a brief departure from videogaming
A way to get Adobe CS3 installed and running on a case-sensitive boot drive in OS X Leopard.
Long story short:
You need to use Disk Utility on the OS X install disk for a lot of this. Backup your data because this process wipes your drives.
1. Format external drive as case-insensitive GUID partition.
2. Install OS X Leopard and CS3.
DON'T LAUNCH CS3
3. Format internal boot drive case-sensitive GUID partition.
4. Install OS X Leopard.
5. At end of OS X install, MIGRATE all data from external drive to internal drive.
6. On internal drive, create case-insensitive DMG disk image.
7. Copy just the CS3 apps to the disk image.
8. Done.
Pros: it works.
Cons: formatting is a drag.
Bags of scumYou need to use Disk Utility on the OS X install disk for a lot of this. Backup your data because this process wipes your drives.
1. Format external drive as case-insensitive GUID partition.
2. Install OS X Leopard and CS3.
DON'T LAUNCH CS3
3. Format internal boot drive case-sensitive GUID partition.
4. Install OS X Leopard.
5. At end of OS X install, MIGRATE all data from external drive to internal drive.
6. On internal drive, create case-insensitive DMG disk image.
7. Copy just the CS3 apps to the disk image.
8. Done.
Pros: it works.
Cons: formatting is a drag.
As a Mac-based web developer, I need to have my Mac boot from a case-sensitive drive so I can run MySQL and other dazzling Unix things like PHP and Perl. I also need the latest Adobe software to do my design work. But the Adobe installer won't even try to install to a case-sensitive drive. It gives you a warning about how "The people that work at Adobe are money-grubbing scumbags (error -FU2)" (or something like that).
The good old days
Back in CS2, you could install the software on a case-insensitive DMG disk image and run your Adobe software from that. It was weird, but it worked fine. It worked because _all_ the software went into the Applications folder on the case-insensitive DMG disk image. Now, with CS3, some goes in the Applications folder, and some goes in the Library and System folders. The problem is, my Library and System folders have to be on a case-sensitive drive.
The quest begins
I found a couple things on Google about how to do this. This guy got Photoshop to run right on the case-sensitive drive. Another guy was able to create a new, case-insensitive partition on his hard drive, installed Leopard on that partition, installed Adobe CS3, and then manually copied all the files from Applications, Library, and System over to his case-sensitive partition. What balls on this guy, eh? I tried it and felt my manhood shrink to nothing because it totally didn't work.
There be dragons
But, this guy gave me an idea which I combined with something I'd noticed while reformatting my drive to get rid of the goddamn case-insensitive partition. I formatted another drive (actually it was my 30GB iPod) as a case-insensitive GUID partition, then I installed Leopard and CS3. DO NOT LAUNCH CS3 YET. Then I formatted my boot drive (back up first, duh) as a case-sensitive GUID partition and installed Leopard. At the end of the install sequence, OS X Leopard asks you if you want to migrate a system and files from another drive. In fact, I do!
Roma Migrator!
I migrate my info from the case-insensitive 30GB iPod to my case-sensitive boot drive in my laptop. STILL DO NOT LAUNCH CS3 YET. I then make a 6GB case-insensitive DMG disk image with Disk Utility, also on my case-sensitive boot drive. I copy _just_ the Adobe application folders to this disk image. NOW LAUNCH CS3 apps from the disk image. I authenticate, activate, and it freaking works!
Photoshop gives me a weird warning about how the application has moved, and it needs to repair some settings. I click "Repair Now" and the app launches fine. I get this every time I start Photoshop though. If I find a fix for this I'll update this posting. I'm also not able to update the software on the disk image. I have to update the software by booting from the iPod (yes that works), update the Adobe software there, then copy it to the DMG disk image. Really fun. Yeah, great fun.Adobe scumbags.
2 comments:
I almost have it working, but it keeps giving me an error about licensing being screwed up. I installed with a valid/legal serial number. Any suggestions?
Hi John, have you ever used this serial number on any other machines? I had to call Adobe and tell them I was installing CS3 on my tower and my laptop (the license says you get two installs). There could also be an issue if you're upgrading from CS2 (or whatever) about the number of installs.
If it's not that, it sounds like the app is looking at your virtual disk for the serial number, when it should be looking at your boot disk. This happened to me when I launched any CS3 app before I finished this entire process. That first launch made the app look in the wrong place for the boot disk.
If that isn't it, there may be something in one of the preference files that was capitalized incorrectly (by Adobe, 'natch). See here for a lead on dealing with this if you didn't already click it in my main entry.
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