how to retain full functionality after a "clean" install?

[ja0912]

First question: Is there a benefit to erasing your HD before installing 10.3 opposed to doing an install ontop of a previous version? Or did I misread something a while back?

I have a friend that complains of random quirks in 10.3, but refuses to do a clean install. He doesn't want to lose program preferences, or need to reinstall any programs.

Doesn't his home directory hold all the data needed to do this? If he were to simply back up his home folder and applications folder, when moved onto the fresh install, would they be fully functional, etc. ?

How can he achieve a clean, bug-free install without losing a single prefence?

[titaniumducky]

First question: Is there a benefit to erasing your HD before installing 10.3 opposed to doing an install ontop of a previous version? Or did I misread something a while back?

I have a friend that complains of random quirks in 10.3, but refuses to do a clean install. He doesn't want to lose program preferences, or need to reinstall any programs.

Doesn't his home directory hold all the data needed to do this? If he were to simply back up his home folder and applications folder, when moved onto the fresh install, would they be fully functional, etc. ?

How can he achieve a clean, bug-free install without losing a single prefence?

If he just copied all stuff over, he'd carry quirks over.

The best solution is to do an a archive and install. This compresses all your files and saves them then does a clean install preserving the archive. You can put back anything you want from the archive while getting the benefits of a clean install.

[kenkooler]

Back up the Preferences and Application Support folders in /Users/your_user/Library/ and /Library/.
Be aware that while most applications will work properly, not all will.

[BrianKonarsMac]

archive it if you don't know what you're doing. you'll most likely leave out frameworks etc. that are required by specific programs, lose registration information, etc. if you do it manually, unless you know what you want to keep and everything that is attached to it.