Clean install and time machine

[alexburton]

Hi people, i would like to know if its possible to back up with TM just your settings and preferences, mail accounts, contacts, keychain etc etc.. so after a clean install you dont have to do everything from scratch!!

Any ideas??

 

[iMacBooked]

I'm not 100% sure but can't you just uncheck the other files you don't need in TM settings? I believe the OS settings and contacts and stuff are always included in the backups, so by removing let's say the photos/video/document folders I believe you can solve this?

 

[alexburton]

From time machine's options I can only exclude the folders which I dont want to back up, its seems a bit complicated to exclude everything..

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi people, i would like to know if its possible to back up with TM just your settings and preferences, mail accounts, contacts, keychain etc etc.. so after a clean install you dont have to do everything from scratch!!

Any ideas??

No it is not. You can do a full backup with TM, then use Migration Assistant with TM as the data source to restore settings etc.

However, this completely derates the purpose of a "clean install." A true clean install is an erase and install of the OS, then a manual reinstall of all apps data and settings. There is not automatic way to do this and still have a clean install.

 

[alexburton]

No it is not. You can do a full backup with TM, then use Migration Assistant with TM as the data source to restore settings etc.

However, this completely derates the purpose of a "clean install." A true clean install is an erase and install of the OS, then a manual reinstall of all apps data and settings. There is not automatic way to do this and still have a clean install.

So the only way is to do an iCloud back up, then clean install and finally restore from iCloud..

 

[Weaselboy]

So the only way is to do an iCloud back up, then clean install and finally restore from iCloud..

Partly.... iCloud would get you back your calendar and contacts etc that are synced to iCloud. But you would still need to reinstall all your apps and move all your data and other settings back in manually. It can be a lot of work.

 

[satcomer]

Since kids today love web videos they can see this demonstration.

Warning! IMHO don't transfer the Network Settings because I feel the Apple network stack improvements might get messed up and you might have network problems. So manually add your network settings.

 

[Weaselboy]

Since kids today love web videos they can see

Warning! IMHO don't transfer the Network Settings because I feel the Apple network stack improvements might get messed up and you might have network problems. So manually add your network settings.

The thing is, using Migration Assistant like in that video does not result in a clean install like the OP wants.

 

[satcomer]

The thing is, using Migration Assistant like in that video does not result in a clean install like the OP wants.

Then what did you say

No it is not. You can do a full backup with ™, then use Migration Assistant with ™ as the data source to restore settings etc.

?

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi people, i would like to know if its possible to back up with TM just your settings and preferences, mail accounts, contacts, keychain etc etc.. so after a clean install you dont have to do everything from scratch!!

Any ideas??

No it is not. You can do a full backup with TM, then use Migration Assistant with TM as the data source to restore settings etc.

However, this completely derates the purpose of a "clean install." A true clean install is an erase and install of the OS, then a manual reinstall of all apps data and settings. There is not automatic way to do this and still have a clean install.

Then what did you say ?

If you want to use my quotes to argue, at least quote the whole reply where I made it clear Migration Assistant does not result in a clean install. Did you just miss that?

 

[alexburton]

Maybe I didn't make my shelf clear.. I had a mbp early 2011 and two months ago I bought a new mbp retina 13" as you can see in my signature.. I was using time machine for my old mbp so i did a restore to the new mbp from time machine. I am totally satisfied from the performance of the new mbp but I still think if I do a clean install it will be even faster..