Backing up user information before clean install

[EAH22]

I want to do a clean install on my macbook to add some space to my hard drive.

Before I do so I want to backup my user information, books marks, and system information. Is there a way to do this? I have an external hard drive I could put it on.


Thanks in advance.
EAH22

 

[EricNau]

You could use Carbon Copy Cloner. It creates a bootable copy of your internal drive.

 

[EAH22]

You could use Carbon Copy Cloner. It creates a bootable copy of your internal drive.

Then how would I get my information from the carbon copy back on my internal hard drive on the macbook?

 

[yellow]

CCC in the oposite direction.

SuperDuper! is also a great solution (same deal as CCC).

 

[EAH22]

I asked this in another forum and didnt get the answer either I am starting to think its not possible. Maybe because of security reasons or something.

I assumed all I would have to do is copy some files or folder to my external hard drive and but them back in their respected sections on my hard drive after the clean install.


Edit- Just to make it clear I only want to back up my user account information, system preference, and bookmarks.

Thanks

 

[yellow]

They lied to you then. I do this ALL the time.

Use SuperDuper or CCC to clone your laptop to the external (note, it will have to erase the external), erase your laptop, boot from the external and clone back onto the laptop.

Or.

Just drag & drop to copy your /Users/you/ folder onto the external drive, erase, reinstall, and then when you recreate your user, copy the stuff back from your external drive.

 

[EAH22]

Just drag & drop to copy your /Users/you/ folder onto the external drive, erase, reinstall, and then when you recreate your user, copy the stuff back from your external drive.

Thank you, that is what I was looking for. I knew it couldnt be that difficult. The mac os is great!!!

The folder will have my booksmarks, system or I guess "user" preferences? Or just user preferences?


Hey thanks again
I really appreciate it.

 

[EAH22]

Thanks again yellow.

For any new mac users out there I just added like 40 gigs of space to my macbook by just installing what I needed.

Do it at your own risk, but I wish I would have done it the first week I got my macbook. I highly recommend an erase and install.