Hi all, just got my MBA today and followed the clean install sticky here. However, I did not get the options to remove some of the software listed in the instructions. I just checked the space and it looks like that the install took around 9GB of space? Is that correct? Bear with me where as this is my first Mac...Thanks.
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Clean install over 9gb?
- Thread starter ja12ke
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the sticky relates to the old MBA not the 2010 ones, some of the stuff it gives you the option to remove doesnt actually get installed any more (printer drivers for printer support, and iLife which you now chose wether to install or not after the OS install is completed).
My run thru was as follows:
Disc utility wipe the hard disk clean
Custom install untick everything you can untick
complete that install
next in terminal set your hibernate mode from 3 to 0
sudo pmset -a hibernatemode 0
which in turn will let you kill off the hibernate file
sudo rm /var/vm/sleepimage
several gig on the 4GB RAM machine
once you're thru with that run Monolingual and kill off any uneeded languages and binaries within apps (keep the intel and intel 64 binaries)
using above I got mine down to a grand total of 55.6 gig free from a 60.3 gig drive = 4.7GB install
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Just before the install starts (when you select the disk), there is a small button in lower left that says customize. That is where you can select the options. Not all of the options match some of the older instructions here. But I think mine can out to be around 8.5GB.
I'd also like to know this before getting started with the process. Also, if I use Migration Assistant from a TM backup after the clean install, will it defeat the purpose of the clean install?
In other words, will it bring over the unnecessary languages, etc that I want to get rid of with the clean install? Or will it only bring over the apps and user settings that I currently have?
Yes, this is what I did. Boot using the USB stick, use Disk Utility to erase the internal SSD, then install with only the options I want. After restarting and restoring my user accounts, you then use the USB stick to reinstall the iLife 11 parts you want.
What does doing this actually remove on your computer? and what does it effect? I already removed iLife and all the languages and saved a couple gigs but I have heard of this hibernation file and heard it takes a lot of room. Trying to figure out what it does and if it will negatively effect my comp.
The new MBA relies on a hibernation scheme for it's power savings in sleep. I have not tested these instructions (which were written for earlier machines) with it but I'd recommended against doing this.
Sorry for another noob question, but how did you restore your user accounts? From a time machine backup via migration assistant?
It's the file for the safesleep function:
http://www.macworld.com/article/53471/2006/10/sleepmode.html
You can do it that way. If you are using Time Machine on a local USB drive that should be OK, but using Time Machine from a network drive (like a Time Capsule) can be very slow. Another way that also works is using a cloning program like SuperDuper to clone to a USB drive. Then in the migration assistant you select restore from another volume on this mac. I do this mainly because it's faster to restore.