question about erase and install

[jackc]

Sorry if this has been covered ad nauseam, but in the articles I've seen about doing and erase and install, I haven't seen much about how to restore preferences and other items. I've never upgraded before. I know a lot people recommend doing Archive and Install, but I want to do an erase to clean out the crap.

For reinstalling apps I'm not sure when I can just drag them over, and some other things I'm not so sure about. I suppose I could manually redo my prefs in Mail if I had to, for example, and if I'm not mistaken, you can import your old Keychain? (I'll be using an external drive). What about importing old mail, playlists in iTunes, iCal info, and anything else I might be forgetting?

Thanks for any help...

 

[DavidLeblond]

Sorry if this has been covered ad nauseam, but in the articles I've seen about doing and erase and install, I haven't seen much about how to restore preferences and other items. I've never upgraded before. I know a lot people recommend doing Archive and Install, but I want to do an erase to clean out the crap.

For reinstalling apps I'm not sure when I can just drag them over, and some other things I'm not so sure about. I suppose I could manually redo my prefs in Mail if I had to, for example, and if I'm not mistaken, you can import your old Keychain? (I'll be using an external drive). What about importing old mail, playlists in iTunes, iCal info, and anything else I might be forgetting?

Thanks for any help...

The migration assistant has many levels of things you could pull in. I would refrain from pulling over your Library and Applications however... that makes the "Erase and Install" advantage of having a clean slate nonexistant. When I installed I pulled over my Library and Applications and it pulled over all my application extenders which completely trashed Safari.

It will pull over your network settings and user settings though without having to pull over your entire library.

edit: oh yeah, pulling over your Home directory keeps all the iCal stuff and mail and playlists etc etc

 

[mkrishnan]

For reinstalling apps I'm not sure when I can just drag them over, and some other things I'm not so sure about. I suppose I could manually redo my prefs in Mail if I had to, for example, and if I'm not mistaken, you can import your old Keychain? (I'll be using an external drive). What about importing old mail, playlists in iTunes, iCal info, and anything else I might be forgetting?

You can do all this manually by moving the correct files from the Library folders of the old install to the new install. Actually, this is what I did. But if you didn't already know that, then I'm afraid this is probably going to be a tough assignment without a *lot* of help. Even though I did it, the reason I'm discouraging you is that, I don't think you understand that, unlike Windows, with MacOS, the "crap" that accumulates *is* in the Library folders, and not the system folders...

But the brief version:
iTunes - copy over entire Music folder in home dir
iCal - I think you can use the backup database option in the File menu. You can also copy the calendar files, which are in your Library folder -- I think ~/Library/Calendars, and have a .ics extension
AdBk - also backup database in File menu
Mail - copy entire Mail/Library folder, but delete the stuff in the bundles directory
iPhoto - copy entire Pictures folder

 

[jackc]

You can do all this manually by moving the correct files from the Library folders of the old install to the new install. Actually, this is what I did. But if you didn't already know that, then I'm afraid this is probably going to be a tough assignment without a *lot* of help. Even though I did it, the reason I'm discouraging you is that, I don't think you understand that, unlike Windows, with MacOS, the "crap" that accumulates *is* in the Library folders, and not the system folders...

But the brief version:
iTunes - copy over entire Music folder in home dir
iCal - I think you can use the backup database option in the File menu. You can also copy the calendar files, which are in your Library folder -- I think ~/Library/Calendars, and have a .ics extension
AdBk - also backup database in File menu
Mail - copy entire Mail/Library folder, but delete the stuff in the bundles directory
iPhoto - copy entire Pictures folder

Thanks... I figure you've got to learn this stuff sometime. I'll have it all backed up, what's the worst that can happen?

 

[7on]

You can get a fresh install if you name things like the Applications folder into "Old Applciations" and your Library as "Old Library" (the library in your home folder) and just flat out delete any folder named "Cache." I basically do the same thing and rarely have problems.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Just upgrade and save yourself hours if not days of splitting headaches. It never fails to amaze me how often new Mac users are being given intricate instructions on how to avoid the inevitable problems associated with clean installing when they could avoid these problem entirely by just upgrading.

If you want to remove the crap on your hard drive, just throw it out. This is how the OS is supposed to work. Save the nukes for when you really need them. You probably never will.

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

Make sure you copy your Classic system folder, as it won't be there when you boot back up in Tiger (nor will AppleWorks).

 

[Soulstorm]

Just upgrade and save yourself hours if not days of splitting headaches. It never fails to amaze me how often new Mac users are being given intricate instructions on how to avoid the inevitable problems associated with clean installing when they could avoid these problem entirely by just upgrading.

If you want to remove the crap on your hard drive, just throw it out. This is how the OS is supposed to work. Save the nukes for when you really need them. You probably never will.

I have heard some people that have problems with doing just upgrade. I recommend Erase and Install, or, at the worst case, Archive and Install.

 

[mkrishnan]

It never fails to amaze me how often new Mac users are being given intricate instructions on how to avoid the inevitable problems associated with clean installing when they could avoid these problem entirely by just upgrading.

Well, those intricate instructions have the attached admonition "and this is why you don't want to do this." And we all know that you are an upgrade advocate. And the OP specifically said "I want to do an erase" ....

 

[Gee]

I have heard some people that have problems with doing just upgrade. I recommend Erase and Install, or, at the worst case, Archive and Install.

Another important thing not to forget if you do a clean install - if you have any itunes purchased music, deauthorise the computer. When you're new system's up and running, it counts as a new computer...!

 

[TigerPRO]

Fresh Install Notes

Just in case anyone out there is doing a clean isntall for the first time, here's a couple things I learned that might help.

Backing up your iPhoto and iTunes libraries is as easy as replacing the new folders with the old ones. Everything will be replaced perfectly. And like it was already mentioned, be sure to deauthorize your iTunes beforehand!

iCal and Address book have their own built in file export backup functions. You just need to create those files and restore them later. The only thing to keep in mind about iCal, is that each calendar category needs to be backed up individually. They don't all get backed up together. Only the one you have selected at the time you call the export command get exported.

Other than those four programs, you'll want to backup a full copy of your Home Library folder. Everything you need to reimport your old mailboxes for Mail, your Safari bookmarks, iChat transcripts, etc should be available within there. And of course you'll want to save off all your personal files.

The only additional things you could possible need might be related to third party applications. You should always go over what you have and make sure there's nothing else you need in addition to these backups.

 

[YS2003]

Just upgrade and save yourself hours if not days of splitting headaches. It never fails to amaze me how often new Mac users are being given intricate instructions on how to avoid the inevitable problems associated with clean installing when they could avoid these problem entirely by just upgrading.

If you want to remove the crap on your hard drive, just throw it out. This is how the OS is supposed to work. Save the nukes for when you really need them. You probably never will.

Since I wanted to keep iMovie and others for my Ti but at the same time "clean" copy of OS, I did erase and install with the restore CD. After updating the OS Panther to 10.3.9, I ran a "upgrade" option from Tiger disk. I ran the repair permissions before and after the updates and Tiger upgrade. PB is working well.

 

[TigerPRO]

Just upgrade and save yourself hours if not days of splitting headaches. It never fails to amaze me how often new Mac users are being given intricate instructions on how to avoid the inevitable problems associated with clean installing when they could avoid these problem entirely by just upgrading.

If you want to remove the crap on your hard drive, just throw it out. This is how the OS is supposed to work. Save the nukes for when you really need them. You probably never will.

Dude, there's one thing your missing out on... the thrill of starting from scratch! When you do an earase and install, it's very exciting. Because it feels like you just bought a new computer. Everything is clean and fresh. Plus you have the joy of reconfiguring and installing everything to perfection. It's exhilarating for me.

 

[yg17]

Dude, there's one thing your missing out on... the thrill of starting from scratch! When you do an earase and install, it's very exciting. Because it feels like you just bought a new computer. Everything is clean and fresh. Plus you have the joy of reconfiguring and installing everything to perfection. It's exhilarating for me.

IMO, there's nothing more of a pain in the ass in the computing world than reconfiguring and reinstalling after a fresh install (except troubleshooting windows) however, I still do erase and installs just to avoid any upgrade problems