Archive & Install - Now need help restoring printers!

[thomasp]

I need to do an Archive & Install of OSX before I potentially send my PowerBook in for repair (to eliminate "everything") and have a couple of questions about the process:

Will I have to reinstall applications in the Applications folder and if not, will their preferences be preserved?

Will I need to reconfigure Mail and re-import old messages?

Will my "Documents", "Music", "Movies" and "Pictures" folder remain untouched?

Will other user accounts be affected? If so, in what way?


Cheers for the help

P.S. I really don't want to do an A&I, but nor do I want to shell out over £200 for a new upper case if I can avoid it by doing an A&I

 

[WildCowboy]

All of your apps and personal files should be preserved. Apple does note that you may find a few third-party apps that don't work after an Archive and Install. In those instances, you would have to reinstall the apps.

 

[thomasp]

All of your apps and personal files should be preserved. Apple does note that you may find a few third-party apps that don't work after an Archive and Install. In those instances, you would have to reinstall the apps.

So does it just overwrite the system folder then?

 

[WildCowboy]

So does it just overwrite the system folder then?

It basically reinstalls everything and can then reimport your user data into that new system. You can read more about it here.

 

[thomasp]

It basically reinstalls everything and can then reimport your user data into that new system. You can read more about it here.

So I just drag & drop the applications/documents/etc folders out of the "Previous System Folders" folder?

Is it advisable to drag & drop my entire ~/Library/ folder out of the "Previous System Folders" into my "new" ~/ Folder, or is it best to manually rebuild the prefs in each app?

 

[WildCowboy]

So I just drag & drop the applications/documents/etc folders out of the "Previous System Folders" folder?

If you select the "Preserve User and Network Settings" option, it will automatically save your settings and documents right where they should be. You won't have to do anything.

 

[thomasp]

If you select the "Preserve User and Network Settings" option, it will automatically save your settings and documents right where they should be. You won't have to do anything.

Excellent! Will let you know how it goes, once my parents post my installer DVD up to me.

I also have a backup on a firewire hard drive, should things go horribly pear-shaped.

 

[thomasp]

I've done the A&I preserving the user & network settings, etc. But, some icons on my desktop (all .doc files - Word) have a generic blank icon, not the standard MS Word icon. How can I fix this?

 

[madmaxmedia]

Although some people prefer to do a complete wipe and install and then copy over their data, it seems like 'Archive and Install' does pretty much the same thing. It works, because applications are generally segregated from the System Folder (unlike Windows.)

I've read that many Adobe apps have to be re-installed. It's probably because their installers do put stuff or make changes in the system folder.

 

[thomasp]

Re: my last post: a reboot seems to have fixed the icon issue

Although some people prefer to do a complete wipe and install and then copy over their data, it seems like 'Archive and Install' does pretty much the same thing. It works, because applications are generally segregated from the System Folder (unlike Windows.)

Ideally I would have done a clean install, but as I'm at university and in the middle of loads of coursework, I don't have time to do that (I do have a backup FW hard drive so I keep everything backed up). Trouble is, as it doesn't appear the re-install has solved my issue, it looks like I'm going to be without my computer for over a week

I've read that many Adobe apps have to be re-installed. It's probably because their installers do put stuff or make changes in the system folder.

Haven't noticed any issues with Photoshop yet...

 

[thomasp]

How can I restore my installed printers, so as I can print again?

Nothing's showing up in the "Choose a printer" menus or in the Printers pane in system prefs?

I have 3 Epson printer configurations - one of which I need pretty urgently! I don't have the installer discs with me (I'm at uni), but I still have the "Previous Systems" folder.