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Kardashian

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 4, 2005
2,083
2
Britain.
As some of you might have read, I recently used iLeopard, which for some reason, has corrupted my 'traffic lights' - meaning the colours of the buttons in the new iTunes are wrong, and nothing seems to fix them except a totally clean install (I've done one test run on another computer).

Now, I've used Archive and Install - but this didn't fix the problem.

So, I'm thinking of doing a totally clean install.

But, how can I save all my Apps, their preferences (ie: Adium, VLC etc they're all themed) yet have a brand new system?

Last time I installed the new OS and ticked the 'Keep previous system" (or whatever it is), I had to re-install my Apps and lost all their settings.
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
Archive and Install should have fixed any system-related issues since it completely replaces the system files. I don't know anything about this ad-on you tried, but before I did anything else I'd create a new user in the Accounts preference pane and see if the problem shows up there.
 

Kardashian

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 4, 2005
2,083
2
Britain.
Archive and Install should have fixed any system-related issues since it completely replaces the system files. I don't know anything about this ad-on you tried, but before I did anything else I'd create a new user in the Accounts preference pane and see if the problem shows up there.

I have tried everything - there's a thread about it in iTunes.

Oddly, Archive and Install didn't fix this odd colour profile with iTunes.

However, when I fully restored the OS, it did.

If I did fully re-store the OS, and chose to keep my previous system files, what would I need to save to keep my applications and such working, and Adium themes, the Application Support folder?
 

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Jul 16, 2002
17,909
1,496
Palookaville
Sorry, I don't fully understand your question, and I am not familiar with this other thread. The only types of reinstalls of OSX are "Archive and Install" and "Erase and Install." The former creates a new System folder, with the option of preserving everything else. The latter completely erases your hard drive.
 

Kardashian

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 4, 2005
2,083
2
Britain.
Sorry, I don't fully understand your question, and I am not familiar with this other thread. The only types of reinstalls of OSX are "Archive and Install" and "Erase and Install." The former creates a new System folder, with the option of preserving everything else. The latter completely erases your hard drive.

No, you can have it put your previous system into a folder entitled "Previous System''.
 

plinden

macrumors 601
Apr 8, 2004
4,029
142
If you make a clone of your current install on an external drive, you can migrate apps and accounts from it after a clean install.
 

Kardashian

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 4, 2005
2,083
2
Britain.
That is the Archive and Install option.

Oh, OK, sorry. :eek:

Last time I did this, though, I had a completely new 'desktop - no settings were preserved, but it kept my apps and home folder as described.

However, all the Adium themes and application settings were missing - how can I keep these?

Thanks so much for your time :)
 

trip1ex

macrumors 68030
Jan 10, 2008
2,860
1,417
Won't Time Machine work?

My apps and user folder transferred over today when I setup my new Imac.

Although not perfect. iLife 09 and Safari 4 weren't backed up by Time Machine. Maybe they were, but didn't install because my new iMac has iLIfe 08 and Safari 3?
 

michael.lauden

macrumors 68020
Dec 25, 2008
2,326
1
if you are really worried about Adium and VLC themes... you can just back them up. look what you were using and back it up. that simple
 

SnowLeopard2008

macrumors 604
Jul 4, 2008
6,772
17
Silicon Valley
I have about 150GB free on an external drive.

Will it need to be partitioned?


Can't you just erase and install, then re-theme everything? Personally I hate theming computers, it's a waste of time and only bogs down your computer. Maybe this time you can find a better icon for a certain app or better themes.
 

Kardashian

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 4, 2005
2,083
2
Britain.
I've installed a theme now that rids most of the problem.

Even with this theme installed, for some reason, iTunes traffic lights are still less vibrant than the rest of the system.

But with the theme I'm using, you can't tell the colour of the traffic lights until you hover over them.

I'll live with it like this until I get a way to back everything up, and then I'll copy all the Application Support folders, which is where Adiums theme is kept, and I'll make sure I copy the actual applications of VLC and Quicktime, since they've been modded.
 
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