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lion clean install vs upgrade
- Thread starter cinek
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That would depend on what you're doing after the install. If you're just going to restore all your apps and data from a backup, then NO a clean install won't get you anything. I would do a verify/repair disk permissions before proceeding with any upgrade though.
I always do a clean install of each new versn of OS X. I do it for a number of reasons, but primarily to clean out all the useless junk that has built up since the last time I installed. Also I think it helps to prevent some of the wacky problems people report as a result of upgrading.
I'm inclined to believe this. I haven't done a clean install of Lion just yet, but it's on my list of things to do. I'm just trying to make sure everything important gets backed up before doing so.
i clean installed. somehow its using 30gb less than my SL install did. must have accumulated a lot of junk since SL was released. 
what do I do as a nitwit..?
Also would like to update to Lion, but am afraid to do so. Doing an update is self explanatory I guess, but what is meant by a 'clean install'? What do I have to do then? I should back-up my total MBP to somewhere? How?... sorry, but i'm a nitwit wrt this. Furthermore I'm afraid some of my software (Adobe suite CS5, Office2011, Lightroom, etc.) would not work under Lion.
If I would update and programs do not work anymore, could I go back to SL 10.6.8 again?
Sorry if these questions are rather stupid....
Also would like to update to Lion, but am afraid to do so. Doing an update is self explanatory I guess, but what is meant by a 'clean install'? What do I have to do then? I should back-up my total MBP to somewhere? How?... sorry, but i'm a nitwit wrt this. Furthermore I'm afraid some of my software (Adobe suite CS5, Office2011, Lightroom, etc.) would not work under Lion.
If I would update and programs do not work anymore, could I go back to SL 10.6.8 again?
Sorry if these questions are rather stupid....
Clean install for me, can't be doing with anything wacky going on, so far perfect and running smooth as silk! also burnt me a DVD install disk.
What 'clean install' means
Hi Mary,
"Clean install" means reformatting your Mac's hard drive and installing Lion on it, as if it were a brand new machine and your previous OS was never there. That sounds drastic (and it is), but it doesn't have to mean starting over on all your applications and files. If you did a Time Machine backup just before, you can then use the 'Migration Assistant' feature to bring back your applications, files, and preferences. Any application that followed the Mac guidelines for where to put things should transfer pretty smoothly.
Power users often favor clean installs because we get uptight about the 'purity' of our systems. Laying Lion on top of Snow Leopard almost certainly means some things will be in a hybrid state, and files or settings that were only relevant to Snow Leopard might still hang around as cruft. We're not sure what's different, but we believe that starting fresh might make for a smaller install, a slightly faster one, or clear out any old glitches that have accumulated. It's like spring cleaning.
Is it necessary? No. Apple's in-place upgrades almost always work fine. And I suspect most of us would be hard-pressed to point out a clear, practical difference in the average case. There are exceptions; if your system has been working poorly, for instance, a clean install might be a more reliable way to clear out whatever went wrong.(*) But if you're generally satisfied, and you don't spend much time thinking about the internals of your system, trusting Apple and letting the upgrade perform itself is just as likely to leave you satisfied as doing things the "complicated" way.
(*) E.g.: I already upgraded in place, but am considering a clean install because I'm still seeing an occasional "hard freeze" problem that I was having lately in Snow Leopard. I suspect some third-party app, maybe Skype or RescueTime or something, but since I don't know which one, taking off and nuking the place from orbit seems like the best way to be sure. Also, I'm a power user and therefore uptight.
Hi Mary,
"Clean install" means reformatting your Mac's hard drive and installing Lion on it, as if it were a brand new machine and your previous OS was never there. That sounds drastic (and it is), but it doesn't have to mean starting over on all your applications and files. If you did a Time Machine backup just before, you can then use the 'Migration Assistant' feature to bring back your applications, files, and preferences. Any application that followed the Mac guidelines for where to put things should transfer pretty smoothly.
Power users often favor clean installs because we get uptight about the 'purity' of our systems. Laying Lion on top of Snow Leopard almost certainly means some things will be in a hybrid state, and files or settings that were only relevant to Snow Leopard might still hang around as cruft. We're not sure what's different, but we believe that starting fresh might make for a smaller install, a slightly faster one, or clear out any old glitches that have accumulated. It's like spring cleaning.
Is it necessary? No. Apple's in-place upgrades almost always work fine. And I suspect most of us would be hard-pressed to point out a clear, practical difference in the average case. There are exceptions; if your system has been working poorly, for instance, a clean install might be a more reliable way to clear out whatever went wrong.(*) But if you're generally satisfied, and you don't spend much time thinking about the internals of your system, trusting Apple and letting the upgrade perform itself is just as likely to leave you satisfied as doing things the "complicated" way.
(*) E.g.: I already upgraded in place, but am considering a clean install because I'm still seeing an occasional "hard freeze" problem that I was having lately in Snow Leopard. I suspect some third-party app, maybe Skype or RescueTime or something, but since I don't know which one, taking off and nuking the place from orbit seems like the best way to be sure. Also, I'm a power user and therefore uptight.
i agree with celeron, i always do a clean install. i too feel that it avoids lots of the strage issues people run in to, and its good to get rid of some of the accumulated junk
Oh, and to answer some other questions:
The site roaringapps.com maintains a list of Mac apps and other people's experiences on whether they work fine in Lion. You can check there for any particular application you might be worried about before upgrading.
Sure -- if you have a good backup. Time Machine is probably the easiest way. If you ever need to reverse course, you can go into Lion's "recovery mode" (hit Command-R while restarting) and restore your whole drive from your last Snow Leopard Time Machine backup. You'd lose anything you did since then, though, so it's not something to consider lightly.
The site roaringapps.com maintains a list of Mac apps and other people's experiences on whether they work fine in Lion. You can check there for any particular application you might be worried about before upgrading.
Sure -- if you have a good backup. Time Machine is probably the easiest way. If you ever need to reverse course, you can go into Lion's "recovery mode" (hit Command-R while restarting) and restore your whole drive from your last Snow Leopard Time Machine backup. You'd lose anything you did since then, though, so it's not something to consider lightly.
clean install here. I would never build a new house on top of an older house.
level the old house then build from the ground up.
I have just been doing upgrades since I got my Mac with Tiger on it, no problems at all with performance
Clean install vs upgrade
Thanks all for clarifying. I do not consider myself as a power user, but do prefer (and try) to keep my great mac machine as clean as possible.
I do use Time Machine so can make use of that. I've never done it though and it also has never been necessary. Is there a 'step by step' tutorial somewhere that can help me go through the process of clean install, reinstalling all the software I have now and also, if it seems not to work, reinstall SL again if necessary? Would like to go through it with help so I feel a little more secure before I start as a nitwit and screw up my total machine (as I do need it for my work, I cannot miss my mac for a day....).
Thanks for everything so far!
Thanks all for clarifying. I do not consider myself as a power user, but do prefer (and try) to keep my great mac machine as clean as possible.
I do use Time Machine so can make use of that. I've never done it though and it also has never been necessary. Is there a 'step by step' tutorial somewhere that can help me go through the process of clean install, reinstalling all the software I have now and also, if it seems not to work, reinstall SL again if necessary? Would like to go through it with help so I feel a little more secure before I start as a nitwit and screw up my total machine (as I do need it for my work, I cannot miss my mac for a day....).
Thanks for everything so far!
Not really answers I was looking for guess I'm even more of a nitwit.... would really need a step by step guide... maybe I can find it somewhere... cannot be I'm the only stupid in the whole wide world or???
guess I'm even more of a nitwit.... would really need a step by step guide... maybe I can find it somewhere... cannot be I'm the only stupid in the whole wide world or???