Some System Setup Basics?

[chadders]

OK, I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get into this UNIX things... lots to learn, I know but I'm willing to give it a whirl...

Before I really start digging deeper I have a question about system setup...

Are there any 'rule of thumb' type issues that you UNIX people use in how you set up your systems, that represent 'best practise' type issues?

Let me explain...

As an old time OS9 person I eventually after many years of 'learning by my mistakes' I realised it was good to have at least two seperate physical disks. Each disk was split into a number of partitions to facilitate ease of maintanance and recovery from serious problems.

i.e.

My current G4 has the following set up;

Disk One
OSX Partition
Applications Partition
Data Partition

Generally I tend to boot into this disk using OSX and keep all my Apps in the Applications Partition (except those that insist on being in /user/documents) and all my data is stored in various directories within the Data Partition.

Disk Two
OS9 Partition
Backup

Generally this drive is used to run OS9 in classic mode and I backup all my data from disk one daily.

I would like also to have another partition here containing a second copy of OSX but I have still not figured out how to copy it in a bootable form... but many pointers have been given me herabouts, so maybe I will be able to get this sorted soon.

With this setup, generally if I have a need to re-install the OS I can get by without having to re-install all the Apps which I could do from the original disks, but it takes a while, and my data is on two separate disks in case of HD failure.

Periodically I drop data off onto other external media as appropriate.

My question therefore is....

Would this type of setup be appropriate for a UNIX system? How do you guys have UNIX and OSX setup? How are your systems configured? And why?

I would appreciate any thoughts, observations on this as I am probably going to be purchasing a new Apple Mac soon and want to set it up to allow me as much flxibility as possible, but with an option to 'play' with UNIX a little too.

So the floor is yours.... give me some ideas... please!

[yuriwho]

It's always nice to have an extra partition with a functional system, just incase you screw yours up and you need something to boot to repair from or keep working when under a deadline. However, OS X is different from OS 9 in the dangers and issues to think about on this front.

1. If you have lots of drive space, create a second partition and make a copy of your base install to this partition. Even better if on a separate drive. If you need cocoa apps to be productive (e.g. mail.app) you should have a second OS X install. If you only need carbon and classic then OS 9 is fine for now since the main repair tools (e.g. Diskwarrior) only run under OS 9 right now.

2. Permissions on files are best handled on the boot partition under OS X, so for security reasons keep your private files under your home directory. This one is complicated to explain, trust me on it.

3. If you are learning unix for the first time, and are playing with terminal commands, there is a 100% likelihood that you will delete most of your files at some point (becomes more likely the more you think you know unix). Prepare for this by making regular backups of your data to CD or a drive that is normally not mounted on your system. Anybody remember the iTunes 2 installer fiasco? Yep, it can and will happen to you too! I've personally learned this lesson several times already ;-)

4. Given that permissions are best handled on the boot volume, do not make lots of partitions to organize your files. Make folders in your home directory. This makes backup & administration easier.

5. Do NOT try to learn unix on a computer with essential data that has not been backed up...you will loose it. It is only a matter of time.

6. If you think you have buggered your system up, try logging in as another user (you may want to create another user just for this purpose under your fresh install). If things are fine for the other user, your system is probably fine, you just have a problem with your own user preferences (located in ~/Library/)..no need to re-install, just need to find the preference problem.

7. Once you have mastered unix (& grown a beard) feel free to play around with your system as you used to treat OS 9. The difference between MacOS X with the terminal and Mac OS 9 is that the terminal is like resedit on steriods. You did know that resedit could be dangerous right?

Sorry if the above sounds pretentious, it is meant to impart hard won knowledge and only reflects my opinion on these matters.

Cheers,

Y

[chadders]

Y,

Your comments are taken as they were meant to be taken, I think, seriously!

In the past, under OS9, I have always tried to keep a relatively small boot partition for the OS and separated out the Apps and Data onto separate partitions. It now seems that under OSX it is better to have a large HD with only one partition and separate Apps and Data by the Apps and User/documents directories. This is correct yes?

A second HD, if available, should have a second OSX Base install for emergencies, when some of the 'disk tool' type apps have been sorted for OSX and copies of Data before backing up to offsite media. Correct?

I take your comments about not 'playing' with UNIX on a box with important data. I have already overwritten files with data to 'empty' files, fortunately without too much damage. So I think I shall resurrect an old Windows box and get Linux to play with 'UNIX' for now. My OSX box at the moment is too important to mess up!

Thanks for the comments Y it is these sort of insights that make it easier for us newbies to benefit from the acquired knowledge of you 'long timers'...:-)

As for the beard... no way!

[chadders]

Thanks for the tip about having a second user on the system for 'diagnostic' purposes.

However my 'kernel panik' problem actually changed the log-on screen removing all my previous log-on names and replaced them with a single 'other' name, for which none of my passwords including my root password would let me in.

I was locked at the OSX log-on screen and seemed unable to do anything. Re-installing my OS was the only option. Scary!