/Applications

[ellman121]

In my rig I have a 60 GB SSD for just the system, and user accounts and stuff. I would like for the /Applications folder to be on that HDD. Is there a way I can create a symbolic link to /volumes/Applications in the /Applications folder on the root drive? Ideally I want apps from the Lion app store to install to the 500 GB disk instead of my 60 GB SSD.

 

[flatfoot]

I guess you know lnx2mac's guide to move /Users to another drive: http://lnx2mac.blogspot.com/2010/09/moving-os-x-users-to-separate-partition.html

Probably that would work with /Applications as well, but you better check back with lnx2mac and ask him for his opinion.

 

[JohnnyMac2001]

In my rig I have a 60 GB SSD for just the system, and user accounts and stuff. I would like for the /Applications folder to be on that HDD. Is there a way I can create a symbolic link to /volumes/Applications in the /Applications folder on the root drive? Ideally I want apps from the Lion app store to install to the 500 GB disk instead of my 60 GB SSD.

I have a folder named Applications 2 (about 24GB) on a second HDD. I move or install programs to this drive as well as moving my iTunes and iPhoto library to it. I have added this folder to the favorites sidebar and also added it to the dock.
I keep programs I use a lot in the original Applications folder such as Adobe CS3 and Microsoft Office on my 60GB SSD drive. I find the Adobe files are much quicker on the SSD drive. I leave programs that are Apple in this folder (about 9GB) so updates work with no issue.

 

[Lnx2Mac]

I guess you know lnx2mac's guide to move /Users to another drive: http://lnx2mac.blogspot.com/2010/09/moving-os-x-users-to-separate-partition.html

Probably that would work with /Applications as well, but you better check back with lnx2mac and ask him for his opinion.

It should be doable following a similar method...

 

[dsabecky]

Boot into single user mode (boot flags: -s) and mount your hard drives (once you boot into single user mode, it will tell you the fsck and mount commands to run).

Now that you're in single user mode, type the following command to move your applications folder to your HDD from your SSD:

mv /Applications /Volumes/PUT YOUR HDD VOLUME NAME HERE/Applications

Now that you've moved your Applications folder to a separate drive, you'll have to create a symbolic link so your OS knows where your moved Applications folder is. Run the following command:

ln -s /Volumes/PUT YOUR HDD VOLUME NAME HERE/Applications /Applications

Now you can type exit, reboot, or shutdown and start using OS X again.

 

[ellman121]

Thanks everybody, I got it with lnx2mac's guide. Thanks!

 

[Lnx2Mac]

Thanks everybody, I got it with lnx2mac's guide. Thanks!

 

[soundman2]

hello,
did the same way as makeing a symbolic link.
now my iphoto & iMovie refuse to update ...

any one got solution for this ?

Meiron.

 

[jwballan]

Hi,

I followed your directions for moving /Users to a separate partion for both /Users and /Applications. The issue I've run into
is that when I try to access Install OS X Mountain Lion, either by trying to run it or via Unibeast or Xmove I get the message
that it is not downloaded and must be downloaded from the apps store. When I moved /Applications back to the system (/)
drive, re downloaded it the message didn't appear. Is there something additional that must be done to get this file system to
work correctly when it is on a separate partition?


Thanks