Don't do a clean install!!!

[iDave]

...Did I mention that I even have AOL installed? 😱 😛

Oh, then a clean install is mandatory! 😀

What is this "migration assistant" some have mentioned? Is it commercial software? Does it somehow differentiate between good stuff and bad stuff if it aids in replacing all of your files after an erase install?

On a side note, part of my issue with regard to clean installs is with fonts. I have a lot of them (and a font management program). It seems no matter how good my font management is, some of the first problems I encounter after any kind of major system overhaul is with fonts. I work in design, and my coworkers and I have spent countless hours over the years dealing with font issues. I don't want to drag the thread off-topic with this comment but sometimes I think the clean-install backers don't have nearly as many files, applications, preferences, etc., to deal with as others do.

 

[naftalim]

Migration Assistant is found in OSX (Tiger and up) in Applications/Utilities.

http://www.apple.com/pro/tips/migration.html

Oh, then a clean install is mandatory! 😀

What is this "migration assistant" some have mentioned? Is it commercial software? Does it somehow differentiate between good stuff and bad stuff if it aids in replacing all of your files after an erase install?

 

[stp2112]

Leopard Installs

I did a clean, new install to Leopard on my 17" G4 PB and also did an upgrade from Tiger to Leopard on a 15" G4 PB, I experienced no issues on either one and both are working fine. The back and forth on which one is better is strictly a personal decision as far as I am concerned, and any of the issues with either type of install need to be discussed in forums such as this and reported to Apple so that everyone can have a good experience with Leopard........thats what makes Mac users unique, we try to offer solutions instead of problems.

 

[leonk]

There is no point to do a clean install on OS X.

Lets face it, a lot of people that are running OS X today were Windows users not too long ago. With Windows, it's always recommended to do a clean install, simply because Windows doesn't keep track of files under its system directory.

A typical Windows XP install just after a few years can swell many times over! Lots of stuff sticks around when you uninstall apps in Windows. This is not the case with OS X.

OS X is based on UNIX (BSD to be more exact) and in the UNIX world, with package management being what it is, it's very easy to update w/o having anything sticking around from the old version.

Take it from a sysadmin that updates his web servers, I've never clean installed a UNIX server!

My oldest machine was "updated" from:

RedHat 6.2 -> RH7 -> RH9 -> Debian 3.0 -> Debian 3.1 -> Debian 4.0

I have lots of tools that keep track of disk usage, and in all cases, nothing "sticks" around the way it does with Windows.

If you like your current setup, upgrade!!! Apple has an entire test team whose sole purpose was to test out hundreds of upgrade combinations!!

That's my $0.02 ...

 

[killerrobot]

If you like your current setup, upgrade!!! Apple has an entire test team whose sole purpose was to test out hundreds of upgrade combinations!!

Well, if you read around on discussions.apple.com, you'll see the test team did a piss poor job.
Maybe its not the computer itself, but install disks can get scratched and can have errors - obviously some people do have to do a clean install, otherwise Apple would never give that option.

 

[Apple Corps]

Update option was easy and (so far) flawless on:

iMac G4 1.25 FP
Mac Mini core duo
MBP 2.33
MacPro

I used to do the erase the drive, clean install, reload many many apps - now appears to have been a waste of time for me - KUDOS to Apple based on my experience thus far - hardly have ever had any problems other than a brief problem with Airport connectivity years ago.

In some (many?) cases I wonder if all of this clean install effort is like the guys who go crazy changing their car oil and filter every 2500 miles - even when using synthetic oils. In theory it extends the life of the engine - in practice it sells a lot of oil and filters..........

I understand your opinion may vary.....

 

[leonk]

Well, if you read around on discussions.apple.com, you'll see the test team did a piss poor job.
Maybe its not the computer itself, but install disks can get scratched and can have errors - obviously some people do have to do a clean install, otherwise Apple would never give that option.

If the update disc got scratched and a user clicked on the skip verification button during the install/update process (which took a long time, but better safe than sorry) then it's their fault!

As far as I can tell, most issues are related to unsupported 3rd party utilities. There's no way apple can test every single application and script that's out there. But I'm pretty sure that they did a great job with a majority of the common apps. Further more, if you're a developer, you had almost 2 years to make sure you program worked with Leopard, and that an update didn't cause your app to die.

Don't blame Apple for piss poor programming by other companies. After a clean install, if you put some of these apps back on, it'll make your system crap out again!

 

[QuarterSwede]

Don't blame Apple for piss poor programming by other companies. After a clean install, if you put some of these apps back on, it'll make your system crap out again!

I hate to say it but my problems were mainly Apple related. In System Preferences the Spaces tab wouldn't show me the right side of the window. Spaces and the 3D dock all ran slower. After the clean install no more problems.

 

[killerrobot]

As far as I can tell, most issues are related to unsupported 3rd party utilities. There's no way apple can test every single application and script that's out there. But I'm pretty sure that they did a great job with a majority of the common apps. Further more, if you're a developer, you had almost 2 years to make sure you program worked with Leopard, and that an update didn't cause your app to die.

Don't blame Apple for piss poor programming by other companies. After a clean install, if you put some of these apps back on, it'll make your system crap out again!

Have you been reading any of the threads about Leopard? It seems to me everyone is having problems with Leopard not 3rd party programs. The only 3rd party programs I've heard anyone complain about is Adobe - and I'm sure 90% of those complaining don't even have a legit copy.

Apple did do a piss poor job - there are airport problems left and right; time machine doesn't work properly or even at all; and then there's the bluescreen issue just to name a few of the problems because of Apple - not third party software.

I'm glad you've had no problems, but seriously, don't say because it works for you, that everyone having problems is caused by their idiocy and third party programs.

EDIT: As a side note, how many third party programs do you install on a Unix server?