Fresh installation of OSX question

[jamesryanbell]

I'm running the latest version of OSX, and I'm thinking about installing an SSD (OWC Mercury Extreme) soon.

If I want to do a fresh install of OSX (i.e. NOT restore from Time Machine backup), BUT I also don't want to lose programs I've downloaded and paid for (that I've never had installation discs for), what's the best way of reinstalling them after I load a fresh copy of OSX onto the new disk? Do I just copy the programs to an external hard drive and drag them back into applications? Will the registrations stay in tact if I do that?

Sorry for the seemingly noob question, but I just didn't want to make a big mistake.

 

[Mac-key]

I'm running the latest version of OSX, and I'm thinking about installing an SSD (OWC Mercury Extreme) soon.

If I want to do a fresh install of OSX (i.e. NOT restore from Time Machine backup), BUT I also don't want to lose programs I've downloaded and paid for (that I've never had installation discs for), what's the best way of reinstalling them after I load a fresh copy of OSX onto the new disk? Do I just copy the programs to an external hard drive and drag them back into applications? Will the registrations stay in tact if I do that?

Sorry for the seemingly noob question, but I just didn't want to make a big mistake.

I'm curious to hear answers on this as well. In my limited knowledge I always thought a "fresh install" was to re-format the drive (or put in a new drive), install the OS by disk and then when migration assistant popped up - just migrate my stuff over from a time machine back-up. Is this not a fresh install?

 

[rkaufmann87]

I'm running the latest version of OSX, and I'm thinking about installing an SSD (OWC Mercury Extreme) soon.

If I want to do a fresh install of OSX (i.e. NOT restore from Time Machine backup), BUT I also don't want to lose programs I've downloaded and paid for (that I've never had installation discs for), what's the best way of reinstalling them after I load a fresh copy of OSX onto the new disk? Do I just copy the programs to an external hard drive and drag them back into applications? Will the registrations stay in tact if I do that?

Sorry for the seemingly noob question, but I just didn't want to make a big mistake.

I just upgraded my machine this week and put in the Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid. What I did was put the new drive in a enclosure, partition and format it and then used SuperDuper to make a clone of my existing drive. After that it was just a swap of the drives and it was done, total job about 40 minutes.

In your case you want to do a fresh install which IMHO is a waste of time and effort if the system is working OK now. However if you do the fresh install you should be able to restore the applications from the original drive.

 

[Kyffin]

I just upgraded my machine this week and put in the Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid. What I did was put the new drive in a enclosure, partition and format it and then used SuperDuper to make a clone of my existing drive. After that it was just a swap of the drives and it was done, total job about 40 minutes.

In your case you want to do a fresh install which IMHO is a waste of time and effort if the system is working OK now. However if you do the fresh install you should be able to restore the applications from the original drive.

I've just done this too (cloning the drive and swapping it out)- in the end went back and did a fresh install. For some reason after using CCCloner my boot time went up from before and wasn't settling down so installed fresh instead.

Was there a need for this? Well, no- but then again the process wasn't too much of a bind and definitely worth it for piece of mind. Everything is behaving as it should at all times, and thats exactly how I want my computer to behave!

The way I went about it was to install the OS then Applications (from disk) and then got Migration Assistant to move all my accumulated stuff. Really straightforward on-screen instructions to follow. Had a look round and figured thats whats commonly meant by a 'fresh install'. I found this particularly useful too;

http://guides.macrumors.com/Clean_Install_of_OS_X_10.6_Snow_Leopard

And anecdotally I'm glad I went back and did this- everything seems a bit snappier (whether is or no not sure- the clone certainly worked, but there may be an additional if slight performance benefit from this method? Notice that for instance Candybar junk still there but not applied &c.)

ope tis is of some elp anywhey

 

[Eddyisgreat]

BUT I also don't want to lose programs I've downloaded and paid for (that I've never had installation discs for), what's the best way of reinstalling them after I load a fresh copy of OSX onto the new disk? Do I just copy the programs to an external hard drive and drag them back into applications? Will the registrations stay in tact if I do that?

Most devs should give licensees a pathway to recover software if some catastrophic failure happens. To not do so is pretty irresponsible. Some applications handle licensing internally, so when you move the application from the Applications folder, the license info will go along with it. Other, high ticket apps such as practically anything from Adobe or Microsoft will have licensing information encrypted and tucked away somewhere in your /library folder, so just copying the program from the Applications folder won't cut it.

-If your app requires a serial/no serial but is otherwise a tiny install, you can try to copy the application from the app directory.
-Somewhat system intensive apps like VMWare Fusion require an install process, so you can go to the vendors website and just download the .dmg of the application.
-DRM Laden apps like Adobe's Creative Suite will not work if you copy over the application files only. You'll need to deactivate on your current install then reactivate on your new install.

 

[jamesryanbell]

I know about CCC, as I used it when I transitioned to my WD Scorpio Blue that I'm running now. I just meant if I wanted to do a clean install of OSX, what's the best way to get *just the programs I want* over to the new drive without running into licensing issues.

Maybe the last post answered it.

 

[jamesryanbell]

When restoring a backup from time machine, is there an option to only restore certain programs/files rather than just one big mass restore?

 

[jamesryanbell]

Bueller? Bueller?

 

[jamesryanbell]

Still need an answer to the question posed two posts up. Thanks!