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Fresh reinstall of OSX

gadgetdad

gadgetdad

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
My system is really acting funny and locking up quite often. I have the latest 10.5.2. I am wanting to reformat my MacBook Pro and do a fresh install of OSX.

Mostly I am concerned about keeping photos and iTunes in tact. What is the best solution for me?

THank you for your time.😀
 
I recommend SuperDuper or Time Machine to back up onto an external HD, then put in your Leopard disk, choose Erase & Install from the options menu, and wait, then move the data you want to keep back.
 
What do you mean by "acting funny" and "locking up?"

Describe the actual symptoms and you could easily avoid the headache of a reinstall.
 
Essentially you could use the File > Export option in iPhoto as well as in iTunes to an external HDD. Then use File > Import after Erase&Install.

I also like to take a snapshot of my Applications Folder Command+Shift+4 to remember what Apps I enjoyed. I would install the essentials until things start 'acting funny.'
 
Just back up your home folder (/Users/yourname), and you should be fine. Back it up with Carbon Copy Cloner as a .sparseimage.

Some other things you might like to backup:

/Library/Screensavers (your screensaver folder)
/Library/Desktop Pictures (if you have any custom background pictures)
/Library/Application Support (for application preferences and stuff)

I always recommend that before you do a reinstall, wait a few days to make sure you don't forget anything to backup; make a list of stuff you want to keep.
 
I never fails to amaze me the number of people who are happy to describe reinstall procedures when the problem it is meant to fix is completely unknown.
 
IJ Reilly said:
What do you mean by "acting funny" and "locking up?"

Describe the actual symptoms and you could easily avoid the headache of a reinstall.
Click to expand...


Well it really has been locking up alot lately. Most of the time its Time Machine that is running slow or has stopped. And when TM hangs, I cant do a darn thing except force shutdown. I also have logon issues. Where my logon screen shows, then disappears. I click on a key , keys, touchpad, anything and it doesnt come back to let me logon. I recently today have been getting 600 (i think) error when attempting to open prefs. I had to restart to get that to work.

What do you think?

I have a lacie (spelling) HD I use for TM. I have and airport extreme for printing and wifi. I also have a usb hub for keyboard, sound etc.
 
When you say "hangs" do you mean it runs very slowly? Not at all? Did your initial Time Machine backup complete, or are you still trying to do this?

What's a "600 error?"
 
IJ Reilly said:
When you say "hangs" do you mean it runs very slowly? Not at all? Did your initial Time Machine backup complete, or are you still trying to do this?

What's a "600 error?"
Click to expand...

It hangs, as in just the beach ball, nothing I do is responsive. Dock, expose, top toolbar, it just locks up.

600 error, I dont know I just got it today in a error box. It was 600 something. Not much help I know.
 
I did a fresh install after updating since panther, across 2 laptops to my current Mac Pro. Definitely do a fresh install, it fixed all my problems, wireless drop outs, sluggish performance, the thing feels like a new machine.

The easiest thing to do is let Time Machine back up everything, then drag your music, pictures, documents, back to your boot disk from your Time Machine
 
gadgetdad said:
The only thing I can do is hold the power buttone for 5 seconds to force shut down. Wait a minute then restart.
Click to expand...

Have you tried turning off Time Machine?

Also, if you've been hard rebooting your Mac, especially multiple times, I'd check the integrity of your hard drive with Disk Utility either booted off the restore discs or using fsck.
 
gadgetdad said:
restore disks, do you mean the Leopard install disk? I dont believe I have restore disks?
Click to expand...

Yes, you can run Disk Utility from the Leopard install/restore discs. Or if you're feeling a little adventuresome, try fsck in Single User Mode:

Restart with the cmd-s keys held down, until you see a black screen with white characters. After the text stops scrolling, at the command prompt, type:

fsck -f [including the space, return]

If any repairs are reported, run fsck again until none are reported. Then, at the command prompt, type:

reboot [return]
 
gadgetdad said:
My system is really acting funny and locking up quite often. I have the latest 10.5.2. I am wanting to reformat my MacBook Pro and do a fresh install of OSX.

THank you for your time.😀
Click to expand...

When I did a clean install of Leopard, coming from Tiger, I kept a detailed blog of the procedure here: http://yocto.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/personal-installation-of-os-x-1052/

I talk about backing up, restoring, tweaking settings, a minimal install of new apps, etc. I hope it helps.
 
I just did a fresh install of Leopard on my MBP like a month ago. I copied my entire iTunes folder into an external HD and any other types of documents I wanted to keep.

Tossed in the DVD and reformatted the HD with a fresh install. Then copied my iTunes and other junk back to my new install. Didn't have any types of problems
 
IJ Reilly said:
Yes, you can run Disk Utility from the Leopard install/restore discs. Or if you're feeling a little adventuresome, try fsck in Single User Mode:

Restart with the cmd-s keys held down, until you see a black screen with white characters. After the text stops scrolling, at the command prompt, type:

fsck -f [including the space, return]

If any repairs are reported, run fsck again until none are reported. Then, at the command prompt, type:

reboot [return]
Click to expand...

Ok did the fsck -f and it told me my volume appears to be ok on the first run.

Now what?
 
I have noticed there is an issue with my Lacie HD that may be causing some of the issues. It never wants to be unmounted (who does...). When ever I try to unmount it, I just get the beach ball and that is when the whole system hangs. This isnt the only time, but it is one of them I can recreate.
 
gadgetdad said:
I have noticed there is an issue with my Lacie HD that may be causing some of the issues. It never wants to be unmounted (who does...). When ever I try to unmount it, I just get the beach ball and that is when the whole system hangs. This isnt the only time, but it is one of them I can recreate.
Click to expand...

We may be getting somewhere. Does the problem go away when the external drive isn't plugged in? You should also run Disk Utility from your startup drive and check the Lacie.
 
IJ Reilly said:
We may be getting somewhere. Does the problem go away when the external drive isn't plugged in? You should also run Disk Utility from your startup drive and check the Lacie.
Click to expand...

Yes happens without the external drive as well. I will check the Lacie.
 
gadgetdad said:
I have noticed there is an issue with my Lacie HD that may be causing some of the issues. It never wants to be unmounted (who does...). When ever I try to unmount it, I just get the beach ball and that is when the whole system hangs. This isnt the only time, but it is one of them I can recreate.
Click to expand...

I just plugged it in to check a file on it, and it was mounted on my desktop but when I opened it , there were not filed on it. I then was unable to unmount it again, when I just unplugged it from my laptop the files were visible for a second before it became unmounted. There is something really going on with at least the hd.
 
I have the LaCie Porsche 320GB and it does get 'upset' when I unplug it without properly ejecting. Not like yours however, no beach ball, just a warning prompt.
 
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