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So I just got my first Mac. After getting everything set up just the way I wanted it I decided to install Steam. When I opened Steam it said something about not supporting case-sensitive file systems...

I did some googling and found that Steam won't be the only application that gives me this trouble. Photoshop (when I eventually install it) doesn't support case-sensitive file systems either. I'm sure there are other applications as well.

There is at least a work around for Steam, but it involves disc images and symbolic links. Not very fun. It works, but it's not very fun (and Steam is supposed to be all about fun, no?). I am not aware of any work arounds for Photoshop.

So here's my question. Can I boot into the disk utility, format the drive to be case-insensitive, and then restore from time machine? Are there any technical limitations that would prevent me from doing this? I haven't named anything like Folder 1 and folder 1 yet, so I am not aware of any collisions that would show up.

phuclv
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knpwrs
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5 Answers5

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It looks like you can restore from time machine to a case-insensitive file system from a case-sensitive one. See Apple Forums here.

I would highly recommend that you perform a total system backup using Carbon Copy Cloner.

Carbon Copy Cloner does support restoring to a case-insensitive system from a case-sensitive one - see this.

In fact, I would recommend CCC over TM, but you should use what you feel comfortable with. I would also boot to the CCC image and make sure all my stuff was there before I wiped my internal drive and did the restore. CCC makes a bootable back up (which is another reason it's awesome).

skub
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I haven't used it, but iPartition claims to be able to do nondestructive conversion between case-sensitive and case-insensitive HFS+.

Gordon Davisson
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Supposing the program you're using is just insisting on having a case-insensitive FS while your data is on a case-sensitive FS, you can sometimes get away with just mirroring the directory structure over to the case-insensitive FS, and use symbolic links for the files. This way you avoid duplicating potentially large or numerous files.

The "lndir" command from the X11 distribution for OSX does just that (in Mountain Lion this is in Xquartz, which you can get from http://xquartz.macosforge.org/landing/).

For instance, consider you want to clone Foo.app (which resides in a case-sensitive FS) to a case-insensitive FS, which we assume here to be the root filesystem, you might do something like:

$ cd $FOO_APP_BASE_DIR                       # Foo.app's parent directory
$ lndir $PWD/Foo.app /Applications/Foo.app   # clone it into /Applications

You may now open /Applications/Foo.app and it won't complain about case-sensitivity.

spa
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Maybe there's no need to reformat your case sensitive fs to run apps that require a case sensitive fs;

You can create a case insensitive disk image in the disk utility (i use a sparse bundle), then drag the application in that disk image and run it.

That allowed me to run Photoshop. I usually use a sparse bundle; There was a reason I wanted a case sensitive host fs.

24HOURSMEDIA
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Solution Can't install Photoshop on case-sensitive hard drive?

  1. Purchase and install iPartition ($70, but worth it if it's your only solution)
  2. In iPartition, do a Create Boot Disk
  3. Insert your installer disk to make a boot disk from it
  4. Insert blank DVD-R to create boot disk through iPartition
  5. Restart computer, with boot disk inserted and holding "C" key on keyboard until progress spinner thing shows at start-up
  6. iPartition should automatically load. Choose "Make Case Insensitive" from one of the drop-down menus
  7. Let it complete this process...
  8. Quit iPartition and allow computer to restart, now from your "Case Insensitive" hard drive
  9. Install Photoshop as normal
  10. Drink beer. Celebrate.
Colin Robinson
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