Hard Disk Icons in OS X

[Jeff Rothfus]

I'm running three Hard Disks on my AGP graphics G4/350 tower --- one with 
OS 9.2.2 installed, and two additional drives running OS X.

In the early days of OS X, when upgrades were coming frequently, I'd 
alternately update the two OS X installations (in hopes of keeping one 
stable boot disk).  Today, both OS X disks are running 10.1(.x).  One 
runs well (except for the Classic internet problem) and I use it daily, 
the other has permissions problems and is waiting for a full 
initialization when I can afford Panther.

I'm really trying to understand OS X ...

Could someone help me understand the two kinds of Hard Disk icons -- 
"white" and "metal"?

The displayed icons "change" from white to metal depending on which drive 
is the boot drive.  But the boot drive for my "good" OS X installation is 
"white", and I suspect it should be "metal".

I freely admit I don't understand permissions (and 10.1 uses a separate 
Repair Privileges application).

I doubt that my "icon" problems are related to my "Classic internet" 
problems, because lot's of other people with good permissions have the 
"Classic internet" problem.
--- but hey, you never know.

Thank you!

jeff