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Help Me Backup for Leopard

I am going to do a clean install to get rid of old crap. I made a backup using superduper, but don't really want to Migrate all my apps either. I sure with the Migration assistant allowed you to pick / checkmark the apps you wanted to migrate instead of doing them all.

So will I be safe to hand copy the app as long as I copy the corresponding Library/Appname folder over?

- James
 
mrpeepers said:
Sweet!

Do i have to pick what I want to migrate over, if yet, do you recommend selecting to migrate everything, if not, what do you recommend?

I ask because I'm a Mac n00b (since august 2007). :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd suggest migrating everything available.
Welcome to Mac, it just works ;-)

-mj
 
I don't plan on using the Setup/Migration Assistant because I want to install all of my applications and such myself (to make sure I actually need them). It's a thing with me, and I know I'm probably weird because of it.

But I do have a question regarding iCal. If I do a backup of iCal and stick that file on an external, will I be able to just import the .icbu file into the new Leopard iCal and have all of my data there?
 
I thought that with OS X when you install Leopard, for example, it carries all your documents, files, songs, and pictures so you don't have to back anything up? Am I missing something here?
 
qbmcnabb108 said:
I thought that with OS X when you install Leopard, for example, it carries all your documents, files, songs, and pictures so you don't have to back anything up? Am I missing something here?
Click to expand...

We're talking about doing a clean Erase and Install, which will kill everything. If you do an Upgrade or an Archive and Install, it won't delete all of that stuff.
 
jamesarm97 said:
... don't really want to Migrate all my apps either. I sure with the Migration assistant allowed you to pick / checkmark the apps you wanted to migrate instead of doing them all.
Click to expand...

In 10.4 it was an all or none deal, 10.5 may allow you to select. Your best bet if you do not want to migrate them, would be to move them out of your Applications folder during migration.

jamesarm97 said:
So will I be safe to hand copy the app as long as I copy the corresponding Library/Appname folder over?
Click to expand...

Some yes, some no. Which is why I suggest using a utility like migration manager or SuperDuper to do the task.

-mj
 
cLin said:
Thank you. I was looking for that post somewhere, couldn't find it. And that's what I planned on doing, sorry if I didn't explain well. I already moved my media, documents and anything I create/downloaded. I was wondering more of where my user settings where like the cookies and etc. for the cookies.plist, is that for Safari? Or will it work for Firefox?
Click to expand...

The FF bookmarks and cookies are stored in /Users/~/Library/Application Support/Firefox/Profiles/gryaq60l.default.

-mj
 
MacJack, I may have asked you this so forgive me if it's a duplicate question...

What do you normally do when upgrading to a new OS version? Upgrade? Or Clean Install?
 
mrpeepers said:
What do you normally do when upgrading to a new OS version? Upgrade? Or Clean Install?
Click to expand...

For myself, I install the OS on another disk and port all my apps, settings, etc over with Setup Assistant. Then I boot up from that disk and kick the tires and check under the hood ;-)

In other words, I make sure it plays nice with all my apps and my peripherals all work with it. Only when I'm satisfied I've got a stable platform that I can perform all of my tasks on, do I clone it over to my main drive. But I will also keep the copy of my 10.4.10 system.

-mj
 
I think I will just upgrade and worry about the clean install if things aren't runnint smoothly.
 
Does doing a clean install get rid of my partition or do I need to go through boot camp assistant for that?
 
cLin said:
Does doing a clean install get rid of my partition or do I need to go through boot camp assistant for that?
Click to expand...

If you want to erase the partition go to the erase tab in DU, choose the entire disk(the uppermost icon) in DU and erase.

If you want to install OS X without disturbing the partition, then go to the erase tab in DU but choose the volume (one of 2 indented icons) which contains OS X and erase that volume.

-mj
 
I didn't read the whole thread but, here's what I did to prepare for Leopard:

1. Boot from the Tiger install DVD
2. Choose my Tiger startup disk and click on the Restore tab
3. Drag my Tiger startup disk to the Source field
4. Dragged my backup drive to the Destination field
5. Clicked "Restore" and went to bed
6. Woke up the next morning to an exact duplicate of my Tiger startup drive.
7. Now, I'll just upgrade to Leopard and if anything goes wrong, I have my previous System frozen in time that I can restore back to.

This was pretty painless.
 
TheSpaz said:
I didn't read the whole thread but, here's what I did to prepare for Leopard:

1. Boot from the Tiger install DVD
2. Choose my Tiger startup disk and click on the Restore tab
3. Drag my Tiger startup disk to the Source field
4. Dragged my backup drive to the Destination field
5. Clicked "Restore" and went to bed
6. Woke up the next morning to an exact duplicate of my Tiger startup drive.
7. Now, I'll just upgrade to Leopard and if anything goes wrong, I have my previous System frozen in time that I can restore back to.

This was pretty painless.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Exactly! Choose any of the 3 install options you wish. (Most folks will do the upgrade install and go merrily on their way.) Use any backup program that makes a bootable clone. (I prefer SuperDuper or CarbonCopyCloner over the restore option, myself) But the most important part is backing up.

Or, as scb mentioned there is a prompt in the 10.5 install for you to backup before installing.

Never perform a mission critical task without a backup. In fact, always have a backup. Then you can easily recover from any software mishap.

EDIT: The reason the thread is focused on doing a fresh install is because that was the OP's question.

-mj
 
So I'm manually backing up all my files by simply dragging and dropping my home folder items and my applications into my external hard drive.

I know this isn't the best way to do it, but I'm not particularly worried because I plan on either redownloading most Apps or reinstalling them from the discs.

The only thing I'm really worried about is that I cannot, for the life of me, get my "Library" in my home folder to copy to my external drive. How big of a deal is this? The only thing I'm REALLY worried about are my photos, movies and music/videos. If I lose the functionalities of my applications, I'm not particularly worried. Anyone have any comments/suggestions?
 
JW008 said:
So I'm manually backing up all my files by simply dragging and dropping my home folder items and my applications into my external hard drive.

I know this isn't the best way to do it, but I'm not particularly worried because I plan on either redownloading most Apps or reinstalling them from the discs.

The only thing I'm really worried about is that I cannot, for the life of me, get my "Library" in my home folder to copy to my external drive. How big of a deal is this? The only thing I'm REALLY worried about are my photos, movies and music/videos. If I lose the functionalities of my applications, I'm not particularly worried. Anyone have any comments/suggestions?
Click to expand...

Are your photos, music, and videos in your home directory? If so, you'll have everything inside the home directory.

With iTunes, the library information is even inside the iTunes folder, so everything will be fine.

Also, iPhoto library folder, or on 08 the new way they do it, everything is in there. Just put the iPhoto library back into the pictures part of the home directory.
 
powerbook911 said:
Are your photos, music, and videos in your home directory? If so, you'll have everything inside the home directory.

With iTunes, the library information is even inside the iTunes folder, so everything will be fine.

Also, iPhoto library folder, or on 08 the new way they do it, everything is in there. Just put the iPhoto library back into the pictures part of the home directory.
Click to expand...

That's what I was thinking, just wanted some confirmation from someone else! Thanks!
 
JW008 said:
That's what I was thinking, just wanted some confirmation from someone else! Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yeah. I'm still trying to decide, if I want to do like you, or if I want to just archive and install.

My iMac is only two months old, so I'm thinking an archive and install might be fine. Perhaps I will do a fresh install, only for my Powerbook.

Thanks for your thread though. It helps in my decision too. It isn't much more work to do a fresh install as we can see, since we have external drives to backup to.
 
powerbook911 said:
Yeah. I'm still trying to decide, if I want to do like you, or if I want to just archive and install.

My iMac is only two months old, so I'm thinking an archive and install might be fine. Perhaps I will do a fresh install, only for my Powerbook.

Thanks for your thread though. It helps in my decision too. It isn't much more work to do a fresh install as we can see, since we have external drives to backup to.
Click to expand...

Right, that's kind of what I'm thinking. I've had my iMac for just under a year, but is there really any reason NOT to do a clean install? My PowerBook, on the other hand, is three years old and is definitely getting a fresh install.

All my friends are heading home for the weekend, but I go to graduate school about a thousand miles from home so don't have that option. Meaning I'll be here all weekend by myself anyway---might as well give myself something to do.
 
iTunes: File > Backup to Disc. That should do it, though I don't know how much music you have, so it could be painful. There might be a way to do it using a HDD that I don't know about (hope so).
Click to expand...

I used Backup to Disc and it didn't preserve my playlists, so it might not be the way to go if that's important to you.
 
powz said:
I used Backup to Disc and it didn't preserve my playlists, so it might not be the way to go if that's important to you.
Click to expand...

See post #18 for the answer.

Also copy/Users/~(Home)/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iTunes.plist, com.apple.iTunesHelper.plist, com.apple.iTunes.eq.plist.

It usually isn't recommended to copy over prefs because they are small files which can be easily damaged but it can't hurt to back them up.

-mj
 
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