Create Hybrid Drive (& iOS back up files)

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Create Hybrid Drive (& iOS back up files)

Hi folks,

In order to avoid too much detail, the essence of this question is - can I create what Apple used to call a Hybrid drive using external storage?

Now my reasons for asking:

My late 2012 iMac is nearing its end and due for replacement. This iMac has a 1TB HDD drive with Just over 600 GB of data on it, all backed up by Time machine. Obviously transferring this to a modern machine (256 / 512 GB) is going to cause storage issues. (not keen on the cost of upgrading to a 1TB SSD drive) By shifting out various functions (music, photos etc) to an external drive, I can get this below 250 GB. This means I can do the initial transfer.

But I like to back up my iOS devices occasionally to the iMac rather than the Cloud to get a complete Backup. This means that (with the multiple iPhones pods and pads that my family own) I have about 100 GB of iOS files to remove in the first instance and will be unable to put these back without busting the available storage. (or if I do go 512 - using a lot of it up) I also do not want to be running nearly full storage from day 1 either.

I intend to keep Music and Photos on an external drive so the detailed questions are:

Can I also keep the iOS backups on the external drive? (and if so how do I set Finder to send them there automatically?)

Or Can I use the external drive in the same way the old Fusion drives used to work and if so ... How?

Sorry this is a bit involved but felt the background was probably important.

Any ideas gratefully received

Many thanks,

David.

iMac (24-inch, M1, 2021, 2 ports)

Posted on Jan 24, 2023 07:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Old Toad

Level 10

214,296 points

Jan 24, 2023 10:41 AM in response to David Gee1

My iPhone backups are stored on one of my external SSDs. Honestly, I don't know how I got them there but they've been there for several systems now - at least 3 or 4.

I must have followed these instructions: How to Back Up Your iPhone to an External Hard Drive

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Answer 2

Owl-53

Level 10

100,219 points

Jan 24, 2023 08:17 AM in response to David Gee1

AFAIK and maybe corrected - iOS Backups can not be directed to a location other than the Designed Location by Apple

Meaning, iOS Backups will be located >>

link below

Locate backups of your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Once they are found, that can be Copied to any destination the user desires.

Though, to access the Data in the IOS Backups will required moving back into the Original Location of the Internal Drive

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Answer 3

David Gee1 Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 24, 2023 08:47 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks, That definitely moves things forwards...

So I can't move the backups themselves. That is clear... But those folders are hidden in the "Users" directory, so Logic dictates that If I can some how offload that to an external drive (leaving "Applications", "Library" and "System" where they are, that should do the trick ?

But how to achieve this?

This, I think was how the Hybrid dive originally worked, The system and application elements were on the SSD portion and the day to day files were held on the HDD portion. If I can replicate that, then I can replace my old iMac. Otherwise I'm stuck nursing it for as long as I can.

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Answer 4

David Gee1 Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 24, 2023 02:23 PM in response to Old Toad

Many thanks Old Toad.

I see the article is only a few months old, so hopefully it should still work now I can bite the bullet and empty out my piggy bank. (looking like a mini and monitor rather than an iMac now in order to get M2)

With Music, Movies and Photos on their own drive, getting the iOS backups off too should mean that everything else can stay internally.

Best,

David.

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Answer 5

Old Toad

Level 10

214,296 points

Jan 24, 2023 02:42 PM in response to David Gee1

If you're going to get a Mini I strongly suggest that you get the max RAM, 16 GB, and a 1 TB SSD. It'll be faster than any external SSD you can get. The higher end Mini with the same RAM and drive is the same price as the entry level Mini with those specs. But you'll get the faster CPU.

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Answer 6

David Gee1 Author

Level 1

108 points

Jan 25, 2023 02:02 AM in response to Old Toad

The difference was put aside for a decent screen, webcam etc, (I can reuse the keyboard and trackpad) But I do take your point and will seriously consider just how much I "can" justify

Thanks for your help.

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