Backing up essentials?

[eclipse525]

I have a iMac (G4/800Mhz/1gig RAM) and running 10.4.8. For a while i have been experiencing a dramatic drop in overall speed. From startup, to start up of applications and folders, not to mention others little slow downs. I have also been experiencing the "gray screen of death" from time to time. I do run regular maintainance, such as repair persmissions via OnyX, but nothing seems to help. I have plenty of HD space available. Someone recommended reinstalling the OS and start from a clean slate. So i've decided to do just that but now I have to back up my entire drive. I downloaded "SuperDuper!" and it seems to be a great application BUT one problem. From what I understand, before it makes a backup of your drive it erases the destination drive. I have an external but it's where I keep my work files. I do have enough space on my external to fit the Computers entire HD contents. Honestly, I'm only concerned with retaining my "EMail", "Browers Bookmarks" and overall settings. Is there an application that will work for this situation? If not, what folders do I need to cherry pick to copy over to my external drive, so I can later replace them with the new system. Any help or advice is TOTALLY welcomed. Thanks!


~e

 

[livingfortoday]

I use SIlverKeeper, it lets you pick what folder and whatnot to backup, and it'll do updates on the backups. It's free.

 

[Chone]

Wouldn't reinstalling the OS (which won't erase anything on your hardrive) be a better solution?

 

[eclipse525]

Wouldn't reinstalling the OS (which won't erase anything on your hardrive) be a better solution?

Yes, I wouldn't mind reinstalling the OS but won't that erase my email, bookmarks, and over all settings/personal files/applications on the system? Isn't that the point to purge all the garbage built up from basically years of installing and overall day to day use?

~e

 

[Chone]

Yes, I wouldn't mind reinstalling the OS but won't that erase my email, bookmarks, and over all settings/personal files/applications on the system? Isn't that the point to purge all the garbage built up from basically years of installing and overall day to day use?

~e

Well yeah but for example your bookmarks are a single file thats easy to backup, you can backup your mail too but you could also just resync with your STMP server, as for personal settings and configuration, you will have to do that again which shouldn't be long.