[butchfoote]

We recently added a G5 iMac to our home computer menagerie.

In order to get it on the same starting point as the iMac FlatPanel it replaced as my main system, we took advantage of the 'firewire' computer to computer system copy.

It took about 40 minutes to bring over everything from the iMac FP.

I then updated the new G5 iMac to Tiger 10.4.4.

When I look at the main hard drive of the G5 iMac, there are two system folders. One called System and on called System Folder (from Old Mac).

The System folder has nothing in it but a very large (1.5Gb) Library folder. Most of the items in that folder are dated about a week ago.

The System folder (from Old Mac) looks like its a Classic folder.

I have a couple of questions:

Where is the Tiger System software?

Can I get rid of the System folder (from Old Mac)? It's 280Mb.

Thanks for any advice.

[cybergoober]

"System Folder (from Old Mac)" is, like the name says, the System Folder from the old Mac. Keep in mind that this is the Classic System Folder, for running Classic apps. I'm assuming you used the Migration Assistant with the "Files and folders from Macintosh HD" selection checked.

As to whether or not you can get rid of it... Do you use any Classic apps? EVER? If so, you should not get rid of it.

[analogika]

The folder called "System Folder (from Old Mac)" is your old OS 9 that is used for Classic compatibility.

You can trash it if you don't need Classic any longer.

The folder called "System" is part of OS X and contains, within its Library, vital extensions, caches, and Core Services such as the Finder, the Dock, etc.

The actual Tiger System software is the kernel, which lives a hidden life directly on the top level of your hard drive (/) as /mach_kernel and /mach.sym, with vital support files in hidden folders at the uppermost level of your hard drive called /bin, /cores, /private, and /sbin. All drives are mounted within a point in your filesystem at /Volumes/the_name_of_the_drive. These folders are hidden because you really, really don't want to touch them, nor even bother looking at them.

The /System/Library folder is one you occasionally need to see, because that's where things like printers or audio drivers are installed, but you never touch.

The /Library folder is where plugins that are to be used by all users on the machine are installed, such as Internet plug-ins, audio loops and effects plug-ins, etc.

The Library folder in your home directory performs many of the same functions, but those affect only the user in whose Library folder the plug-ins are installed.

Those folders are vital for system operation, and they need to stay exactly where they are.