[dbergstrom]

I have 2 partitions in my QuickSilver - 60GB drive on the standard ATA/66 bus, and a 160GB RAID run from an SIIG hardware RAID card. The 60GB drive is the root volume, and my Users data is on the RAID.

I installed Jaguar and did all of the little tricks to get the OS to recognize the correct placement of my Users folder. The problem is, when I log in, the computer cannot find my Users folder!

Here's what happens:
1) Log in
2) Login window takes a long time to log me in
3) I am logged in with a generic dock. I get an error message that my home directory could not be found in the usual place.
4) Then, my RAID array shows up in the sidebar.
5) Now the system knows where my home directory is: shortcuts in sidebar work, Mail works, my Safari bookmarks are correct.
6) Dock preferences get overwritten every time I log in.

If I then use fast user switching to log in my wife, she logs in fine. If I then log myself out, and log in again, everything is fine. If I log both me and my wife out and log in again, the problem recurs.

The problem is either a generic one, that has to do with having my Users folder on a different partition. If so, lots of other people should have the same problem.

Otherwise, it could be a problem with the SIIG RAID card, and under Panther my RAID array is not mounting immediately.

Any other users having this problem? Any suggestions? Problem persists after 2 clean installs on my root drive.

- Don

[romeosc]

Have you tried to use an Alias of users folder?

[dbergstrom]

I have taken all the correct steps to point the OS to my Users folder (it is through an alias).

The alias works, once my RAID array is mounted. The problem is that there is a delay with the mount.

[Sarc]

I suggest you contact Mike Bombich on the matter,

in his site (http://www.bombich.com/mactips/) he describes how to work with User's Homes on other partitions, he seems like a knowledgeable person.

[Brass]

Originally posted by dbergstrom:
I have taken all the correct steps to point the OS to my Users folder (it is through an alias).

The alias works, once my RAID array is mounted. The problem is that there is a delay with the mount.

Using an alias is probably not the best way to go, as Unix utilities do not know how to follow an alias. You could try to use a symbolic link (similar to an alias) which all parts of the OS can understand.

The recommended way to change the location of home directories is to use NetInfo Manager, not to move the entire /Users directory. However, I understand that it would be easier to move one /Users directory than to recofigure several accounts in NetInfo.

[dbergstrom]

I've got a symbolic link set up, too. If I change things in NetInfo I get really hosed, because with the disk mounting late, it mounts at /Volumes/disk_name 1 rather than /Volumes/disk.

[awe]

You have to use "NetInfo Manager" (comes with MacOS X and resides in Applications/Utilities) to set the location of each users home directory.

1. Log in as root or as a user that you don't want to edit.
2. Open NetInfo Manager.
3. Click the lock at the bottom of the window to allow changes.
4. At the upper part of the window is a column view. The second column should display a list of items. Click on "users".
5. The third column will display the list of users. Locate the entry of the user you want to edit. Click the name of the user you want to change.
6. The box below the column view should display property/value pairs for the selected user. Locate the "home" property. Click on the "value" that belongs to the "home" property.
7. Enter the path to your user directory like "/Volumes/my_partition_name/path_on_partition_to_my_user_directory" (replace "my_partition_name" with the name of your drive and "path_on_partition_to_my_user_directory" with the path on this drive to your user directory.
8. Click on the lock at the bottom of the window to save your changes.