Showing posts with label users. Show all posts
Showing posts with label users. Show all posts
Saturday, February 4, 2017
Nexus users could get free full size backup in Google Photos
Nexus users could get free full size backup in Google Photos
Nexus users could get free full size backup in Google Photos
Google Photos already offers tremendous value thanks to its unlimited backup feature, but it could get even better, at least if you’re a Nexus user.
Right now, Google Photos gives you to backup options. The free one gives you unlimited storage, but limits image size to 16MP. This is called “High quality” mode and it means that if you back up images that are larger than 16MP, they are downsized. Google’s smart algorithms also tweak the image quality to reduce the size of the file. In most cases, the result is a slightly smaller image that’s very close to the original.The second option is “Original,” and it does what the name says. Your files are backed up without any alteration. But Original isn’t free and unlimited – images you upload in this mode count against your Drive storage quota.
In the future, Nexus users may not have to decide between original quality and unlimited storage. Android Policepeered into the innards of the latest Google Photos update and found references to unlimited original size backup.
“Unlimited free storage for original quality photos & videos uploaded from your Nexus device,” says the feature copy. It’s not clear whether this will include only images taken with Nexus devices or images taken with other devices (like a DSLR camera) and copied over to the Nexus as well. Let’s just say that, if it’s the latter, professional photographers will have a strongincentive to buy a Nexus.
For users who rely on their phones for picture taking, the change may not seem that important. The resolution of current Nexus devices is smaller than 16MP anyway. But choosing Original has the benefit of preserving the fine details of the original shot, and some people care about that.
Free full size backup could be a permanent perk of owning a Nexus or just a temporary promo. We’ll find out if and when Google makes it official!
Available link for download
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Moving OS X Users to a separate partition
Moving OS X Users to a separate partition
After considering the Alternatives for separating the OS X users home directories, I decided to use a separate partition.
While the actual procedure is not difficult, it involves several steps.
- First, well rename /Users to /UsersOld, and well create a new /Users directory that will serve as the mount-point for our new partition
- Then we have to edit the /etc/fstab to instruct OS X to automatically mount (that is, make it accessible) the new partition on /Users
- Afterward, well "move" the contents of our /UsersOld folder into its new place.
- Lastly, we might want to tweak the set-up a bit to make it look, as much as possible, as a regular installation
Mac OS X, being a Unix system, has the almighty root user. However, on OS X Snow Leopard, its disabled by default.
As well be using the root account for this procedure, check Apples support article on root if yours is not enabled.
Throughout the rest of this guide, well also be using the Terminal.
Ill be marking the commands to be typed in bold, as follows:
# echo you type this you type this #
Getting Ready
- Make sure all your users (if any) are logged-out
- Login as root
- Launch the Terminal
Renaming the /Users directory
Now well move our current /Users folder aside, so we can set-up a new one for our mount-point.# mv /Users /UsersOld #
Setting up the new /Users mount-point
Well now prepare the new /Users Mount-Point.This is as simple as creating a Folder, and setting correct ownership and permissions.
# mkdir /Users # chown root:admin /Users # chmod 755 /Users #
Identifying the Partition
Mac OS X identifies each partition by a UUID (Universal Unique Identifier).Well need the UUID to instruct OS X to automatically mount the partition in the next step, so lets gather it.
- Open Disk Utility
- Find the partition you wish to use as /Users, right-click it and select Information (or hit CmdKeyi)
- Select the value of Universal Unique Identifier, and copy it (CmdKeyc)
- Close the information window
- If the partition is mounted, right-click on it, and Unmount it
Setting up auto-mounting of /Users
Its time to instruct Mac OS X how to mount our new /Users partition.Being a Unix-based system, this can be done by editing the /etc/fstab file.
- Before editing this file, it might be wise to save a backup of the original one.
# touch /etc/fstab # cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.orig # - Launch TextEdit (or, if you are familiar with the vi text editor, you can use vifs)
# open -a TextEdit /etc/fstab # - The TextEdit window opens (probably with an empty file if you havent already edited it)
- Make sure its in plain text format (if not, select from the Format menu the "Make Plain Text" option)
- Append the following line at the end of the file:
UUID=TheValueYouCopiedAbove /Users hfs auto
After editing, your file should look similar to:UUID=84BA91DE-C37F-F13D-B5C9-FECA5184DEB7 /Users hfs auto - Save the file and Quit TextEdit
Mounting the new /Users for the first time
At this stage, our /etc/fstab file is ready, and, on the next boot, Mac OS X should be able to automatically mount our /Users partition.Lets verify that it can be mounted, as expected, on /Users.
- In Disk Utility, find the partition you designated for /Users, right-click it and select mount
- The new /Users Volume should appear in Finder (and in the Desktop if you selected that in your Finders Preferences)
As we want to keep the same level of permissions as we had before the move, well make sure file ownership is preserved.
- In Finder, locate the Users Volume, right-click on it and select Get Info (or hit CmdKeyi)
- Verify that the Ignore ownership on this volume is NOT checked.
# diskutil enableOwnership /Users #
Moving the home directories contents to the new /Users partition
With our partition mounted, and permissions properly set, its time to move all users home directories to the new partitionNote that depending on the size of your users home directories, the mv command below might take quite a while to complete
# mv /UsersOld/* /UsersOld/.[^.]* /Users/ # rmdir /UsersOld #
We can now reboot and verify the /Users is correctly mounted !
At this time, all our users home directories are in the new partition, and as we instructed OS X to mount it automatically (via the /etc/fstab file), it should be accessible just as before.
... But dont uncork the champagne yet !
Final tweaks
You wouldnt notice its been relocated, except for a couple of details:- The familiar Users folder icon has been replaced by a disk icon,
- If youve set your finder preferences to show the hard disks on the desktop, /Users is also shown there.
We can fix these two easily:
Fixing the icon
Fixing the icon is as simple as Fixing the Orange HardDisk Icons, however, instead of using the Internal.icns file, well be using the UsersFolderIcon.icns file found in /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/If you prefer, this can also be done from the Terminal, as follows:
# cp /System/Library/CoreServices/CoreTypes.bundle/Contents/Resources/UsersFolderIcon.icns /Users/.VolumeIcon.icns #
Hiding the /Users icon
If you dont want the Users Volume to appear as a separate one (eg. on the Desktop, or finders sidebar), well append an option to the line we added in /etc/fstab.The option is nobrowse, and well add it immediately after auto, separated by a comma.
- Launch TextEdit (or, if you are familiar with the vi text editor, you can use vifs)
# open -a TextEdit /etc/fstab # - The TextEdit window opens with contents similar to this: UUID=84BA91DE-C37F-F13D-B5C9-FECA5184DEB7 /Users hfs auto
- Change auto so it reads auto,nobrowse, as follows: UUID=84BA91DE-C37F-F13D-B5C9-FECA5184DEB7 /Users hfs auto,nobrowse
- Save the file and Quit TextEdit
Caveats (Update 15-Nov-2010):
There are a couple of side-effects to hiding the /Users folder that make this a less-than-optimal solution:
- Browsing /Users over the network is complicated
- It will be hidden in the Time Machine "space" interface too, so its tricky to restore files or folders.
Showing hidden files is a way around this, but it clutters all Finder windows, and restores the /Users desktop icon (Defeating the purpose of nobrowse).
I can live with that /Users icon on my Desktop !
Now... Wheres that champagne !
Available link for download
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