Got New HD - Help Format

[sml238]

ok so i got a new seagate momentus 7200.4 500gb. i know to install it mechanically and everything but im not quite sure how to install/format everything once its installed.

do i just put my osx dvd in? i would like to start fresh with this hard drive so its not cluttered with junk i don't need. but i would also like to copy over all my documents, music, and apps from my old hd.

what is the best way to do this?

btw i have an external caddy for my old drive.

[MacDawg]

Yes, you can use your OSX DVD to boot and run Disk Utility
Choose to erase the new drive and select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as your format

You can do a clean install of your OS and use Migration Assistant (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3322) to transfer your files

[sml238]

Yes, you can use your OSX DVD to boot and run Disk Utility
Choose to erase the new drive and select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as your format

You can do a clean install of your OS and use Migration Assistant (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3322) to transfer your files

so would i install migration assistant on my current hard drive. then install the new hard drive, put the old hd in the caddy. install osx on the new hd. then use migration assistant when i plug the old hd into my laptop?

[spinnerlys]

You can do it two ways.

1. Put the new HDD into the external HDD enclosure you have, format it using Disk Utility with the Format called Mac OS Extended in Disk Utility.
Then use CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to clone your internal HDD to your external HDD.

When finished, exchange the two, and once you booted up from the new HDD, all is the same.

2. Put the new HDD into your Mac, use Disk Utility from the Restore/Install DVD to format it with Mac OS Extended and then install Mac OS X again.
During that process you can choose to transfer data from another Mac or HDD, so choose the old HDD, inside the enclosure now, to copy your old dat from.
Applications and your User will be copied to your new installation.


3. MRoogle will have many, many, many threads about the same issue.

[MacDawg]

When you do a clean install and start your new OSX it should ask you if you want to migrate your data from another computer

[sml238]

ok thank you very much guys. will this be a clean install though? i don't want all the junk that has collected on this hard drive. i just want my files, music, and apps.