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How often do you do a clean install of OS X?

maybe twice a year or so, thinking about doing one again soon just to get rid of a lot of stuff that i really dont need
 
I'm going to do one by weeks end.

Other than that, I only do a clean install when a new OS comes out or I have to fix a major problem.
 
if you manage your system properly and do proper maintenance the only time you would ever need a clean install is for a new os. you should never do a clean install for an current os update.. thats just insane and totally unnecessary. I have ran os installs for years without a reinstall.
 
Yep, I agree, only when there's a new os like Tiger I will do a clean install, just to get rid of old preference files and stuff. It really is a wrong idea that you would need to reinstall your os after 6 months. To the contrary, I've noticed that if you regularly do maintenance task (macaroni is a splendid set and forget app) OS X gets more stable with time. The only kernel crashes I've had have always been in the first month of use of a clean install, after that, never... Now I come to think of it, the last application crash I was aware of is even a month ago... It's simply amazing, isn't it?
 
Haven't done one yet

My TiBook came with 10.1, and I've upgraded through every version since. I've never done a clean install.

I suggest you just backup your home directory as usual, do the upgrade, and if there is any problem, then do a clean install and restore your home directory. That way, if everything works like it's supposed to, you will have saved yourself some work.

Remember, OS X isn't Windows...it dosen't have a registry to get completely screwed up by normal use.

Cheers
 
In Panther if you're the only user and things are getting clogged up in your library, save any preferences that you really want and know you'll need, like serial numbers that might be hard to track down again etc. Then set up a new admin user, delete yourself, switch to the new admin user and you're back in business with a clean library.

m
 
I usually do a fresh install when I back up my entire home folder, which is every 6 months (Jan/July).

It's a great way to clean up all the crap I tend to download. I like to try lots of stuff on VersionTracker, etc.

I erase my entire hard drive, then reinstall off the installation DVDs only what need (I leave certain drivers off, all languages except English, etc.). Then I open up my home folder (which is now on a Lacie drive), and copy things I need back over (preferences, etc.). It takes me about 2 hours to put eveything back the way it was. It's a fun 2 hours though.

I like doing it this way because then I know everything on my computer I intentionally put there. I also don't have to mess with SpringCleaning or other crappy software like that.

I cycle several Lacie drives, by the way. So at any one time I have several backups of my home folder.
 
Get ONYX! Its made my iBook run so much smoother!

Ive only done two reformats since ive owned my Mac though.. so about a year and a half for two formats.. One of those was when i switched to Panther from Jaguar.
 
i have has my pb about 10 months and i havent and dont feel the need to. its running like a dream.
 
every time I sell a computer I do a clean install for the buyer. other than that, I'd probably only do a clean install on a machine I plan to keep using if I did what raynegus does by experimenting with versiontracker stuff.
 
i never needed to, but i think i will when my sister brings her ibook in in sept. i just clean out pref files of programs i dont use anymore after i delete them
 
Only when I upgrade 10.1 > 10.2 > 10.3 etc. or when I have a catastrophic problem (only a couple of times in 4 yrs). Other than that, I just repair permissions once in a while and stay current on the updates.
 
Did my old iMac G3 twice about 4 years ago. Once because I wanted to partition my disk, and the second time because I was a muppet and thought I needed to.🙁

Since then, I never have am never likely too.
 
raynegus said:
I usually do a fresh install when I back up my entire home folder, which is every 6 months (Jan/July).

It's a great way to clean up all the crap I tend to download. I like to try lots of stuff on VersionTracker, etc.

I erase my entire hard drive, then reinstall off the installation DVDs only what need (I leave certain drivers off, all languages except English, etc.). Then I open up my home folder (which is now on a Lacie drive), and copy things I need back over (preferences, etc.). It takes me about 2 hours to put eveything back the way it was. It's a fun 2 hours though.

I like doing it this way because then I know everything on my computer I intentionally put there. I also don't have to mess with SpringCleaning or other crappy software like that.

I cycle several Lacie drives, by the way. So at any one time I have several backups of my home folder.
Click to expand...

That's actually a really good idea... There's not much of an excuse for having an untidy hard drive other than laziness. I've eaten much of my pb's 60gig with duplicates of files, folders, and just unnecessary clutter - your reasoning appeals greatly to me. I'm going to start tonight. 🙂
 
i've done it twice, and i think it was between major OS upgrades... i don't think i would have wanted or needed to otherwise
 
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