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Tomahawk · Nov 3, 2001, 11:04 PM

Figured I'd post a couple of thoughts I had.

First, in the classic preference panel why can't we select which OS 9 System we would like to load for classic. We can select it for startup disk in both OS 9 and X, am I just not seeing something? I would think this could be easy and I can use a smaller OS to load Classic much faster without more partitions on my drive then.

Second, just a thought. What if iPod could be used as part of the OS X login process. Here is what I'm thinking. I have my laptop at home, all my apps, my preferences, my files, etc... We have computers on my university campus with OS X with separate preferences, files, and apps. What if I could walk up to a university computer, attach my iPod, and log in. As the system is starting it pulls my prefs off my iPod and allows me access to all my personal apps that the school doesn't provide, etc. Kind of like NetBoot but the iPod acts as the server? Now rather than take my laptop (an advantage many students don't have) to campus I could carry my iPod, listen to MP3s during breaks, and plug in to a desktop anywhere in the world and have all my settings, etc.

Just a thought but if set up right you'd have a heck of a time keeping me away from one.

benh57 · Nov 3, 2001, 11:29 PM

Originally posted by Tomahawk:
<STRONG>
Second, just a thought. What if iPod could be used as part of the OS X login process. Here is what I'm thinking. I have my laptop at home, all my apps, my preferences, my files, etc... We have computers on my university campus with OS X with separate preferences, files, and apps. What if I could walk up to a university computer, attach my iPod, and log in. As the system is starting it pulls my prefs off my
</STRONG>

This could work:

Using netinfo manager, set your home directory to a folder on the iPod volume.

Then when you log in you will get all your prefs and such from the iPod.

Of course, logging in with no iPod attached might cause bad things to happen...

-Ben

sumsugar · Nov 3, 2001, 11:48 PM

I can select from 3 different OS9 startup volumes in my prefs. I have set up a slimmed down, another for some scanner stuff and the other being my full blown OS9. Any volume or partition with a valid OS9 system folder can be booted into classic. You may have to reinstall a slim 9 system folder though just to create one that OSX recognizes. I do remember simply copying an existing system folder and it remained greyed out in the prefs pane until i reinstalled.

BTW: I partitioned as follows and have had significant performance boost as well as an easily maintained disk.
30 Gig Drive/5 partitions

8 Gig OSX
500 Meg Classic/Slim OS9 Folder
500 Meg Swap File for OSX
8 Gig OS9
13 Gig Misc./Media/MP3's/Photos/

Tomahawk · Nov 3, 2001, 11:56 PM

Just think it would be great as a built in feature, OS X, now iPod aware! No risk if it isn't there, works if it is, etc..

Tomahawk · Nov 3, 2001, 11:59 PM

I have two different system folders for OS 9. Both startup panels allow me to select any of my three systems. However, in the Classic panel it only allows me to select my startup volume, not the specific OS I would like. I can make it work but it isn't as efficient as simply selecting which OS 9 system to run classic from in the classic preferences.

Angus_D · Nov 4, 2001, 06:51 AM

Originally posted by Tomahawk:
<STRONG>I have two different system folders for OS 9. Both startup panels allow me to select any of my three systems. However, in the Classic panel it only allows me to select my startup volume, not the specific OS I would like. I can make it work but it isn't as efficient as simply selecting which OS 9 system to run classic from in the classic preferences.</STRONG>

Well, it should work. Are they all running >=9.1? To be used by classic, they have to be >=9.1, but you can select <9.1 in Startup Disk, of course.

michaelb · Nov 4, 2001, 07:22 AM

Just going back to sumsugar's post:

I noticed you've got your swap file on the same physical volume as Mac OS X itself.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the true value of using a swap file derived from having it on a different physical volume so that when Mac OS X hits its virtual memory ceiling it isn't waiting for the latency of a drive head moving on the same volume as the system?

In other words, there's still only one physical drive head on a multiply partitioned drive, so is the trouble of setting up a swap file here worth it?

Other than that, I've got a similar set up myself:

apps
docs
movs
xena

(A prize for guessing which has X on it!)

Tomahawk · Nov 4, 2001, 12:39 PM

Both OS 9 versions are 9.2 but they are on the same partition. I don't see anything for the Classic startup that lets you select the system folder, only the partition you want to use.

If the setup is just wrong fine but I don't see why it can't be made to work this way too. I've started classic off either system it is just a pain to get it to load the one you want.

I'm still more interested in the iPod setup built in. Would this work easily now and if so why not market this to students and travelers more. You're still going to need a laptop for many things if you travel but I would carry an iPod too for many of those features and to lessen my load at times.