I Just Time Machine'ed My Whole System, Can I Fresh-Clean-Install SL??

[ThE.MeSsEnGeR]

Well, i just got a WD external HD... and I used time machine...

and my question is very simple, as soon im sure that all my files and prefs (time machine keeps prefrences right?) are backed up on my WD HD...

can i freah-clean-install Snow Leopard, and then do a restore from the time machine back up? will it help and speed up a bit? or what?

Tahnks a lot!

 

[jmann]

That's how ya do it! Just use the disk utility feature on the SL disk to erase anything. Then install SL and restore using Time Machine/Migration Assistant.

 

[ThE.MeSsEnGeR]

That's how ya do it! Just use the disk utility feature on the SL disk to erase anything. Then install SL and restore using Time Machine/Migration Assistant.

Thanks a lot for your amazingly fast reply!
but, im kinda new to this... this is my first macbook, my first OS update, and my first time using time machine, (and WD HD), AND im really scared that i might lose some data/pics/music/files/apps in the process!

so, can i ask you a big favor, and be a bit specific, like if you can step-by-step, from the moment i hook up my external HD and start backin up (how can i be sure that im backin up EVERYTHING).. until the last step, which is booting into my SL desktop with all my files/folders and prefs.....

THANKS!!

 

[ThE.MeSsEnGeR]

so, can i ask you a big favor, and be a bit specific, like if you can step-by-step, from the moment i hook up my external HD and start backin up (how can i be sure that im backin up EVERYTHING).. until the last step, which is booting into my SL desktop with all my files/folders and prefs.....

THANKS!!

jmann? anyone? plz...

thanks..

 

[jmann]

jmann? anyone? plz...

thanks..

If you IM me, I will help you step by step. The process is SUPER Simple.

or

This is a wonderful step-by-step guide with pictures.

 

[ThE.MeSsEnGeR]

If you IM me, I will help you step by step. The process is SUPER Simple.

or

This is a wonderful step-by-step guide with pictures.

Thanks a lot jmann!! i really appreciate it! ill check this link... and if i need any further help, ill im you asap...

thanks a again!!

 

[Richard1028]

I'm probably too late but if you're like me, you may not even need to resort to your TM drive if you just do the upgrade. (i.e. don't erase your internal hard drive). Snow Leopard will do it's thing and leave all your stuff the way it was under Leopard.

I know there are all these horror stories floating around saying not to do this but I have had zero problems. Everything works fine.

Before installing SL I made sure all my software was up to date, my Time Machine Drive was current and also cloned my mac to another drive using SuperDuper. Just for kicks (and since I had all this backup insurance) I decided to let the disk upgrade me to SL while keeping all my other stuff intact. After 35 minutes I was back to my familiar desktop with all my apps, folders, preferences, etc. all in place but running under 10.6.0. I made sure my printers still worked, Parallels, all my critical applications were functioning including email, gmail, etc.

So, I conclude that my SL "upgrade" went fine without doing a clean, "erase and install" that others recommend. Of course I don't use half the crap these techie-nerds here at MacRumors use either. Nor is my system overly tweaked with terminal hacks.