I Reset my Mac trying to create a Symlink...

[Re8et]

This is just a warning to all MacUsers, that are trying to move the User folder with Reason folder within it, to an ext HD
in order to save space. My Reason folder is about 45Gb, and I can not move it, unless I create a symlink for it.

On Windows I had no problems at all. But on Mac... I tried and tried, but I kept getting errors...
folder already present, etc...

terminal ln -s 'your new Reason folder' 'your old Reason folder'

didnt' work.
So I tried moving all the User folder and create a symlink for the User folder, but the Mac refused to even copy the User folder to an ext hd, saying it needed to be downloaded????

The I found a Superuser thread that pointed to Users and groups advanced preferences, that it was possible to change the home folder location. Bingo I thought. But User folder is not in Home folder. And secondly... It reset my whole Mac preferences...

It didn't 'move' my home folder to the new location, it created a NEW home folder on the ext HD. Empty.
So now I have all my apps, everything, reset to zero. A nightmare.

I know I should have read more carefully what the setting would have done, but I just couldn't understand it would have reset
everything. I thought it would have just MOVED everything. The setting prompt said MOVE, not INITIALIZE...

So here I am. And all of this, just because Reason folder is a massive headache... like creating Symlinks on a Mac...

So please, if any DEV is reading this... Get this change default folder location feat straight once and for all on the next update/ upgrade...

And to anyone that has in mind to use the Advance users option on a Mac... be advised... It's an Initialize setting...

[Re8et]

Anyone knows how to get back all Safari favourites on the StartPage???
After reset it only shows like 20 links, instead of the infinte scroll I had before...

In the screenshot it appears all the links are still in memory, Reason forum was one of these links,
but I am unable to recreate the old look...

favourites.jpg (347.69 KiB) Viewed 903 times

I managed to add lateral view for bookmarks... So I have them back in a way... Still I do not remember how it was done that I
had them as favourites on the start page -left of the bookmarks, is the default view, limited to 20 sites...

fav2.jpg (553.11 KiB) Viewed 898 times

[Re8et]

Uff.... I lost terminal updates in the process...
I am reinstalling Xcode, home-brew, wget... everything... damn...

[robussc]

I know this doesn't help you now, but when I was recently setting up my new music Mac I plugged in a large (2TB) fast external SSD (Apple's HD prices are insane). Then I installed the OS on that drive (the internal one becoming an emergency backup) so that the User folders would also be on the external SSD. Also means if/when I want to upgrade I can just plug that drive into the new Mac and make it boot from there (in theory lol)

[Re8et]

I know this doesn't help you now, but when I was recently setting up my new music Mac I plugged in a large (2TB) fast external SSD (Apple's HD prices are insane). Then I installed the OS on that drive (the internal one becoming an emergency backup) so that the User folders would also be on the external SSD. Also means if/when I want to upgrade I can just plug that drive into the new Mac and make it boot from there (in theory lol)

Not at all!!! it helps a lot! It is a spicy idea!!! I thought it was impossible...
Given the fact I just re-set my whole Mac, and have passed the last 24hr re-setting up (almost) everything from scratch (My ext drive settings were unaltered, anyway, I don't trust Mac OS that much to let it decide where to store all my data without a good BUP for everything...) I might just do it again...
My ext Nvme is only 500mb (I didn't know if it would work when I got it so I got it small and cheap). I could upgrade to 2Tb and move the whole OS there...
I might want to study this a bit before. Basically it was a fresh install to the ext SSD right?? Or you did migrate the internal OS to the Ext drive???
Ok, I'll do my research. Tnx a lot.

[robussc]

Here’s Apple’s official guide: https://support.apple.com/en-us/111336

[Re8et]

So I finally decided to do the upgrade.
It was costly.
I got a TREBLEENT 40gbps dual Nvme Thunderbolt Gen 3 Mac mini dock, 300 bucks and a 2tb 980 Pro NVMe SSD Gen 4. NO Gen 4 Thunderbolt ext SSD docks exists.

https://www.trebleet.com/product-page/m ... er?lang=it

imported from the US, bc in Europe there are av only 10gbps max Mac mini docks with Nvme support AND very few with Thunderbird ports through. Which is not a problem if you have a Mac mini PRO with 4 Thunderbolts port but I have the base model with 256gb SD and only 2 ports.
One port is for the Audiocard MOTU Ultralite. For the same price in Europe I could find an ext dock 40gbps but not in the Mac mini form factor.
This way The ext Nvme should reach the same speeds of the internal SSD and not lose performance or cause bottlenecks.
Total cost of operation around 500 Eurs (after taxes). It should take a month for shipment to complete customs etc.
(I could later add another 2tb Nvme for Time Machine if I want bc it's dual slot, 40gbps and 10 gbps, both M.2 slot)

I could have added 500 Eur and get me a Mac mini M2 Pro with 1tb SSD.
So for everyone else thinking about getting a base Mac mini, just keep it in mind.

I have 50gigs of Reason folders, and 6 gigs left on main HD. It's not only Reason occupying Library space, it's a whole lot of Apps that fill the C drive with caches of every sort, even if I
have set User library on an Ext Drive, all Apps are on Ext Drive, and All my Data. is also on Ext Drive. (one 10Gbps USB-C 500 gig gen 2 Nvme and a 5gbps USB-C 2tb Evo Sata ,both also full to the brim)

TnX for the guide rob.

[hamsterfactor]

This page explains pros and cons of moving your home directory.
https://appleinsider.com/inside/macos-v ... os-ventura

Interestingly, none of the pages I found mention any additional difficulties should iCloud's Desktop & Documents Folders option be active.

[moneykube]

I know this doesn't help you now, but when I was recently setting up my new music Mac I plugged in a large (2TB) fast external SSD (Apple's HD prices are insane). Then I installed the OS on that drive (the internal one becoming an emergency backup) so that the User folders would also be on the external SSD. Also means if/when I want to upgrade I can just plug that drive into the new Mac and make it boot from there (in theory lol)

YES >>>> DO THIS
Doing this saved all my data (which would have been gone)> two months after I made a clone of my hard drive
"I can just plug that drive into the new Mac and make it boot from there"
Indeed you can... it is only slower when booting from an external drive.
Apple asked me once why I would do that lol> There support has really gone down hill. I get answers quicker from google> or their own web site, that maybe their support people should actually search, before reading their required script I have heard a million times before. I have used Macs longer than some of their support staff have lived on this planet.

Basically it was a fresh install to the ext SSD right?? Or you did migrate the internal OS to the Ext drive???

You do both these steps... fresh system first downloaded from apple> then migration of your files is an option after you reinstall the OS. Works for me on an intel Mac using Montery and countless earlier OS's.

This is just a warning to all MacUsers, that are trying to move the User folder with Reason folder within it, to an ext HD
in order to save space. My Reason folder is about 45Gb, and I can not move it, unless I create a symlink for it.
And to anyone that has in mind to use the Advance users option on a Mac... be advised... It's an Initialize setting...

Do you make time machine backups?
You can restore a lot of things that way....
I've been down that annoying road many , many times.
Not all data is backed up for some reason ... but the important stuff is. You can redownload what you may need.
After 3 logic boards were fried it took me two weeks to restore my system to the way it was each time it happened.
The external hard drive SSD clone is the way to go> since you can migrate your entire system and all files back to your computer.