Before you Install Tiger....

[Mechcozmo]

Seeing as Tiger has been "announced" according to Logik, time for a reminder on what to do before you actually install Tiger!

WARNING! If you are upgrading an iMac G3 to OS X you MUST apply a firmware update first! Otherwise your screen will go BLACK! Thanks to Ed H for finding this linkety

1. Repair your Permissions. This will make sure that after your installation you won't have issues with anything. Of course, this is a bigger issue with an Archive and Install... but anyways... Repairing your permissions will mean that when you are done installing, you will not have any problems opening folders, etc. Oh, and any line starting with "We are using special permissions..." is OK. You do this from the "Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility" application. A nice guide is found here: linkety

2. Repair your hard drive. Start off of the Jaguar, Panther, or Tiger disk and go to the Installer menu->Disk Utility. Choose your hard drive(s) and then Repair Disk. Do this on all of your internal drives (if you have many) until you get the message "The drive Macintosh HD appears to be OK" or similar.

3. Back up your data! Though you rarely hear about an OS X install destroying a drive, you should still back up your hard disk. Or at least your important stuff.

4. Shut down the computer. Unplug all FireWire, USB, etc. devices except for your mouse and keyboard. This way those devices will not be corrupted by the installer and will not corrupt the installation. Those of you with a BT keyboard and mouse may want to stick with your USB one for now, or just turn off other BT devices so you don't have any conflicts.

5. Most people can do an Archive and Install. This is where the old OS X system is moved to a folder in the root level of the hard drive called "Previous System" and the new System is installed. Most settings, etc. are copied over. Remember to check the "Copy over Users and Settings" checkbox (or something to that effect). That way your old data is in its place. If you don't, just remember: Don't Panic!. Your old data is in that Previous System folder. Delete it after a couple of weeks of not using it... that way you regain your hard drive space.

That should keep most of the issues that come about from installations from happening. And remember... only 17 days (or less) until Tiger!

 

[mkrishnan]

Nice post!

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

Is it common to simply upgrade one version of OS X to the next? I'm from a very strong Windows background, where formatting is all but required for installing (or reinstalling) a new OS.

I was planning to format my Powerbook and install Tiger from scratch. I may be reconsidering that, though.

Insight, anyone?

 

[iGary]

Personally, this is going to be my first fresh install since 10.2.

I really want to give Spotlight a nice clean disc and OS to start out with.

All my machines are gonna get a freash install, but all good points made above.

 

[mcadam]

Thankyou Mechcozmo for taking so good care of us

I really feel like doing a clean install, start all over, clear the air... but unless you wanna do that, then...

Is it common to simply upgrade one version of OS X to the next? I'm from a very strong Windows background, where formatting is all but required for installing (or reinstalling) a new OS.

I was planning to format my Powerbook and install Tiger from scratch. I may be reconsidering that, though.

Insight, anyone?

...this isn't necessary

A

 

[kettle]

Yeah, fresh disk, I'm going to buy a new one just for the job.

 

[wdlove]

The Tiger install CD will prepare the hard drive prior to installation. A hard drive can be destroyed with installation of Mac OS X. It happened to my wife with her iBook G3. Luckily it was under AppleCare so the replacement was free. So that is why backing up is so important.

 

[stcanard]

Is it common to simply upgrade one version of OS X to the next? I'm from a very strong Windows background, where formatting is all but required for installing (or reinstalling) a new OS.

I was planning to format my Powerbook and install Tiger from scratch. I may be reconsidering that, though.

Insight, anyone?

I believe the "Archive and Install" option is what is recommended. It preserves all the user data, but rather than overwrite the system files those are (funny enough!) archived, then a new set is created.

The upgrade option is what is most likely to lead to difficulties.

A reformat is pretty much unncecessary, as the archive and install should be sufficient. Because all the configuration is in human-readable XML, issues like registry corruption aren't as bad (worst case scenario you delete the plist for the area that stopped working and let OSX recreate it), and because of better versioning DLL hell isn't nearly as prevalent.

Here's Apple's description of the archive and install option:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

 

[whocares]

Seeing as Tiger is now out, time for a reminder on what to do before you actually install Tiger!

1. Repair your Permissions. This will make sure that after your installation you won't have issues with anything. Of course, this is a bigger issue with an Archive and Install... but anyways... Repairing your permissions will mean that when you are done installing, you will not have any problems opening folders, etc. Oh, and any line starting with "We are using special permissions..." is OK.

2. Repair your hard drive. Start off of the Jaguar, Panther, or Tiger disk and go to the Installer menu->Disk Utility. Choose your hard drive(s) and then Repair Disk. Do this on all of your internal drives (if you have many) until you get the message "The drive Macintosh HD appears to be OK" or similar.

3. Shut down the computer. Unplug all FireWire, USB, etc. devices except for your mouse and keyboard. This way those devices will not be corrupted by the installer and will not corrupt the installation. Those of you with a BT keyboard and mouse may want to stick with your USB one for now, or just turn off other BT devices so you don't have any conflicts.

4. Back up your data! Though you rarely hear about an OS X install destroying a drive, you should still back up your hard disk. Or at least your important stuff.

That should keep most of the issues that come about from installations from happening. And remember... only 17 days until Tiger!

Hmmmmm, I was following your advice, but when I get to step 4, I find it impossible to back up my data.


Do I need to plug stuff back in and turn on my Mac?










Ok, end of stupid jokes


May I recommend CarbonCopyCloner for your back up needs (in conjunction with a FW HDD).

 

[Logik]

Seeing as Tiger is now out, time for a reminder on what to do before you actually install Tiger!

<snip>

only 17 days until Tiger!

make up your mind... Tiger is only available for pre-order, it is not "out" as you say, and then say isn't. either way i'm sure i'm nitpicking, but whatever. i hate taxes and now i'm pissed off about it.

 

[Fredstar]

I am gonna use the backup app to backup all my Mail messages/docs/tunes etc etc to a few dvd-rw's and then use Backup in Tiger to restore them all into the fresh Tiger install.
Any reason this wouldn't work?

 

[IJ Reilly]

Is it common to simply upgrade one version of OS X to the next? I'm from a very strong Windows background, where formatting is all but required for installing (or reinstalling) a new OS.

I was planning to format my Powerbook and install Tiger from scratch. I may be reconsidering that, though.

Insight, anyone?

Starting from scratch is certainly not necessary, and probably not even advisable. Though I suppose it gives some people warm and fuzzy feelings, IMO, it's a complete waste of time and effort, and it seems to me, wiping a HD puts more at risk than simply upgrading the way Apple intended upgrading to work.

The backup and repairing permissions advice is certainly worthy, though I've gone through many major MacOS upgrades without taking either precaution and never had a serious problem.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

Starting from scratch is [...] probably not even advisable. [...]
[W]iping a HD puts more at risk than simply upgrading the way Apple intended upgrading to work. [...]

Are you referring to data loss or physical damage?

 

[kugino]

i'm sure everyone here knows this, but for the switchers/newbies, if you want to backup your drive completely, including all hidden files and library and system stuff, use carbon copy cloner.

though i did a fresh install going from jaguar->panther, i think i'll use the archive and install when installing tiger b/c i have so much stuff accumulated.

 

[jeremy.king]

Wouldn't this apply to any OS upgrade (9->X, X.1->X.2, X.2->X.3, etc). While its good to remind people, I fail to see any additional value of this thread.

 

[ChrisBrightwell]

[...] use carbon copy cloner.

Have you used rsyncx? How do they compare?

though i did a fresh install going from jaguar->panther, i think i'll use the archive and install when installing tiger b/c i have so much stuff accumulated.

I keep everything in my home folder, so moving that from one drive to another isn't too big of an issue for me.

 

[CubaTBird]

put tiger install dvd in.. boot to it.. launch disk utility.. format disk using "write random zero's option" ----> clean as possible install

 

[Guitarius]

Three questions.

1. How does one repair permissions?

2. As far as backing up all my stuff, can I just copy it all to another computer? I have three computers in my house, all running redhat, with a few hundred gigs a piece, that my stepfather uses to back up his stuff from his PCs when he reformats. I've yet to figure out why he has three, but to each his own.

3. Will Tiger keep all my documents, music, etc, or will I have to copy all that stuff back onto my computer once I install Tiger? I do not plan on reformatting. I'll probably do the archive and install.

I'm really excited about Tiger. My first upgrade since I bought my iBook.

 

[ravenvii]

Fresh install for me. I love the feel of a freshly installed OS. I almost never store anything of importance on the HD that aren't stored somewhere else as well, so a fresh install was never a hassle for me.

 

[Mechcozmo]

make up your mind... Tiger is only available for pre-order, it is not "out" as you say, and then say isn't. either way i'm sure i'm nitpicking, but whatever. i hate taxes and now i'm pissed off about it.

Nit picker. Meh. I'll fix it JUST FOR YOU. Sound good?

Wouldn't this apply to any OS upgrade (9->X, X.1->X.2, X.2->X.3, etc). While its good to remind people, I fail to see any additional value of this thread.

Yes, its good advice for any OS upgrade. But perhaps you are forgetting the vast, untapped, segment of the population that likes one button mice because they don't have to guess what the other button does and why they don't work the same?
Essentially, I can just forward all calls for help to you if you don't like this thread, right?

 

[kiwi-in-uk]

How about... to remind people?

I agree.

Many of us here have switched from Windows, this is our first OSX upgrade, and so we are not familiar with just how many precautions to take.

My first reaction, for example, would be to back everything up, scratch the disk, apply the new version of s/w, reinstall applications, restore the data files, then spend a couple of hours restoring settings.

Why? Because Windows is not forgiving and accumulates junk; a clean install allows us to reset settings and clear the registry among other things.

We are wondering whether we need to do this (registry excluded, obviously) for OSX, and/or whether there are any benefits.

Thank you to all of you who post useful information for those of us who know little about these things.

 

[pdpfilms]

So i would like to retain all preferences and documents and such, but do a fresh install of tiger. Archive install, right?
After an archive install, what do you do with the old system? Do you have to manually copy all the system files to the new system?

 

[Logik]

Nit picker. Meh. I'll fix it JUST FOR YOU. Sound good?

sounds good I just started reading and was like.. "uh.. it's not.. out yet.. why is he saying that?" then continued.. and then you say "only 17 more days".. and i'm thinking to myself.. this guy is running in circles.. must... help.. him...

 

[IJ Reilly]

Are you referring to data loss or physical damage?

Data loss -- the chance you'll miss backing up something important before you pull the reformat trigger. I simply do not see the point in going the reformat route. You might notice the lack of sound technical reasons for starting from scratch stated by the reformatting advocates. It just makes some people feel better. It certainly wouldn't make me feel any better.

 

[Eric5h5]

So i would like to retain all preferences and documents and such, but do a fresh install of tiger. Archive install, right?

Yep.

After an archive install, what do you do with the old system?

Leave it for a while just in case, then dump it.

Do you have to manually copy all the system files to the new system?

Egads! Nope....

--Eric