steven, whether Disk Warrior and TechTool Pro are X-compatible ? I hate the thought of being without my utilities, although I also use Norton Systemworks, and it appears to be okay.

[Buzz]

Well I've got 4 partitions.. 9.2.2 on one, X.1.1 on another and I still can't use the option to quick choose the boot volume. It may be you system Steven. it's mine for sure. I've got other systems that quick boot from both on the same partition and on separate partitions.

I can't comment on TTP and DW, Audrey. I'm a die hard NU user and have never found the need for 3 tools that do the same thing.

[Audone]

I use TTP infrequently, but would rather live without heat than without DW!! It's saved me from so many nightmares! I sometimes run into problems after I use Norton, and end up having to run DW to rebuild the directory. Mind you, Norton does alot of things well for me too, and I do run a monthly maintenance schedule so things never get too far out of hand.