OSX will give You problems if anything that has to do with max and Your project is spread on different user accounts. That's because of user privileges. If You make everything local to one user, which also has admin rights, it would be a good starting point. Maybe the freezes have nothing to do with this, but it's worth to mention.

Ok, thanks. User privileges are one of those things that, to me, sound simple but sometimes go a bit weird on the rare occasions I need to deal with them. I'll see how google and I go, but I may be back with questions.

I'll be glad to help, and please don't hesitate to ask. I also separate music - live performing system from the rest, but do it by using trimmed down system on separate partition. Important thing is to use same user-admin account name on all systems, so that all internal and external HDs can be used by all accounts. That works well even if one has several generations of OS.

Well, if your approach is reliable I'll be VERY interested in it... after I survive this Saturday's gig! :-)

OK, I'm back into this now. :-)

So you have a couple of partitions, each with its own system, and you choose which startup disk to use depending on whether you're doing a live performance or not...?

Yes, but it is a bit more complicated ... I keep internal HD of my MacBooks at oldest possible OS. I use 10.6.8 really trimmed down for Live Performance. Next is a bit larger 10.6.8 system for music production, max programming etc 10.8.5 also trimmed down for mail, internet, graphics , 10.11.6 for from time to time excursion if I need some app that otherwise would not run on older OS. On all of them spotlight, timemachine, all social shit, all iAPPs, unneeded services etc are removed. No sleepimage, no logging of any kind. And one Big Partition for all Apps that can be shared Samples, big plugins & data. In addition I use external HDs with various systems for testing etc ,including Windows 8 & 10. Such setup allows me to be flexible when travelling. the 4 systems mentioned above use 20 gb for 10.6, 30 GB for 10.8 & 10.11 each . And there is a plenty of space left. Cloning - restoring such OS takes just few minutes. I can start my live system off 10 gb SD card even if HD dies. ------------ Than there is a Hackintosh ... that is another long setup story...

Ahh... right. So, a BIG bit more complicated! :-) After figuring out more precisely what I need to ask I'll - as Arnold Schwarzenegger famously said - be back.

(Many many distractions later...) Your last post triggered quite a bit of thought, investigation and consideration of possibilities. Apple are becoming even more annoying and expensive, a friend wants to help with a Hackintosh, etc. etc. So I'll need to really think about what's best to do.

I may end up with... (1) my 2012 Mac mini for day-to-day stuff (including Logic and Max) with slightly stripped-down 10.11.6 (which is required for Max 8) (2) a rack-mounted (or even a NUC) Win10 PC or 10.11.6 Hackintosh for gigs using only Max, and stripped right down.

I'll need help with that, and some time and effort, so for the next gig (the last one for a while) I'll just use my normal single partition and single account again.

BTW, you must be doing some really interesting stuff with a setup like that!

I think it all depends what Your future plans for stage setup are. I have frozen my Live gear 8 Years ago, and use 2 MacBook Pro's from 2008 for that, which can do the job with ease.

If that would change, and more CPU would be needed, I would replace them with 2011 of 2012 i7 models. BUT - I allways carry 2 of them to Concerts. One must have a backup system.

At home, all can be taken easily. There I would go for hackintosh tower that has the power for anything.

Good trimmed win 8 Laptop for live use would be just fine, but I just prefer MacBooks... And one can get them cheap secondhand

Yeah, future plans require more thought, don't they? Don't want to paint myself into a corner, especially with a limited budget and Apple's war on upgradeability. I'm toying with using Jitter visuals responding to MIDI - that's the future plan that'll affect computer requirements the most.

It's really interesting to see that you're getting great use out of what the more rabid fanboys think of as antiques. Good on you!

Re a Hackintosh: is it easier when using a trimmed down OS? And would you trust one for live use (as long as you had backup)?

If You decide for non Apple hardware for live use, trimmed down Windows OS is just as good and easier to setup than to try to install Hackintosh. For really good Hackintosh, one has to use compatible hardware, and in case of laptops, it is allways one or another little thing that does not work. On desktop side, one can choose every component CPU, mainboard etc.

For me, live computer means it sits in a drawer and gets used only on stage. I have clients which go on stage with pentium 4 Laptops and Win Xp, and hardware still works like a charm. The oldest one still in use is Powerbook 5300, taken apart and rebuilt as a floor pedal in aluminium case and plexiglas cover. Serves as Live Looping machine without keyboard or mouse, just 5 switches for Record, Overdub, Multiply etc. That is machine from 1996.