Archive & Install vs. Fresh Install

[IJ Reilly]

I cannot agree with your more. In my 19 years of using Macs, I have had two problematic OS upgrades. The first was my upgrade to System 7.5. The one thing I hate about buying a new computer is moving my software from the old one to the new one. The notion of volunteering to go through that pain in anticipation of a once-in-a-decade problem strikes me as dumb.

What, you don't like that all new fresh and clean feeling?

 

[Aperture]

I was originally planning to do an Archive & Install but I figured I might be better off making a clone of my HDD and using a setup assistant to move my data back over. What is this setup assistant, though? Time Machine or Migration Assistant? Could someone explain this, please?

 

[Sky Blue]

Maybe I'm just stuck in my ways, but I will always do a clean install. I never upgrade an OS. It's just better to start from a clean slate with a new OS. It's also a good time to do the housekeeping (file wise) you've neglected to do for the last year or two and get rid of all the junk.

Me too, i always do a disk image, clean install and move everything back over and resinstall apps with versions ready for new os.

 

[macjack1]

. What is this setup assistant, though? Time Machine or Migration Assistant? Could someone explain this, please?

Set up assistant comes up when you begin to install OS X. It prompts you to port over your apps, profile, data, settings, etc. It is the same as Migration Assistant but if you run migration assistant later, you will have already created another Home folder, so things can get dicey.

This Apple support topic explains the procedure.

-mj

 

[MAW]

That was actually in reply to MAW. Your best option is Archive & Install. Or a straight Upgrade Install.

I would still recommend cloning to another drive as you should always have a backup, especially performing an operation as mission critical as upgrading your system.

-mj

thank you sir for your help!!!

 

[brentg33]

i have had my MBP since march 2007...would an upgrade be ok, or should i do a fresh install or archive and install...if i do an archive and install, would i still have to reinstall my itunes library (cause all isnt backedup) and 3rd party apps?

 

[IJ Reilly]

i have had my MBP since march 2007...would an upgrade be ok, or should i do a fresh install or archive and install...if i do an archive and install, would i still have to reinstall my itunes library (cause all isnt backedup) and 3rd party apps?

An upgrade would be fine. The vast majority of Mac owners click the upgrade button, just as Apple intended, and have no problems.

 

[ASTRX]

I too am thinking about which option to choose, and I just want to verify that what I'm planning on will actually work.
I'll create a new partition of about 80GB (size of my Mac HD) on an external drive. I then use SuperDuper! dom clone my whole Tiger-system over to the external partition. Then do a clean install of Leopard om my Mac, and will be prompted by the set up assistant to copy setting and apps from a previous OS X system. I then choose my external Tiger system and copy my home folder, setting etc to Leopard?
Will this work without glitches (technically)?

Mac user since july, so this is my first OS X upgrade. Just want to be sure.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Mac user since july, so this is my first OS X upgrade. Just want to be sure.

Especially if you're new to the Mac, your best bet is to forget all the geek stuff and click "upgrade." This will work fine. You switched to the Mac for good reasons. This is one of them.

 

[ASTRX]

Especially if you're new to the Mac, your best bet is to forget all the geek stuff and click "upgrade." This will work fine. You switched to the Mac for good reasons. This is one of them.

The thing is I am "geek" so the reason I'm doing a clean install is that i want the do a OS X install from scratch, to learn
Actually I am Masters student in CS, so I should be able to handle it. just wanted to know if it was a possible way of action, since im not used to the "mac"-way

 

[dalvin200]

I'm about to pre-order leopard, but just want to clarify one thing..

if i upgrade from tiger, all of my applications and settings, documents, music, movies, photo's etc.. will remain intact.. ?
my mac will be the same, but just with the new features of the leopard os..

Thanks


ps: if you archive & install, it creates a "previous" folder - can you then just delete that folder to preserve hdd space after the install has been successful?

 

[IJ Reilly]

The thing is I am "geek" so the reason I'm doing a clean install is that i want the do a OS X install from scratch, to learn
Actually I am Masters student in CS, so I should be able to handle it. just wanted to know if it was a possible way of action, since im not used to the "mac"-way

Well okay, but I think the only thing you'll learn is that it wasn't really necessary.

I'm about to pre-order leopard, but just want to clarify one thing..

if i upgrade from tiger, all of my applications and settings, documents, music, movies, photo's etc.. will remain intact.. ?
my mac will be the same, but just with the new features of the leopard os..

Thanks


ps: if you archive & install, it creates a "previous" folder - can you then just delete that folder to preserve hdd space after the install has been successful?

Yes, and yes. In fact I don't really get the value of the "previous system" folder which is created in an archive and install. Not sure if you could rescue anything of use out of there if you needed to.

 

[ASTRX]

Well okay, but I think the only thing you'll learn is that it wasn't really necessary.

Interesting, maybee your right. But is seems a lot of people are considering a A&I or clean swipe, but maybe they are switchers with bad experiences from windows, like as myself
Thanks for your input eitherway.

 

[theman5725]

.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Previous System Folder is exactly what it sounds like. It includes system files only.

 

[macjack1]

Previous System Folder is exactly what it sounds like. It includes system files only.

Actually Phil is correct.
Read the support topic under "Files and folders preserved".

-mj