2 separate Sierras on one mac

Hi,
The idea:
I have mac mini witch has 2 HDDs 500Gb each. I can install two separate Sierras on each. But how do i show them at boot so a user can choose? I know about accounts but it didn't work as I would like, besides if more than one account is running, it uses so much RAM (I've got 8Gb) OS becomes very slow. Management would be easier for me as well (yes, I would have to do it twice).
The question:
Can it be done? Editing boot loader, perhaps?

Specs:
Mac mini Server (Mid 2011)
Processor 2Gz Intel Core i7

Thanks.

When starting/restarting the mini, you would need to hold "option" down as soon as you press the power button. Then you would have your boot loader options to choose from. Be sure to name the drives/setups differently, for easier identification. When you do that, the Recovery partitions, for each drive, will show up as well.

Thanks for reply.
I was thinking, whether there is an option to have a screen without holding a key? Like other OS's have, where multiple systems are installed. I wouldn't mind to experiment with command line if I knew where the boot loader is located.
Thanks.

Ok, thats above my knowledge. Good luck.

The question:
Can it be done? Editing boot loader, perhaps?

Click to expand...

What are you actually attempting to do and maybe more importantly, WHY…???

Obviously the macOS was not designed to do or run in such a manner if you wanted them running concurrently.




- Patrick
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Patrick, @apoukas is looking for a way to have the Mac start up to a boot loader screen, without having to hold any keys down.

ferrarr said:

Patrick, @apoukas is looking for a way to have the Mac start up to a boot loader screen, without having to hold any keys down.

Click to expand...

OK and thanks Bob.

That should be quite easy by just filling a rubber glove with small lead shot and then rest one of the glove's fingers in the option key to hold it down when booting the Mac.




- Patrick
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apuokas said:

Thanks for reply.
I was thinking, whether there is an option to have a screen without holding a key? Like other OS's have, where multiple systems are installed. I wouldn't mind to experiment with command line if I knew where the boot loader is located.Thanks.

Click to expand...

Take a look at reFind from Sourceforge. There are also several other EFI boot loaders you can experiment with. As far as I know, they're all free. Good luck.

What are you actually attempting to do and maybe more importantly, WHY…???

Click to expand...

Thanks ferrarr, that's exactly what I am looking for.
Thanks chscag, I'll look in to it.
pm-r, as for WHY, It may sound unnecessary (overcomplicated) but I would like to have separate system for each of my child. So they boot mac up, choose their system and use it. Again, as I've mentioned above, I've tried separate accounts, but it didn't live up to my expectations mainly due to other account's apps running in the background and eating up RAM to the point that OS becomes so slow that I have to log out of the other account. And the management, I am not experienced enough to set it up the way I like it. I hope managing (giving/restricting permissions) just one account per system would be more straight forward. I am quite new to macos, so allot of learning and experimenting is ahead.
Thanks

pm-r, as for WHY, It may sound unnecessary (overcomplicated) but I would like to have separate system for each of my child

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Hmmm… ??? It may just be easier and save you mental anguish and time to just purchase a used Mac so each child would have their own. For just a few hundred bucks it might be well worth it and let you keep your sanity.

Just a thought… and I'm sure they don't need anything like any recent Mac model. Heck, even our 2007 24" iMac sure still works well for home use and takes up very little space.




- Patrick
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- Patrick,
It is still all very much open, second mac/imac is an option. Even Win or linux or even BSD is on the cards with rEFInd . Since I am new to macos I just like to experiment a bit and see what works for me best.
Thanks for responses.

I could be off base here, but I seem to recall seeing sometime back that when setting up users you could set things so the other users apps would suspend when they were not the current user. That would make your life much easier.

that when setting up users you could set things so the other users apps would suspend when they were not the current user

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It is logical and certainly would make my life easier. But as with many things apple there in not much logic there. I bought mac on reviews not on actual experience... I wish I hadn't. I guess for someone that had been with mac always, it's different, but for ex win user it's very frustrating.
Running apps in RAM enables "hot swap" between users in Sierra (I think).
Thanks Csmac, I'll see what could I find on that.

apuokas said:

It is logical and certainly would make my life easier. But as with many things apple there in not much logic there. I bought mac on reviews not on actual experience... I wish I hadn't. I guess for someone that had been with mac always, it's different, but for ex win user it's very frustrating.
Running apps in RAM enables "hot swap" between users in Sierra (I think).
Thanks Csmac, I'll see what could I find on that.

Click to expand...

I dare say I think you need to do a lot more searching and go with the information as you did after reading some reviews, and I don't think you understand how some things work or how most resources are used in the Mac OS X world.

They may not be perfect, but I think you'll find they are better than you think.

Try googling starting with something like:
mac does having multiple current users use a lot of resources
https://www.google.ca/search?client...F-8&gfe_rd=cr&dcr=0&ei=MZPFWfmGI-ve8AfC-arYCQ

and you'll probably come up with some hits like:
Why every Mac owner should use Fast User Switching
https://www.macworld.com/article/2028311/why-every-mac-owner-should-use-fast-user-switching.html




- Patrick
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Patrick,
Thats what I was trying to say, I AM new to macos, I KNOW, things are different here from windows, and I DO searching on how things work here. The thing is, that now I have an idea how OS works, there are a lot of explanations, but almost none of solutions how to tweak it to my likening. Fore example, aforementioned [fast switching] multi user feature. It is great but eats a lot of ram when all 3 users (me and kids) are logged in. Use it and OS stalls, disable it? - but that's was one of the main reasons I went for mac in the first place.
I guess the message from me to others would be "stick with the devil you know".

apuokas said:

Patrick, It is great but eats a lot of ram when all 3 users (me and kids) are logged in.

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This suggests to me that all three of you are logged in all the time and using fast user switching to move among accounts. Is that the way you are doing things? That might be what is slowing things down a bit but I think we could modify things a bit to make that feature more useful for you. Just to get a handle on the level of computer skills involved toward working out a solution here''s a question: If the mac is on and left at the login screen would any/all of the kids understand how to log into their accounts?

Fore example, aforementioned [fast switching] multi user feature. It is great but eats a lot of ram when all 3 users (me and kids) are logged in.

Click to expand...

Hmmm…??? Maybe, but I'd sure like to see some accurate test results to verify those statements.

Use it and OS stalls, disable it? - but that's was one of the main reasons I went for mac in the first place.

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And regarding this comment, I would really suspect there is some oddball reason for such to be happening and the case is not normal.

But I don't know how or what may be different with that Mac mini you seem to be using and if the server model may do things differently:
Apple Mac mini "Core i7" 2.0 (Mid-2011/Server) Specs
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-i7-2.0-mid-2011-server-specs.html

I guess the message from me to others would be "stick with the devil you know".

Click to expand...

May I suggest you change that around to something like:
"Stick the devil with you know what and you know where."





- Patrick
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This suggests to me that all three of you are logged in all the time and using fast user switching to move among accounts

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Slydude, You're right on this.
As for a question: It's not logging in, they know how to do that. After all that's why I like to use fast user switching - for convenience! Mac is on all day (sleep at night), me and my wife use my (adult) account when kids are at school/not around, when they need access they use theirs, one, then another and then one again, and then adults use their account in between... One Mac three users/accounts. Its 21st century outside!
As I do understand it's catch 22 situation: for fast switch everything has to be loaded in to RAM. Unload it - and it's not fast switch any more... Not fast - not convenient... Not convenient - no point of using it... Arriving back to earlier suggestion of second Mac. Two Macs for kids one for adults... Three users - thee Macs... Back to the 20th century... Or is it other way round?
But there is a very good possibility, that I either do not understand or missing something.

Two Macs for kids one for adults... Three users - thee Macs... Back to the 20th century... Or is it other way round?
But there is a very good possibility, that I either do not understand or missing something.

Click to expand...

Just buy each of your kids a nice new iPhone X when they're released and sold to the public. Then you won't have to worry about them using your Mac and everyone can live nicely in the 21st Century. (The kids would love it but your wallet may not!) LOL.

If talking about phones, I'd rather buy them iPads (or other tablet) for a "smart" bit and 20th century key phones for a "phone" bit. Don't want them to carry all [two] eggs in one basket [pocket] :Blushing: At least not jet...
... And wallet [wife] might not loose much love...