Clean install of ML??

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

Alright so I obtained a new set of keys at approx 3 am (eastern time USA) today and im assuming they will work and not have the prior "keys have already been used" issue.

I'm new to mac os (MBP13 is 3 days old) so i'm not sure HOW or IF i should do a clean install of ML? Exactly how do you even install ML? Please help us noobies out! Ive been reading stuff about creating partitions, using backup programs, or using the built in "download and install" procedure but i'm stumped on what to do or even how to do it.

Provide detailed or simplified instructions on how to wipe my HDD/OS to install ML or if it's even necessary? Thanks!

Feed Me · Jul 26, 2012

I know this isn't answering your question but your laptop is brand new. You really don't stand to gain anything by doing a clean install.

Our iMac has been running all day every day since it came with Tiger preinstalled in 2007, and is now running mountain lion. It's never had a clean install and it runs fine.

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

rivryan said:
Alright so I obtained a new set of keys at approx 3 am (eastern time USA) today and im assuming they will work and not have the prior "keys have already been used" issue.

I'm new to mac os (MBP13 is 3 days old) so i'm not sure HOW or IF i should do a clean install of ML? Exactly how do you even install ML? Please help us noobies out! Ive been reading stuff about creating partitions, using backup programs, or using the built in "download and install" procedure but i'm stumped on what to do or even how to do it.

Provide detailed or simplified instructions on how to wipe my HDD/OS to install ML or if it's even necessary? Thanks!

Do you have a spare USB flash drive lying around?

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

theSeb said:
Do you have a spare USB flash drive lying around?

I actually have a 2 TB external lying around if that suffices! I've watched youtube videos on putting the OS on a USB/external and then doing something from there but it lost me. Back on windows, i would just use the "restore" option then install the new copy of windows, but i don't know where the restore option is on MAC. I have files that i need to transport off of this mac before wiping and i'd just feel "cleaner" with a fresh install since my computer is 3 days old

thanks!

EDIT*** OKay so the 2tb external HDD isnt formatted to mac (so i can't copy stuff from my mac TO the hdd, so i found a 16 gig flash drive). will that work or do i need more? thanks. external HDD isn't mine so i don't wanna delete anything on it or reformat it

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

rivryan said:
I actually have a 2 TB external lying around if that suffices! I've watched youtube videos on putting the OS on a USB/external and then doing something from there but it lost me. Back on windows, i would just use the "restore" option then install the new copy of windows, but i don't know where the restore option is on MAC. I have files that i need to transport off of this mac before wiping and i'd just feel "cleaner" with a fresh install since my computer is 3 days old

thanks!

How are you planning to transfer these old files?

Edit: That's plenty enough. Just one minute...

NiCk- · Jul 26, 2012

Is it possible to do a clean install without a USB/DVD ??

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

theSeb said:
How are you planning to transfer these old files?

I already have them backed up on the 2 tb HDD since i recently transferred it all from my windows computer to my current MAC (for some reason i can copy and past FROM the HDD to my mac but not the other way around so I have my files all backed up).

What next? After i download ML, what do i do with my 16 gig flash drive?

simsaladimbamba · Jul 26, 2012

rivryan said:
I actually have a 2 TB external lying around if that suffices! I've watched youtube videos on putting the OS on a USB/external and then doing something from there but it lost me. Back on windows, i would just use the "restore" option then install the new copy of windows, but i don't know where the restore option is on MAC. I have files that i need to transport off of this mac before wiping and i'd just feel "cleaner" with a fresh install since my computer is 3 days old

thanks!

A three day old Mac does not need a clean install in the first place, unless you already have bogged it down with a plethora of new software like AV software or any other software you came upon.
While a clean install sometimes helps, especially in the case when dozens of applications have been installed and not properly uninstalled, that only happens after months/years of use.

If you use the Advanced Search feature (available via the Search link on the top of every forum page), you will find plenty of guides on how to do this.

Anyway, to backup your Mac you use something like SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner (version 3.4.4 is free, as version 3.5 costs money now) and make a bootable backup onto an external HDD.
Then you use one of the guides to make a bootable backup of the InstallESD.dmg file that gets download via the Mac App Store (plenty of guides available for that).
If you external 2 TB HDD is empty, you have to partition it via Disk Utility, like 8 GB for the installer; X GB for the backup partition, where X is the size of your internal HDD, unless you only use 20 out of 250 GB, then a 40 GB partition will more than suffice; and the rest for data and/or Time Machine use.

Sorry I can't link you to any of the guides, but my current internet access speeds are quite slow (see my sig), thus you have to do the hard work. I recommend http://macs.about.com/, as it has a lot of guides on Disk Utility, clean installs and so on.
Also look for posts by GGJstudios, who has compiled a lot of basic FAQs for beginners like you.

SDAVE · Jul 26, 2012

All you have to to is download Mountain Lion from the App Store, find the download, Right Click > Show Package, and grab the InstallESD.DMG (or whatever it's called) and copy it to your desktop.

Then use Carbon Copy Cloner (free) to create a bootable USB stick (it should work on a hard drive too).

After that's done, plug it in then restart and hold Option. You will see a new icon you can boot from.

From there, I would recommend running Disk Utility and deleting both the Lion Recovery partition and the Mac partition, then format it to a single partition and run the installer.

Very simple.

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

simsaladimbamba said:
A three day old Mac does not need a clean install in the first place, unless you already have bogged it down with a plethora of new software like AV software or any other software you came upon.
While a clean install sometimes helps, especially in the case when dozens of applications have been installed and not properly uninstalled, that only happens after months/years of use.

If you use the Advanced Search feature (available via the Search link on the top of every forum page), you will find plenty of guides on how to do this.

Anyway, to backup your Mac you use something like SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner (version 3.4.4 is free, as version 3.5 costs money now) and make a bootable backup onto an external HDD.
Then you use one of the guides to make a bootable backup of the InstallESD.dmg file that gets download via the Mac App Store (plenty of guides available for that).
If you external 2 TB HDD is empty, you have to partition it via Disk Utility, like 8 GB for the installer; X GB for the backup partition, where X is the size of your internal HDD, unless you only use 20 out of 250 GB, then a 40 GB partition will more than suffice; and the rest for data and/or Time Machine use.

Sorry I can't link you to any of the guides, but my current internet access speeds are quite slow (see my sig), thus you have to do the hard work. I recommend http://macs.about.com/, as it has a lot of guides on Disk Utility, clean installs and so on.
Also look for posts by GGJstudios, who has compiled a lot of basic FAQs for beginners like you.

Ah, thanks guess back to the research then. Im using 698gb/750gb HDD on my macbook 13 but i need to look into how to do all this partitioning and what not. Guess ill just do it later, haha thanks for the replies!

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

Download the Mountain Lion installer from the app store if you haven't done so already. Once it's downloaded, don't run it.

Insert the flash drive and open Disk Utility (Applications --> Utilities or cmd+space and type Disk Utility) and click on the flash drive or external drive in the left pane. Click on the actual device and not one of the partitions. At the bottom there is some information about the drive. Check that Partition Map Scheme is GUID Partition Table. If its not, then click on the Partition tab in the right pane, click on the Partition Layout combo box and select 1 Partition. Click on Options... below, select GUID Partition Table and click OK. Now click Apply. All data will on the drive will be lost

Open Finder and navigate to Applications. Locate Install OS X Mountain Lion.app, right click (or ⌃click) on the installer application click) and choose Show Package Contents. Click on the Contents folder and then on SharedSupport. Double click on InstallESD.dmg. It will take a couple of seconds to verify and open the dmg file.

Close the Mac OS X Install ESD window that appears and go back to Disk Utility . Click on Mac OS X Install ESD in the left pane, then click on the Restore tab in the right pane. Make sure that Mac OS X Install ESD is set as the source - it should not be InstallESD.dmg. Drag the USB flash drives partition into the Destination box and click Restore. Do not drag in the flash device itself - make sure youre dragging in the partition. A confirmation dialog will appear asking whether you definitely want to do this. Read it carefully to check that your source and destination are correct, then click Erase, enter your credentials, if youre prompted to, and wait for the process to complete.

Now restart your Mac. Hold down ⌥ during the reboot and the boot menu will appear.

Click the up arrow beneath the USB drive icon labeled Mac OS X In the Mac OS X Utilities window click on Disk Utility and click Continue.

In the left pane select your internal storage system partition. Its called Macintosh HD by default. Click on the Erase tab in the right pane and then click Erase.... Click Erase in the confirmation dialogQuit Disk Utility and then select Reinstall OS X. There should be an icon of a mountain lion next to it. Click Continue and then follow the prompts.

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

theSeb said:
Download the Mountain Lion installer from the app store if you haven't done so already. Once it's downloaded, don't run it.

Insert the flash drive and open Disk Utility (Applications --> Utilities or cmd+space and type Disk Utility) and click on the flash drive or external drive in the left pane. Click on the actual device and not one of the partitions. At the bottom there is some information about the drive. Check that Partition Map Scheme is GUID Partition Table. If its not, then click on the Partition tab in the right pane, click on the Partition Layout combo box and select 1 Partition. Click on Options... below, select GUID Partition Table and click OK. Now click Apply. All data will on the drive will be lost

Open Finder and navigate to Applications. Locate Install OS X Mountain Lion.app, right click (or ⌃click) on the installer application click) and choose Show Package Contents. Click on the Contents folder and then on SharedSupport. Double click on InstallESD.dmg. It will take a couple of seconds to verify and open the dmg file.

Close the Mac OS X Install ESD window that appears and go back to Disk Utility . Click on Mac OS X Install ESD in the left pane, then click on the Restore tab in the right pane. Make sure that Mac OS X Install ESD is set as the source - it should not be InstallESD.dmg. Drag the USB flash drives partition into the Destination box and click Restore. Do not drag in the flash device itself - make sure youre dragging in the partition. A confirmation dialog will appear asking whether you definitely want to do this. Read it carefully to check that your source and destination are correct, then click Erase, enter your credentials, if youre prompted to, and wait for the process to complete.

Now restart your Mac. Hold down ⌥ during the reboot and the boot menu will appear.

Click the up arrow beneath the USB drive icon labeled Mac OS X In the Mac OS X Utilities window click on Disk Utility and click Continue.

In the left pane select your internal storage system partition. Its called Macintosh HD by default. Click on the Erase tab in the right pane and then click Erase.... Click Erase in the confirmation dialogQuit Disk Utility and then select Reinstall OS X. There should be an icon of a mountain lion next to it. Click Continue and then follow the prompts.

THANKS!! you've saved me the trouble of compiling all the information myself! Much appreciated man :apple:

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

SDAVE said:
All you have to to is download Mountain Lion from the App Store, find the download, Right Click > Show Package, and grab the InstallESD.DMG (or whatever it's called) and copy it to your desktop.

Then use Carbon Copy Cloner (free) to create a bootable USB stick (it should work on a hard drive too).

After that's done, plug it in then restart and hold Option. You will see a new icon you can boot from.

From there, I would recommend running Disk Utility and deleting both the Lion Recovery partition and the Mac partition, then format it to a single partition and run the installer.

Very simple.

You cannot delete the Lion recovery partition that way and there is no need to. You would have to do it via the command line or enable the secret menu in Disk Utility. The ML installer will overwrite the existing partition. Also if you erase the entire drive, instead of just your startup "Macintosh HD" partition, then the recovery partition will be gone.

SDAVE · Jul 26, 2012

theSeb said:
You cannot delete the Lion recovery partition that way and there is no need to. You would have to do it via the command line or enable the secret menu in Disk Utility. The ML installer will overwrite the existing partition. Also if you erase the entire drive, instead of just your startup "Macintosh HD" partition, then the recovery partition will be gone.

Yes you can. I've done it before.

But you are correct, it is hidden, so you have to show it. But yes, if you delete the DRIVE and NOT the partition, you will lose both the hidden partition and the OS partition.

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

thanks THESEB, even for the partition instructions! Would have been lost without you. 15 minutes left on my ML download then ill proceed. HOw much space do i need on my USB for ML and stuff? My things that i need will only take up 3GB/16GB so will the remaining 13GB be good enough? Jw

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

rivryan said:
thanks THESEB, even for the partition instructions! Would have been lost without you. 15 minutes left on my ML download then ill proceed. HOw much space do i need on my USB for ML and stuff? My things that i need will only take up 3GB/16GB so will the remaining 13GB be good enough? Jw

You need just over 4 GB for the installer. Create the installer first and then copy your data onto the USB flash drive, before rebooting. I would also try to do a separate backup of your data as well, just to be double sure.

----------

SDAVE said:
Yes you can. I've done it before.

But you are correct, it is hidden, so you have to show it. But yes, if you delete the DRIVE and NOT the partition, you will lose both the hidden partition and the OS partition.

Yes, my instructions mention to only delete the partition. This is because I've found that Recovery 10-8 will overwrite the existing recovery partition in my rather extensive testing of this.

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

theSeb said:
You need just over 4 GB for the installer. Create the installer first and then copy your data onto the USB flash drive, before rebooting. I would also try to do a separate backup of your data as well, just to be double sure.

kk i have most of everything important on my 2tb external and just some of the new stuff i've done in the past 3 days on this 16 gig flash drive. Thanks for the instructions and seriously, someone should make a "sticky" of those instructions for future noobs like myself. very easy to follow

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

rivryan said:
kk i have most of everything important on my 2tb external and just some of the new stuff i've done in the past 3 days on this 16 gig flash drive. Thanks for the instructions and seriously, someone should make a "sticky" of those instructions for future noobs like myself. very easy to follow

No problem. I am writing a book with video tutorials about Mountain Lion and that was a butchered excerpt. Hopefully they are easy to follow.

rivryan · Jul 26, 2012

theSeb said:
No problem. I am writing a book with video tutorials about Mountain Lion and that was a butchered excerpt. Hopefully they are easy to follow.

Just a suggestion, the weird symbol key ⌥ isnt on my macpro, its just "alt/option" so to decrease confusion with noobs, i dont think we have that symbol anymore. at least on my computer?

thanks!

theSeb · Jul 26, 2012

rivryan said:
Just a suggestion, the weird symbol key ⌥ isnt on my macpro, its just "alt/option" so to decrease confusion with noobs, i dont think we have that symbol anymore. at least on my computer?

thanks!

Yeah, I've explained that bit in the book's introduction, which I obviously did not paste here, but I thought all recent macs come with the symbol on the keyboard and all short cuts in the menus are shown like this so I figured I would stick with the symbols. What Mac are you using?

fsmorelli · Jul 27, 2012

SDAVE said:
All you have to to is download Mountain Lion from the App Store, find the download, Right Click > Show Package, and grab the InstallESD.DMG (or whatever it's called) and copy it to your desktop.

Then use Carbon Copy Cloner (free) to create a bootable USB stick (it should work on a hard drive too).

After that's done, plug it in then restart and hold Option. You will see a new icon you can boot from.

From there, I would recommend running Disk Utility and deleting both the Lion Recovery partition and the Mac partition, then format it to a single partition and run the installer.

Very simple.

How can I delete my recovery partition? I can't do it. I see the partition, but the option to erase it is not available.
some help?

Clean install of ML??

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