My MBP is a mess!

[rachael85]

Alright. So I've got a 2012 MBP, before this one I had a MBP for about 6 years and when it died I bought my new MBP plugged in time machine and off I went. So I've got about 14 years worth of mess!

I am now running out of space (I currently have 6GB of free space) and am just kind of over the mess and want to start again. Is there a way to factory reset my MBP and then just pick what I want to restore from my latest TM backup? Or is there a better way to clean it up? I don't have access to another computer so it would all have to be done with my 1 laptop and external hard drives.

Thanks!

 

[Madonepro]

Depends on what you have in your backup. Years ago I made the same call.

I now use iCloud (you can use Dropbox, One drive etc) and keep all my documents filed in it, photos are pretty safe in iCloud. I then use an external drive to back up my iCloud docs folder, and my photo/movies/tv libraries.

Once you are sure that you have everything you want backed up, basically follow apples support document https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204904 and set it up as new.

 

[rachael85]

Depends on what you have in your backup. Years ago I made the same call.

I now use iCloud (you can use Dropbox, One drive etc) and keep all my documents filed in it, photos are pretty safe in iCloud. I then use an external drive to back up my iCloud docs folder, and my photo/movies/tv libraries.

Once you are sure that you have everything you want backed up, basically follow apples support document https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204904 and set it up as new.

I don't like/trust the cloud and would rather not use it if I can avoid it. I have multiple hard drives, can I use them instead of the cloud? My MBP is 500GB, and it's full.

 

[ssmed]

Not using the cloud - it will be quicker unless you have a fantastic internet upload connection
When we allowed to upgrade the SSD or HD in our Macs this was quite a common process

1. make a clone of your disk using CCC (x2 or more if paranoid!) - make sure they can boot the machine as an external disk
2. find all of your installation software and write down your various passwords and licence keys
3. Boot into hardware check - make sure nothing
4. Boot into rescue and reinstall operating system after a full disk erase
5. Put all OS Software updates back on
6. Install software (just that which you want)
7. Cherry pick data, pictures etc from 1 of the CCC clones (you will need to understand that some data you want may be in the library file and not in the relevant documents / movies / pictures files
8. Decide whether to archive or delete everything else (a few months later)
9. Keep one CCC clone in case all a disaster and you need to re-install the whole lot again!

https://bombich.com. for CCC

Alternatively buy a new computer and start again with that in a similar fashion. I would do this if it was a computer that I needed for work. Depending on the age of your software the upcoming storm as Apple move to a new chipset may make a new computer now a bad idea (vanilla applications, no oddities) or a good idea (applications that are so old they will never be updated).

HTH

Edited for sense and error about current OS capabilities
[automerge]1595153299[/automerge]
Also as an interim measure, consider using a duplicate detective like application (carefully) to give yourself more space.

 

[Fishrrman]

Why not just delete unwanted files and apps until you clean up "the mess"?

What about it is "messy"?

Problems booting?
Other problems?

 

[magbarn]

Assuming you have a non retina 2012 mbp you’re blessed with industry standard 2.5” hard drive or ssd. Do what the others said above and buy a brand new nice 1tb to 2tb 2.5” ssd for cheap and clone over your old drive.

 

[Madonepro]

Cloning I disagree with in this case, as if you'd read the OP, you'll note that she doesn't' have much space, which means it's likely there is a lot of stuff that could be got rid of, and cloning just brings it across!
If you don't trust the cloud, fine, as said use some external drives.
One thing I did, and I still use this 4 years on, is to create a spreadsheet of the apps I have, the product keys if needed. I also have a file with password in excel, which has all my usernames, passwords, email address associated with them, and any other details, and is locked and password protected, and a printed copy made that is very well hidden.
It's a long laborious process, but worth it in the end to just start from new.
Using the cloud takes some trust, but time has shown that the trust has been gained, I have never had an issue, other than through stupidity, major companies are on cloud servers, and for over a decade users have had there data on clouds and largely without issue. Poor passwords and security from the user end is often the weakness.

 

[rachael85]

Assuming you have a non retina 2012 mbp you’re blessed with industry standard 2.5” hard drive or ssd. Do what the others said above and buy a brand new nice 1tb to 2tb 2.5” ssd for cheap and clone over your old drive.

I have a retina 2012 MBP, what difference does the display have?
I cant afford to buy a new computer, I just want to clean up mine and trying to find the best way to do it

 

[Apple_Robert]

Make sure you have all your important data backed up. Wipe the drive and then install only that which you must have on the computer on a regular basis. Anything else stays on your external drives. That is the quickest way to clean up your mess and get you up and running without having to deal with a mess after the fact.

 

[rachael85]

Why not just delete unwanted files and apps until you clean up "the mess"?

What about it is "messy"?

Problems booting?
Other problems?

I could just delete unwanted files I guess but I would rather start fresh with a wiped computer. As I said, I have 14 years of data on it and everything is just a bit everywhere. Since updating to Catalina I have had nothing but problems with it, including booting issues and having to recover it from a TM backup. I have no space left on it and want to clean it up but don't know the best way to go about it. I have multiple apps that are now unusable in Catalina but it seems just deleting them isn't good enough as it still leaves all the files/data(?) behind. I would love to get a new computer but at the moment it just isn't financially possible.
[automerge]1595209489[/automerge]

Make sure you have all your important data backed up. Wipe the drive and then install only that which you must have on the computer on a regular basis. Anything else stays on your external drives. That is the quickest way to clean up your mess and get you up and running without having to deal with a mess after the fact.

That's what im asking. How?

 

[ssmed]

That's what im asking. How?

I gave you step by step instructions!

 

[ssmed]

.....
Other problems?

see https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...a-update.2246482/?post=28687773#post-28687773

 

[magbarn]

I have a retina 2012 MBP, what difference does the display have?
I cant afford to buy a new computer, I just want to clean up mine and trying to find the best way to do it

Then you're stuck. You can't easily upgrade the SSD on your computer...

 

[rachael85]

I gave you step by step instructions!

Thank you, yes i got them, but then someone said cloning wasn't a good idea so was a bit confused the best option. Im not very technically minded with Apple so I'm a bit worried about doing something wrong.
[automerge]1595228155[/automerge]

Then you're stuck. You can't easily upgrade the SSD on your computer...

My question wasn't about upgrading the SSD...

 

[magbarn]

Thank you, yes i got them, but then someone said cloning wasn't a good idea so was a bit confused the best option. Im not very technically minded with Apple so I'm a bit worried about doing something wrong.
[automerge]1595228155[/automerge]

My question wasn't about upgrading the SSD...

Well you’re not giving us many options....
Many here have offered ways to help you clean up your ssd. Yet you decline

Several including yourself have said you need to get a new computer, yet you say you don’t have the money

basically you’re down to less then 20gb which BTW is HORRIBLE for ssds as when you’re running them that full you’re wearing them out prematurely. Ask my 2 buddies who bought low capacity Apple MacBooks and ran them as full as yours and killed their soldered ssds.

Since you’re declining to clean up your computer. You’re declining to clone your ssd or move the files elsewhere. You don’t have the money to upgrade your computer. Your only options is to leave it as it is or upgrade your ssd. Which is kinda tricky but it is at least possible with your generation.

PS probably the best option is to buy a used or refurbished MacBook with twice the storage and use migrate assistant to move your data and then just sell your MacBook.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"I have no space left on it and want to clean it up but don't know the best way to go about it. I have multiple apps that are now unusable in Catalina but it seems just deleting them isn't good enough as it still leaves all the files/data(?) behind."

Use AppCleaner (please note that there is no "space" between "App" and "Cleaner").
It's free, easy-to-use, and it WORKS.

Get it here:

AppCleaner

Try this.
Again, it's very easy to use.

 

[rachael85]

Use AppCleaner (please note that there is no "space" between "App" and "Cleaner").
It's free, easy-to-use, and it WORKS.

Get it here:

AppCleaner

Try this.
Again, it's very easy to use.

Thank you, I will look at this option first and then look into the other suggested options

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

 

[Scoot65]

What OS was originally installed on your MBP?

Which OS do you want to install on your MBP?

ssmed's post no 4 of this thread is good info.

I recently bought a second hand mid 2012 MBP (2.5GHz / 500GB HD)

The previous owner had installed Catalina on it. I wanted to install macOS Sierra.

A similar process will be used for other OS's

Because there is a problem with the macOS Sierra installer on the Apple site (expired certificate) I followed the step by step instructions in post no. 16 of this thread:-

(credit goes to ianfcampbell)

macOS 10.12.6 full installer with valid certificate?

Well, it's that time of year again — that time when Apple revokes the certificates in its older installers, rendering them completely useless. Where can I find a currently signed full installer for macOS 10.12.6, preferably one I can use to create a bootable USB drive? I was only able to dig...

forums.macrumors.com

I also found youtube videos showing how to do a clean install useful too.

I now have a nice factory fresh install on my MBP.

Believe me, if I can manage to accomplish making a bootable USB installer and use it to install a fresh OS, anyone can do it!!!

 

[ocnitsa]

The big question is what do you want to keep? Is it easily to copy and would it fit on an external harddrive or thumb drive? Can you reinstall apps you want easily? I think the easiest is to copy stuff you want to keep onto and external harddrive, then reformat/reinstall OS (by creating a thumb drive installer before formatting), then reinstall stuff and copy stuff over. Regardless, you will want to get the mess under control so you don’t lose anything in the clutter and so the reinstall doesn’t start with a mess, too.