Clean install guide?

[AuroraProject]

Hi, I want to install Snow Leopard on my 3 year old MBP. I currently have Leopard on it and I want to do a clean install. My question is, once I have SL installed can I just plug my Time Machine drive in and restore all of my files? I have a lot of stuff I need to keep (obviously, who doesn't?) so I need the best method for a clean install and then bringing all my files back over.

 

[jmann]

Yep. Time Machine backs up EVERYTHING settings and all. Just do the backup, use disk utility to erase everything when you have the SL disc inserted, and then use migration assistant or Time Machine to move everything back.

 

[AuroraProject]

Does TM back up applications too, or will I need to reinstall them?

Thanks.

 

[KevinC]

Yes, your apps will be restored and all will be peachy.

 

[AuroraProject]

Perfect! Thanks very much.

 

[zen]

How do you restore applications? I'm curious because I'm thinking about a clean erase and install, but I have a lot of large apps like Adobe CS3, the original discs for which are boxed up in the attic.

If I just opened Time Machine, selected the app I wanted, then restored, it wouldn't bring all the associated prefs, libraries, extensions, etc, would it?

Or is that what Migration Assistant does? Can you use Migration Assistant with Time Machine?

 

[maflynn]

I could be wrong but if you don't do a full restore from time machine some apps won't correct restore.

for instance, photoshop when it installs places itself all over the place on the hard drive. In time machine, if you select photoshop, it will only pull back the application and not any of its files in ~/Library (and where ever else).

To that end, I generally don't restore my apps, at least the ones that have install programs but just reinstall them.

 

[alFR]

My advice would be:

Clean install
Manual app reinstall
Restore data only from Time Machine

If you restore other stuff from TM it kind of defeats the object of doing a clean install (to get rid of old, potentially-incompatible files and assorted cruft) IMHO.

 

[zen]

But isn't this what the Migration Assistant does? You do a clean install, then use the Migration Assistant to restore your applications, home folder, etc etc. So apps plus associated support files and folders are replaced correctly.

 

[jmann]

I could be wrong but if you don't do a full restore from time machine some apps won't correct restore.

for instance, photoshop when it installs places itself all over the place on the hard drive. In time machine, if you select photoshop, it will only pull back the application and not any of its files in ~/Library (and where ever else).

If you restore from a time machine backup completely. Like using Migration assistant, it will restore every single files in it's proper place, and it will be exactly like you computer was before the SL install.

 

[maflynn]

Exactly, that's why I don't do that

 

[zen]

But that's if you restore completely from TM, which makes the clean install a waste of time.

I'm assuming you can do a clean install and then use Migration Assistant to select apps and home folder, etc, to bring back from Time Machine.

For example, once my machine is clean, I can use Migration Assistant to bring back Adobe CS3 from Time Machine, and it will restore all the associated files and directories that the app requires.

 

[matt07lx]

Sorry to reopen the thread, but there seems to be some difference of opinion here. Can somebody clarify?

If I use Migration Assistant and Time Machine together to restore my applications and data after a clean install of Snow Leopard - is it a waste of time (in other words, not a *true* clean install)?

The reason I ask is because I don't have the installation cds for some of my applications (such as CS3) and don't really have another option besides this, or a simple "upgrade" installation of SL.

 

[siorai]

Sorry to reopen the thread, but there seems to be some difference of opinion here. Can somebody clarify?

If I use Migration Assistant and Time Machine together to restore my applications and data after a clean install of Snow Leopard - is it a waste of time (in other words, not a *true* clean install)?

The reason I ask is because I don't have the installation cds for some of my applications (such as CS3) and don't really have another option besides this, or a simple "upgrade" installation of SL.

Install discs are pretty easily obtainable nowadays. Just download what you need (not piracy if you already own the programs, but just don't have the discs) and then do a clean install. It seems like a waste of time in my opinion to do a clean install only to restore things from your old install over top. At that point you might as well just save yourself the hassle of a clean install and do the upgrade instead.