Keep programs somehow when installing Leopard?

[ozone]

Hi... I've got the Leopard upgrade disks for my iMac (24" C2Duo) and have been waiting for some free time to install the new system. Is it possible to:

- automatically back up all my applications and data files;
- erase my iMac and install Leopard;
- reinstall the applications and data files *automatically* without reinstalling Tiger system files?

... or at least some variation of the above? I've heard it's better to go with an erase and install as opposed to archive/upgrade and install.

Basically, I want to be lazy (!) and not reinstall every single application from scratch. 😱

 

[richard.mac]

do you have an external drive? i assume you do ready for time machine. the easiest way would be to clone your tiger system with carbon copy cloner and then migrate your settings, docs and apps over to the leopard system once youve done a clean install with migration assistant.

i would suggest doing an archive and install so you dont have to migrate. this keeps all your settings, apps, itunes and iphoto libraries etc intact and just reinstalls a new system. but make that clone of your tiger system just incase the archive and install doesnt go so smoothly.

 

[byakuya]

the archive and install might not work for you if you have some 3rd party software installed like ape and lcc (logitech drivers).
there have been many reports that the upgrade didn't work so I'd def. suggest cloning your tiger installation and doing a clean install of leopard.

 

[ozone]

Thanks... so, what I gather is that my options are to:

1. Get Carbon Copy Cloner (3rd party I assume) and it will help me keep my settings after I do an erase and fresh install of Leopard.
2. Upgrade/archive and install.
3. Erase and install and reinstall all the apps the old fashioned way.

My concern with (2) is that I've heard from Apple reps and my own brother that there's been some "weird" things pop up with just doing the upgrade, plus a fresh install seems to be a bit faster (?).

 

[ozone]

Do I need a firewire external HD?

Just realized... I'm using Carbon Copy right now to make a clone of my iMac. After I install Leopard and when I want to migrate my settings, docs, apps, etc., do I need to have used an external hard drive with firewire port? The one I have is only USB? Can Leopard migrate all my old Tiger settings over USB?

 

[richard.mac]

migration assistant works with firewire or USB. i think you can only use firewire if you use migration assistant to move data from one mac to another mac when theyre both connected by a firewire cable.

 

[Mechcozmo]

the archive and install might not work for you if you have some 3rd party software installed like ape and lcc (logitech drivers).
there have been many reports that the upgrade didn't work so I'd def. suggest cloning your tiger installation and doing a clean install of leopard.

Actually, those would get moved out into the "Previous Systems" folder. It's with an Upgrade install that you can run into issues with those haxies.

I did an Archive and Install, no weird issues to speak of.

 

[ozone]

Thanks! Seems to have worked great!

Thanks for all the comments! I seemed to have successfully installed Leopard.

1. I cloned my HD using Carbon Copy. Note: need to format external HD to Mac OS system for it to be recognized (can't leave as FAT32). Note 2: 140 GB of data takes about 5.5 hours to clone onto an IDE drive using USB 2.0.
2. Did a full erase and install using the Leopard DVD. Took about 1 hour total.
3. Used the migration assistant and transferred all system settings, files, etc. back. Took about 3 hours. Even my iTunes (authorization, etc.) seemed to have worked flawlessly, although I did take the precaution of deauthorizing my iMac just in case.

🙂

... and we'll see over the next few days if everything is okay. But the main programs I use - Lotus Notes (yech - work of course), Fusion, etc. seem fine so far. Thanks again!

 

[richard.mac]

thats macs for ya! 😉 migration assistant is a killer feature but most people dont even know about it.