upgrading to leopard

[TuffLuffJimmy]

I have a new macbook, and I haven't upgraded to a new operating system before on a mac. I would rather have a clean install when I get leopard rather than the archive and install. I would do a full back up to me external drive and then put my documents and media files back after the install. Would the ilife that came with my computer work with leopard, iLife '06. Or would I have to get iLife '08 on a disc. Or does leopard come with the new iLife?

[GimmeSlack12]

iLife 06 will work fine. Leopard will not include iLife 08.

[The Stig]

I'm going to a fresh format and install. It sounds like the best idea to me. I want to see how much faster it will make my MB go! I'm sure I'll notice a difference.

The Stig

[GimmeSlack12]

I'm just gonna archive and install. A re-format isn't going to change any speed.

[ChrisA]

I'm going to a fresh format and install. It sounds like the best idea to me.

Why? Can you explain how the end result will be any different?

Yes the backup idea is a good one. But why do any special kind of backup before installing a new OS? Isn't your normal backup system good enough?

[Heb1228]

IMO, people that think erasing a hard drive and doing a 'clean install' are holdovers from their windows days, back when operating systems were unreliable and unstable. I, too, used to reformat my hard drive and do a clean install of windows every 6 or 9 months to regain lost performance.

That's unnecessary on OSX. I've never done a clean install, even though I've upgraded twice (to Panther and then to Tiger). I haven't even chosen archive and install, I've just used the simple upgrade option and had no problems. Expecting to see any performance increase due to a clean install is wishful thinking.

[7on]

I think I'll go erase and install. I started with 10.2.6 and basically still on the same install, archiving and installing from there. And erase and install would get rid of a lot of drivers, preferences from stuff I don't use anymore. I'll probably wait until jan though - bugs and whatnot.

[GimmeSlack12]

I think I'll go erase and install. I started with 10.2.6 and basically still on the same install, archiving and installing from there. And erase and install would get rid of a lot of drivers, preferences from stuff I don't use anymore. I'll probably wait until jan though - bugs and whatnot.

Both Erase and install and Archive and install achieve the same thing, except the erase and install requires a backup of your whole drive.

[Yurtra]

Would "Archive and Install" save all my image, music and other files? What about my applications? Or is it only system files that get saved?

[mad jew]

It's the opposite. An Archive & Install replaces your system files but keeps your photos, documents, apps and so on. Technically the system files are kept too, but they're not very useable and can be thrown out to free up space. :)

[Yurtra]

My understanding is that my entire current system gets put into a separate folder, which I can drag stuff out of, while the new operating system is freshly installed. I just wasn't sure what the archive entailed.

So basically, is there any reason why somebody should backup files externally over doing this? (Aside from not having enough memory to perform the archive, that is.) :confused:

[mad jew]

Backup shouldn't be necessary in theory, but should be done in case something goes wrong.